Fashionably Early For The America’s Cup 2027: Panerai Launches Two New Luminor Luna Rossa Watches
With just less than a year to go until the 38th America’s Cup heads to Naples, Panerai unveils two new Luminor Luna Rossa watches. The 44mm Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768, featuring a tachymeter scale, is for the navigator, and the 40mm Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791 is for the frequent-traveling captain…well, maybe. First and foremost, these watches underline Panerai’s long-running partnership with the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team. They also represent Panerai’s focus on performance-oriented tool watches inspired by competitive sailing. For the most part, the limited-edition chronograph and the unlimited GMT are aimed at fans of top-level sailing, high-end tool watches, or both.
Panerai’s partnership with Luna Rossa enters its seventh year, and a year before the 38th America’s Cup, the brand launches two thematic sailing watches. The duo consists of the Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768 and the Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791. These robust watches are different but share a nautical aesthetic reminiscent of silvery light bouncing off the sea’s surface. The 44mm Chrono features a tachymeter scale for measuring speed, while the GMT offers a practical dual-time complication for time-zone-crossing travelers.
Panerai launches two new Luminor Luna Rossa watches
Panerai’s partnership with the sailing team is more than a simple sponsorship. The collaboration has served as a testing ground for the brand’s technical developments, with previous Luna Rossa watches introducing features such as regatta countdowns and advanced materials like Ti-Ceramitech. As anticipation builds for the 2027 America’s Cup — the first to be held in Italy, off the coast of Naples — the Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768 and the Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791 debut.
Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768
The PAM01768 (€11,200) is a 500-piece limited edition in a 44mm stainless steel Luminor case, and it marks the first time a chronograph joins the Luna Rossa lineup. Powering the watch is Panerai’s automatic P.9210 caliber. This 41-jewel integrated chronograph movement runs at 28,800 vph, features Incabloc shock protection, and offers a 42-hour power reserve. Along with hour and minute hands, the movement drives the central chronograph seconds hand, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, and small seconds at 9 o’clock. Panerai updated the automatic winding system to improve efficiency.
I highly doubt this will happen, but just in case, the navigator can use the watch to determine the boat’s speed while racing with Naples in the background. The tachymeter scale on the rehaut and the red-and-white central chronograph hand allow the wearer to calculate average speed over a measured kilometer or (nautical) mile. The chronograph pushers sit on the left side of the case at 8 and 10 o’clock. Why? Because there’s no spot for them on the right side of the case, which is dominated by the Luminor’s large signature crown-locking bridge.
A silvery shine and a cherry-wood box
The dial combines a silver sun-brushed finish with rhodium-toned details and white Super-LumiNova X2 for legibility. Gray sub-dials with azurage finishing add visual depth without compromising readability. The overall aesthetic remains understated, with subtle Luna Rossa-inspired accents rather than overt branding.
Included with the PAM01768 is an elastic Velcro strap, a new addition to the Luna Rossa collection. It has a 24/22mm taper, is easy to adjust, and appears very comfortable, especially in wet conditions. If Velcro is not your thing, inside the blue cherry-wood presentation box, you will find a black rubber strap. Changing from one strap to another is easy thanks to a quick-release system.
Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791
The compact Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791
If the 44mm Chrono is too big or you missed out on one of the 500 watches available, there’s also the Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791 (€11,100). This much more compact 40mm steel watch comes on a bracelet, a first for the Luna Rossa collection. Its tapered design gives the watch a noticeably different character from its strap-equipped siblings. If you want it to look more like the other Panerai creations, the PAM Click quick-release system allows for rapid strap changes.
This new GMT model is the most compact of Panerai’s Luna Rossa watches to date. The 100m-water-resistant watch features a silver sun-brushed dial with a restrained layout. White Super-LumiNova X2 ensures good legibility in low-light conditions, while the small red seconds hand adds a subtle splash of color. The recessed sub-dial has a fine azurage finish, adding some texture. In case you haven’t noticed, the GMT hand features a distinctive arrow that mimics the profile of Luna Rossa’s racing sails. It emphasizes the connection between the watch and the Italian sailing team, but it does not feel too gimmicky.
A 12-hour GMT function?
Inside the PAM01791, behind the case back’s sapphire display, beats Panerai’s automatic P.900/GMT movement, a 4Hz caliber with a three-day power reserve. The movement also features a hacking seconds function, allowing synchronization and as precise time-setting as is possible without a minute track. The watch has a 12-hour GMT function, which is odd. But there’s a reason for this oddness. It’s a nod to some of the brand’s GMT-equipped models from the early 2000s. Is it practical? Probably not. Is it a detail worth talking about in the marina? Possibly yes. What do you think about a 12-hour GMT and the PAM01791 in general? Do you prefer the new 40mm Luminor to the 44mm Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
