The 1960s Marina Militare-Inspired Panerai Luminor PAM01731 and Luminor Destro PAM01732

It’s a big year for Panerai’s iconic Luminor, the rugged, luminous top-secret underwater ally developed for Italy’s Marina Militare in the 1950s, which surfaced for civilians in 1993. As a purveyor of precision instruments to the Italian Navy from 1900, Giuseppe Panerai amassed a wealth of experience in the development of specialised underwater equipment, prompting the development of a radium-based luminous powder (Radiomir) used on waterproof watches by Italian underwater assault units in the mid-1930s. Panerai eventually replaced radium with a less harmful tritium-based compound trademarked as Luminor, which was gradually adopted as the name of the dive watch. Panerai celebrates its unparalleled heritage of military tool watches with the release of two models inspired by a vintage 1960s Marina Militare reference: the Luminor PAM01731 and the Luminor Destro PAM01732.

The specifications laid down by the Italian Navy for the watch to be used by its commando frogmen – exceptional legibility and luminosity, durability, water-resistance and an extended power reserve – were incarnated by the famous Panerai Ref. 6152/1 made for the Marina Militare in the 1960s, the model that has inspired the new Luminors.

The original 47mm Luminor military dive watch with a solid screw-down caseback and an outsourced (Rolex or Angelus) manual-winding movement was purpose-built for underwater combat missions. Benefitting from reinforced screw-down crowns and solid lugs machined from a single block, the crown-protecting bridge, which would become the defining feature of the Luminor, ensured superior water-resistance and protected the crown from accidental knocks and blows.

While the new references capture the vintage spirit of their ancestor, the diameter has been reduced to a more wearable and contemporary 44mm. The 300m water-resistant stainless steel cases are polished throughout except for the arched bridge over the crown, which is brushed.

Another feature shared by both watches, recalling the hand-wound movements of vintage Panerai models, is the calibre P.6000. An in-house, hand-wound movement with a large 34.9mm diameter, it delivers 3 days of power reserve on a single barrel, runs at a 3Hz frequency, and, like the original 1960s Marina Militare, only displays the hours and minutes. However, unlike the original, the caseback has a sapphire crystal to view the movement, including the balance wheel secured by a traversing bridge for enhanced stability.

To capture the visual effect of Perspex used on the 1960s Luminor, both new references feature a domed sapphire crystal. The PAM01731 has a warm, matte tobacco-coloured dial and the hallmark sandwich construction of two superimposed plates, with cut-out numerals and indices on the top plate, allowing the beige, vintage-hued Super-LumiNova on the bottom plate to shine through. The classic pencil-shaped hands and the small seconds counter at 9 o’clock are also treated with Super-LumiNova.

The PAM01732 Destro has the crown guard on the left side of the case. A feature conceived by Giuseppe Panerai, this configuration allowed combat divers to wear the watch on their right wrist while using a depth gauge or compass with their left hand. The Destro has a matte blue sandwich dial with the same beige Super-LumiNova on the lower plate and hands, but lacks a small seconds counter, a throwback to the straightforward functions of Panerai’s historical tool watches.

Both models are paired with brown vintage-style calfskin straps and are delivered with an extra rubber strap. The Luminor PAM01731 and Luminor Destro PAM01732 will be available in April 2026 and share a retail price of EUR 8,900. More information at panerai.com.