Luminor • a fundamental of Panerai's lasting heritage

Rosette Media
Sep 20
3 min read

Established in Florence in 1860 as a workshop, store, and later a watchmaking school, Panerai provided the Italian Navy, especially its specialized diving units, with precision instruments for many years. The designs Panerai developed during that era, including the Luminor and Radiomir, were protected under the Military Secrets Act for several years and were only introduced to the international market after the brand was acquired by the Richemont Group in 1997.

Today, Panerai designs and manufactures its movements and watches at its Neuchâtel facility. These creations seamlessly blend Italian design flair and history with Swiss watchmaking expertise. Panerai watches are available worldwide through an exclusive network of distributors and Panerai boutiques.

As radiant as the Luminor. The name Luminor is derived from the luminous compound developed by Panerai, an innovative material that influenced the creation of the first models in the early 1960s. Designed to meet the rigorous standards of the Italian Navy, Panerai had long been supplying durable and precise instruments to the Marina Militare, but it was the Luminor that combined a collection of distinctive features in the '90s.

Among these features, the crown protective device with a lever—originally designed to prevent water from entering the case—remains the most iconic and instantly recognizable element today. Every component served a purpose, balancing form and function, maximizing reliability, readability, and resilience, defining Panerai’s watchmaking philosophy. By the 1960s, these characteristics had solidified into a design that, with its safety lock system, sandwich dial, and enhanced luminescence, distinguished the Luminor and became synonymous with the brand.

Today, Luminor is Panerai’s most recognizable collection, a lasting functional design that has evolved through the Maison’s Laboratorio di Idee. From high complications to innovative materials, the Luminor continues to be a platform for innovation—timeless yet ever advancing in performance.

Panerai presents the all-new series of Luminor Marina timepieces at Watches & Wonders 2025

The Luminor Marina, a timeless icon, stands as one of Panerai's most renowned models, celebrated for its modern, sporty design and rich heritage. At Watches and Wonders 2025, Panerai honors the Luminor Marina's legacy with a collection of innovations that introduce new essential details and technical enhancements while maintaining the core identity of its distinctive aesthetics, reliability, and functionality. Available in titanium and steel, these new releases cater to the confident, self-assured individual who appreciates a timepiece that embodies both presence and purpose. The series remains unmistakably Panerai, instantly recognizable with its bold lines and signature design elements, yet updated to meet contemporary standards of comfort and precision.

Key features remain consistent, from the iconic safety lock system—a defining element of Panerai's visual identity—to the luminous dial with sandwich construction, ensuring optimal readability in all conditions. The minimalist dial, featuring only the Maison's name and 'Luminor Marina' alongside an enlarged beveled date display, offers a cleaner, bolder look. The rhodium small seconds display enhances performance by allowing users to easily verify functionality. For the first time in Panerai's core collection, the series incorporates Super-LumiNova® X2, an innovation that increases brightness, ensuring the watch is easily readable even in low-light conditions—a nod to a crucial feature for military naval missions.

At the core of the Luminor Marina series is the new P.980 calibre, a 3-day power reserve automatic movement. It includes a traversing balance bridge, which enhances stability and performance accuracy. The movement features a stop-second function, allowing precise time-setting by stopping the seconds hand when the crown lever is pulled out. Additionally, the P.980 has undergone six-position testing to ensure dependable chronometric performance. Its construction includes new finishing for an essential design visible through an open sapphire case-back, operating at a frequency designed to ensure consistent, accurate timekeeping over prolonged use.

The new Luminor Marina series introduces, for the first time, a water resistance of up to 50 BAR (~500 meters), a debut standard for the collection. This significant upgrade builds on Panerai's legacy of crafting reliable, high-performance timepieces, reflecting its history as a supplier to the Italian Navy. Each watch is rigorously tested at a pressure 25% greater than the guaranteed water resistance value to ensure it meets Panerai's exacting standards. With this enhancement, the Luminor Marina reaffirms its status as a robust tool watch, ideal for professional divers and enthusiasts alike.