It should go without saying that Panerai today is built on a foundation called the Luminor Marina – that is how the late Angelo Bonati did it (see Vision for more). Everything fans love, or recognise, about Panerai can be found in the Luminor collection, including the signature crown protection device, the sandwich-style dial, and the clean dial display with only ‘Panerai’ and ‘Luminor Marina’ as indicators of its lineage. Rethinks are unnecessary but upgrades are always welcome. This year, with the new reference PAM03323, what has changed is the new 50 bar water-resistance, a step up from its predecessor; and the new Super-LumiNova X2 material used as a luminescent, promising greater brightness for better legibility in the dark.
Surely if the Luminor Marina is being upgraded, then the core model to look at will be the one in stainless steel. But in true Panerai fashion, the steel they used for this model is not the standard one used within the industry. Instead, they opted for their own premium AISI 316LVM – 1.4441 stainless steel, known for its strength and corrosion resistance, further enhanced by the low-carbon variant of this alloy. The alloy which consists of iron, spliced with chromium (16-18%), nickel (11-14%), and molybdenum (2-3%) is also vacuum arc remelted to increase its corrosion resistance.
Although the classic Luminor Marina has always been imagined with a strap rather than a bracelet, this year Panerai introduces its V-shaped bracelet to this storied collection. This bracelet, as the name suggests, uses unique V-shaped links that taper from the case to the buckle to increase comfort on the wrist. Additionally, it is also the first model to come with the new Quick Length Adjustment feature, which allows an extension of 2mm on both sides to get the most accurate fit while maintaining perfect balance. And for those who still cannot imagine a Luminor Marina with anything other than a leather strap, the bracelet also offers the Panerai PAM Click Release System, which makes it incredibly easy to swap.
Accompanying this new bracelet is also a new colourway for the Luminor Marina: light blue with a sunburst effect. Beneath this mesmerising dial is the new calibre P.980 movement with plenty of reliability improvements. These include a traversing (or double) balance bridge; a hacking seconds function, and further testing in six positions to ensure chronometric accuracy over prolonged use.
This story was first seen as part of the WOW #79 Summer 2025 Issue
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