Panerai, in keeping with its long and rich history as an instrument manufacturer whose first priority since its founding in the mid 19th century has been precision, has created a tourbillon designed specifically for the environment of the wristwatch – the Panerai Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT. This new bold men’s watch is a combination of tradition, sports features, precision and technology that make Panerai watches so highly-demanded.
In the Luminor 1950 GMT the cage rotates on an axis parallel to the base of the movement at right angles to the axis of oscillation of the balance; in addition, the cage makes two rotations per minute. These two innovations make the Panerai design better at compensating for errors arising from changes in position. Operating through a series of gear trains comparable to those of an automobile’s differential, the device is the distinctive feature of the P.2005 calibre, which differs from all the other tourbillons currently in production in several other details.
Consisting of 239 components, it is manually wound and with its three spring barrels it stores enough power for the watch to operate for a good 6 days without further winding. It is also equipped with the GMT function, that is, a second time zone. The Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT has a sapphire crystal back which exposes the whole movement to view. This allows the fascinating rotation of the tourbillon to be admired, as well as enabling the amount of power reserve available to be read from the indication of a hand which moves over a circular arc.
With its unmistakable case and distinctive lever device protecting the winding crown which for more than 60 years has identified Panerai Luminor models, the new watch has been executed in polished and brushed stainless steel, with a diameter of 47 mm. Water-resistant to 100 meters, as is to be expected from the nautical vocation of the House, the dial of the watch is protected by a sapphire crystal two millimeters thick with anti-reflective treatment.
The dial itself is of sandwich construction, one of Panerai’s other innovations, with large markers and Arabic numerals that are particularly visible in the dark as a result of the large quantity of luminous material contained between the two layers of the dial. The large hour and minute hands contrast with the arrow-pointed thinner one of the GMT function, which is also set by means of the winding crown.
Unlike some of the most sophisticated models with a tourbillon escapement, the Luminor 1950 does not ostentatiously show off this technical speciality; the device is not revealed through an opening cut in the dial, as is usually the case, and its existence is only indicated by a single original detail. In the small auxiliary dial on the left there is a little circular blue indicator as well as the continuous seconds hand.
This indicator is connected to the tourbillon and therefore moves twice as fast as the seconds hand, making one rotation every 30 seconds. The other small dial has a hand which makes one rotation every 24 hours, pointing at the inscriptions “pm” and “am” to indicate whether the hour shown by the GMT hand is during the day or the night.
The watch is completed by an alligator strap with the characteristic large brushed steel buckle personalized Panerai, and it is supplied with a second spare strap in leather, and the tool and screwdriver for replacing it. Identified by the reference PAM00276, the Panerai Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT is certainly one of the most sophisticated, exclusive sports models to appear in the watch-making panorama of recent years. It is being produced in a numbered limited edition at a price of $110,100 dollars.
Features of the Panerai Luminor 1950 GMT Tourbillon include:
- Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.2005 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 16 ¼ lignes, 9.1 mm thick, 31 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 28,800 alternations/hour. KIF Parechoc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 6 days, three barrels.
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, second time zone, power reserve indicator on the back, 24h indicator, Tourbillon
- Case: Diameter 47 mm, AISI 316L brushed steel
- Bezel: Polished titanium
- Back: See-through sapphire crystal
- Device protecting the crown: (protected as a Trade Mark) Brushed steel
- Dial: Black with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. 24 h indicator at 3 o’clock, small seconds and Tourbillon indicator at 9 o’clock.
- Crystal: Sapphire, made from corundum, 2 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating
- Strap: PANERAI personalised alligator strap and large-size brushed steel buckle
- Water resistant 100 meters
- Supplied with a second interchangeable strap, a tool to change the strap and a steel screwdriver
- Price: $119,100
