2021 marks 70 years since when Panerai launched its iconic Luminor model. It is probably the most iconic model they have produced and is adored worldwide as sports watch. This watch was made in collaboration with World Free Diving Champion Guillaume Néry who is also a Panerai brand ambassador. Panerai has made other watches before that was also in collaboration with Guillaume Néry in the past, but this Luminor is the latest one.
Guillaume Néry has had a very decorated and accomplished career as a free diver. He has broken multiple world records during his career most of which were his very own records. He also led France and became World team Champions in 2008, and this was the first gold medal for a French team in a freediving world championship. He was forced to pull out of the world championship in 2015 due to an error by the judges and organizers after they placed the line at -139m instead of -129m, which caused him to black-out at the surface and caused a lung squeeze. He retired from AIDA World Championships shortly after for personal reasons stating that he was not in the mental or physical shape required for deep diving. Despite this the mark he has left in the freediving world as well as the records he had placed especially at such an early age not only makes him a great athlete but also a perfect brand ambassador for Panerai.
This is a limited edition watch and is limited to 70 pieces and will only be available exclusive in Panerai Boutiques. It is 44m in case size which is made of brushed titanium. The watch also is water resistant to 300m and comes in the classic Luminor look and comes in a grey dial. It contains the calibre P.9010 and has a power reserve of 3 days which is very impressive for an automatic movement. The caseback of the watch has his name and a silhouette of a free diver diving down with the 70 year warranty badge. This is not a typo it genuinely comes with a 70 year warranty so I would not worry about getting it serviced or repaired anytime soon. The watch comes with a black strap made from recycled PET material with white stitching. It also includes a white rubber Panerai strap which is also included in the box of the watch. The watch is priced at $18,900.
I am quite intrigued by watches that are released in cooperation with people that I normally would not have heard of if I was not part of their world. This allows people to learn about some very interesting people and their accomplishments. I would love to see the watch in person but since it is limited to 70 pieces the chances of that happening are quite low. If I am a fan of either Guillaume Néry or Panerai or even both I would definitely try and find this piece in person or even purchase it if you are able to.
The Watchlist 