Panerai Launches 4 Brand-Defining ‘Luna Rossa’ Editions

This is the year of the Luna Rossa for Panerai. The dive-watch brand has launched four new watches to commemorate its status as Official Sponsor of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team, Italy’s entry in the the 37th America’s Cup, set for later this year in Barcelona. The quartet of Luna Rossa specials brings together Panerai’s most important talking points as a brand. They use proprietary or unusual materials, including Ti-Ceramitech and Carbotech; they use recycled metals (including titanium and steel) in an ongoing commitment to recycling and upcycling; they contain high-watchmaking complications that raise the bar for dive watches; and they demonstrate Panerai’s particular talent for on-point sponsorships. Panerai started out as a dive watch for the Italian navy, and has always been closely associated with the marine world, so the Luna Rossa is a natural tie-in. The watches draw inspiration from the technologies and materials used in America’s Cup racing, and are tested by crew members while training on the Luna Rossa.

“Our partnership with Luna Rossa is about sponsorship, but also about product testing,” says Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué. “Members of the team are wearing our watches in terrible conditions. The boats go to 50 knots an hour, which is about 100 kilometers. It’s dangerous. They are wearing helmets, and believe the me, the watches are getting knocked around.” Pontroué says the crew has tested several watches over the past six months. “It gives us an idea of how practical, easy-to-use, water-resistant and functional they are,” he says. “We get great feedback from them.

The most advanced of the four Luna Rossa editions is a skeletonized tourbillon with a GMT function (PAM 1405). The case is made of carbotech, made by compressing carbon fiber sheets at high temperature and high pressure, mixed with PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), a polymer that binds the composite, enhancing its strength and longevity. “Carbotech is used for some of the components on the boat,” says Pontroué. “It’s great for both applications because it’s light. The lighter the boat, the faster it will go; the lighter the sports watch, the easier it is to wear.”Just for fun, the GMT hand resembles the Luna Rossa sail. And for even more fun, the 20 lucky owners of one of these limited editions will be invited to participate in a behind-the-scenes experience at the America’s Cup in Barcelona during the finals. (Price tag: $176,500).

Also in the new-materials department is the Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech (PAM 1466 with a blue dial, and PAM 1543 with a white dial). Like all four Luna Rossa special editions, it’s part of the Submersible line, which identifies it as a hard-wearing dive watch. This one is water resistant to 500 meters. “Quarranta-Quattro” means 44, indicating its 44mm width. The case is made of a new material developed by Panerai called Ti-Ceramitech, a high-tech ceramicized titanium. “It's titanium that's infused with the plasma, like a ceramic alloy,” says Pontroué, who adds, “The color is unique to this process.”

There is also a Submersible GMT Luna Rosso (PAM 1507), with a titanium case, and a steel automatic, the PAM 1565, both of which also bear the red, white and blue Luna Rosso livery. It’s worth noting that Paneral uses both recycled titanium and recycled steel for its watch cases. The PAM 1565 is an e-commerce special, with 300 pieces available starting April 10. "What we wanted to achieve with that strategy is ‘see now, buy now’ approach,” says Pontroué. “Traditionally, companies create a watch and launch it but then don’t deliver it until three months, six months, or a year later. We wanted people to see at least one innovation now and be able to book one immediately.”

For now, the Italian team for the America’s Cup race is called the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, with no “Panerai” in the name, despite its status as “Official Sponsor.” When asked why not, Pontroué replies: “The cost of sponsorship at that level [officially called “Co-Title” sponsorship] is a nine-digit number.” Enough said.