As supplier to the Royal Italian Navy and specialist in high-precision mechanisms, Panerai perfected the world's first underwater timepieces in the 1930s, which were not only waterproof at 650 feet, but luminescent as well.
Giovanni Panerai, the firm's founder, gave his watches a large 47mm case, a black dial (to make the luminous hands and numerals as legible as possible under water) and a movement supplied by Rolex, the best and most rugged available for use in a military wristwatch at that time. A 15 mm-thick stainless steel case made the watch water resistant and it was fitted with an extended strap made from punched and oiled leather that enabled it to be worn over the cuff of a diving suit. Original photography commissioned for the volume highlights the unique technical aspects of Panerai designs, with special sections devoted to the precision instruments invented for the Italian navy, and to international collectors such as Sylvester Stallone, who recognized the watch as a design classic.Yet Panerai continues to perfect and expand its technical prowess : Mike Horn wore a Panerai Arktos, designed especially for him, while making the first-ever solo circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle from 1999 to 2000.
An extensively researched catalogue of the firm's collections and archives provides a unique resource for collectors and watch specialists.192 pages, 32 x 32, hardcover, CHF 176.00 • € 110.00
Order here on Worldtempus, article number 1162
