Following the Royal Italian Navy's approach to them and other watch brands in 1935 to build a watch that was highly water-resistant and legible in unfavourable conditions, Panerai began the development of a divers watch. In 1936 Panerai developed 10 prototype watches and submitted them for testing. This prototype was called the Radiomir, after the radioactive substance used to paint its hands and indices. Production of the watch for use by the military began in 1938 with Panerai adhering to strict guidelines from the Italian Navy – a long water-proof strap wearable over a diving suit, a hand-wound mechanical movement, luminescent indices and numerals and a large dial. These guidelines became more stringent in 1940 when the Navy requested that the watch could resist extreme tension and had better water resistance. To meet these needs, Panerai designed a new case for the Radiomir, so the lugs were not just welded onto the case but milled from the same block as the case and a small second's dial was also added to the 9 o'clock position for more accurate time-keeping, which could prove life or death when underwater and when resurfacing. Since its early days, the Radiomir has become an iconic part of Panerai’s offering and today it is one of the best-known models. Offered here we have the Radiomir ref. PAM00338 with a titanium case, a black sandwich dial and gold hands, and an exhibition caseback that reveals its manual-wind cal. P999 movement. Launched in 2010, this modern Radiomir merges the collection’s original aesthetic with Panerai’s modern taste for luxury in a manner that will certainly appeal to the Paneristi amongst us.

Growing into their position as a watchmaker with unique-looking watches, Panerai have come to showcase where luxury and utility collide in the world of watchmaking by embracing their unusual design language in a manner that allows them to create timepieces that can take a beating, all while looking distinctly luxurious and unmistakable as a Panerai.