Back To The Roots With The Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01794
This year is an important one for Panerai. The brand is commemorating the centenary of its long-standing store, Orologeria Svizzera, in Florence. To celebrate 100 years of the famous boutique with its breathtaking views of the Florence Cathedral, Panerai unveils the Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01794. This new limited edition of 1,000 pieces takes inspiration from a rare prototype of the legendary ref. 6152/1 from the 1960s. Additionally, the watch features a commemorative case back bearing an engraving of the historic boutique façade. With this watch, Panerai pays homage to both its famous Florentine history and its military heritage. I had a chance to find out how these stories come together on the wrist.
The first Panerai workshop and store opened in 1860 at Ponte alle Grazie, but when that location needed reconstruction in 1926, the store relocated to its current site in the Archbishop’s Palace at Piazza San Giovanni. For Panerai fans, it has become an important part of the brand’s history. Today, the store still keeps a part of that history alive. A good example is the original wooden shop window structure, still visible beneath the “OROLOGERIA” sign. I must admit that I have never been to Florence, although it is on the list of cities to visit. When I get a chance to go, stopping by the Panerai store will definitely be on my to-do list.
The details of the new Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01794
While a visit to Florence is in the works, let’s focus on the new Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01794. As mentioned, the watch was inspired by a prototype of the ref. 6152/1 featuring a handmade crown-protecting bridge, now a signature element, and a tone-on-tone “Panerai Firenze” inscription at 12 o’clock. This modern version, the new PAM01794, features the signature Luminor case in stainless steel, with a 44mm diameter and a 300m depth rating.
On the right side of the case, you will find the crown-protecting bridge with the lever that unlocks the crown. Panerai paired the case with a beautiful anthracite sandwich dial featuring a circular-brushed finish and the signature luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. The dial bears the same tone-on-tone “Panerai Firenze” engraving as the 1960s prototype did. It is a nice detail that makes the dial rather understated. Hovering over the dial are blued hour and minute hands, which also feature a light green Super-LumiNova filling.
The Panerai P.5000
Powering the new PAM017094 is the familiar Panerai P.5000 movement. The manual-winding caliber comprises 113 components, operates at 21,600 vph, and offers an eight-day power reserve thanks to its two-barrel construction. Additionally, it features a Glucydur balance and Parechoc anti-shock protection. It’s a well-known Panerai caliber that we also saw powering the beautiful Brunito-finished PAM01733 released during Watches and Wonders earlier this year. It was part of a trio of releases inspired by Panerai models from the 1960s, just like this new PAM01794.
The caliber lies hidden behind a commemorative case back. It features an engraved depiction of the famous Florence boutique, reminding you that this special place has been there for 100 years. The engraving is nicely detailed. I especially love the display of the watches and boxes. It’s nice to see that Panerai managed to make it look like the real storefront.
A thick 24mm brown leather strap with contrasting stitching and a steel tang buckle completes the watch. Additionally, buyers will receive a black rubber strap inside the watch’s commemorative matte mahogany box.
Wearing the Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01794
Once on the wrist, this new Luminor Firenze quickly impressed me. I love Panerai’s watches to be as simple as possible, meaning no Officine Panerai logo and no small seconds, just a dial with the iconic hour numerals and markings, along with the brand and model names on the upper half. Well, this new PAM01794 delivers perfectly on that wish.
It even takes it to the next level with the “Panerai Firenze” text engraved without an added extra color. As a result, the dial has a nice, understated presence. It’s not unfamiliar to Panerai, as the brand also produces dials without a logo or name. A good example is the California-dial Radiomir 8 Giorni PAM02088 that debuted not too long ago.
While I generally wear smaller watches these days, I’ll gladly make an exception for a Panerai. The Luminor and Radiomir are big watches, and they should be. That’s why I thoroughly appreciated getting the chance to wear this one. Despite the substantial 44mm diameter, the watch sits really nicely on my 18.5cm wrist.
I am a big guy, too, so the size suits me well. Once on the wrist, the dial immediately stands out. The anthracite color and the circular brushing really drew me in. The brushing, in particular, has a subtle bullseye-like attraction. Furthermore, the blue hands contrast nicely with the dial color. While the contrast is not as big as on the original prototype — that one has gold hands hovering over a black dial — gray and blue is a classic color combination that works well.
Final thoughts on the Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01794
Wearing this new Luminor did not bring any shocking revelations, but I didn’t expect any. It was just nice to spend some time with a Panerai again because it reminded me how much I like the brand, its history, and its watches. Panerai’s signature design style is one of my favorites in the watch industry. The aesthetic was deliberately designed to be functional for the divers wearing the watches. But in this functionality also lies the magic that makes it so compelling decades later, and it was so nice to wear a watch that confirmed my love for the brand’s design.
On top of that, the PAM01794 nicely tells the story of the Florence boutique. Instead of a dial with textual hints about the store’s centenary, an engraving on the case back does the job beautifully. The link to the prototype adds to that narrative because it was created in the workshop in Florence in the 1960s. That makes this 1,000-piece limited edition a nice storyteller. It retails for €10,700.
Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01734
The watch will be officially presented along with the Panerai Luminor PAM01734, another special centenary model in platinum. It follows the example of the stainless steel version we had in for review, with the same 44mm cushion-shaped case but executed in platinum. The case houses a circular-brushed green dial with a sandwich construction. The lighter green Super-LumiNova hour numerals and markers complement the dial very well. Gold-colored double-pencil hands hover over the dial, finishing the look in style.
Unlike the stainless steel version, this 100-piece limited edition has a platinum case back featuring a sapphire display. It gives you a clear view of the P.5000 caliber that offers the same 192-hour power reserve as the stainless steel version.
Bringing all this to the wrist is a black Tuscan calf leather strap featuring a hot-stamped Florentine lily pattern and a white gold trapezoidal buckle. Buyers will also receive an additional green rubber strap in the special lacquered mahogany box, which features a custom metal plaque depicting the Florence boutique entrance. The platinum Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01734 will cost €55,000.
Both watches will be unveiled at the premiere of the Panerai Immersion exhibition, which you can visit from September 10th to 19th at the Museo Marino Marini in Florence, Italy. The exhibit tells the story from Panerai’s humble family beginnings to its rich history in military diving to its modern-day adventures in sailing, diving, and other action sports. If you are interested, you can reserve your visit on the official Panerai website. It would be a nice opportunity for me to visit Florence earlier than expected.
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