This Platinumtech Panerai Luminor is a Panerista’s ultimate perpetual calendar
Zach BlassPanerai are known for their iconic dive watches – big, brutish, and robust pieces notably used by the Italian navy. Early Panerai watches utilised Rolex movements in their big and distinct cases, but in the modern era of Panerai, the brand has looked further into movement development. Panerai are not particularly known for their mastery of the internals, more so the laurels of their external design. But, while not largely associated with complex calibres, that does not mean Panerai doesn’t have them. Panerai has explored high complications such as a tourbillon, or, looking at the watch we have here, perpetual calendars. With their Italian eye for design, the Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech is not only stealth in its case expression but also its complication.
While this skews towards the more formal side of the spectrum for Panerai, this 44mm platinum watch is uncompromising in terms of its legendary sporty and utility-driven design – unless you consider the 50-metre depth rating a sacrifice. For a perpetual calendar, however, that is certainly a solid level of water-resistance. Looking at its profile, and with the signature crown locking system, there are no immediate tells this watch is a precious metal perpetual calendar other than the Italian text for perpetual calendar on the dial.
Even looking at the dial, with its clean and legible look that retains the utility-driven mindset of the collection’s origins, you will only see the day, date, and a counter. Looking closer, yes the central hands include the hours and minutes, but the third central hand is not the running seconds – it is an independently adjustable, 12-hour GMT hand. Looking even closer, the sub-dial at 9 o’clock displays the running seconds, but it also has a day/night indication through a small 24-hour hand. This compartmentalisation of complication results in a clean look that does not clutter the green sunburst dial, and, to the uninitiated, gives no tell that this is a high-comp watch.
Conceived and crafted by Panerai, the P.4100 movement within is exhibited behind the caseback offering a view of its micro-rotor and escapement within cutouts of the bridges which have been afforded ample real estate. These brushed surfaces, however, are put to use – embedded within indications displaying the month, year, and leap year. This ultimately allows the dial to have its clean layout – I leave it to you to decide whether or not you wish these indications were on the dial side.
It is worth noting that the calibre offers 72 hours of power reserve, a weekend-proof duration you don’t typically see for perpetual calendar movements. Perhaps a deep-cut feature of the calibre, it also has a seconds-reset mechanism where when the crown is pulled out to the time setting position it will reset to zero – aiding in synchronisation with a reference clock. And speaking of the crown, there are no correctors or pushers to adjust the perpetual calendar. Everything is intuitively operated through the crown alone. The Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech is offered on a brown alligator leather strap with a white gold pin/buckle closure and it is also bundled with a dark brown rubber strap as well. Should you wish to strap-hack, the lug width is 24mm.
So, who is this watch really for? As a platinum perpetual calendar, it is definitely not in everyone’s budget. The Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech, which is a limited edition of 100 pieces, is for the handful of ultimate Panerai fans, or Panerisiti rather, who want to have a high-end complication that is packaged within the legendary Luminor framework. The only question I am left with is: do I wish all the indications were on the dial side, or do I appreciate Panerai’s strategy to keep it cleaner and more legible? I will not lean in either direction, as I see merits to both.
Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech pricing and availability
The Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech is a limited edition of 100 pieces sold exclusively in Panerai boutiques. Price: A$107,400, US$70,500
| Brand | Panerai |
| Model | Luminor Perpetual Calendar Platinumtech |
| Reference Number | PAM00715 |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) |
| Case Material | Platinumtech |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and caseback |
| Dial | Sunburst green |
| Bracelet | Brown alligator leather, dark brown rubber, white gold pin buckle |
| Movement | P.4100, in-house, micro-rotor automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, 24-hour indicator, GMT, perpetual calendar |
| Availability | 100 pieces |
| Price | A$107,400, US$70,500 |