Luminor marina left handed
This is the re-edition of a great classic which is also one of the rarest period Panerai watches, one of the models constructed for the commando divers during the Second World War. The hand-wound Luminor Marina Left Handed 44 mm is one of the Special Editions collection and is being produced in a unique edition of 1,000 units. Many details link this watch with the past, to the years in which the watches of Officine Panerai became legendary. A very small number of examples were made in about 1940 with the winding crown and the lever bridge surrounding it placed in line with the 9 o’clock position rather than at 3 o’clock, to enable the watch to be used more easily by those who were left-handed.
The Luminors were the development of the first specialist divers’ watches in history, the Panerai Radiomir, and, as the name suggests, they are distinctive for the special luminous substance used to make the dial readable in the darkest conditions. This was no longer based on radium but on tritium, a far less hazardous substance. The most important innovation, however, was the use in all the models of a new system designed by Panerai to make the winding crown water-resistant This was no longer a screw-down design but one in which the crown was pressed against the case by a small lever pivoted on a kind of bridge mounted round the crown itself. It was this device which, in its perfected form, is fitted on the left side (when looking at the dial) of the new Luminor Marina Left Handed 44 mm. As a result, this watch not only has the advantage of being water-resistant to 300 metres, but it is also a great aesthetic interest because of the “left-handed” arrangement of the bridge and the winding crown, and the small seconds dial being in the unusual 3 o’clock position.
With a diameter of 44 mm, a measurement chosen to make the watch more wearable compared to the period watches which measure 47 mm, this new Officine Panerai model has a stainless steel case, milled from the solid and finished with a special PCD treatment, which is very resistant to wear and abrasion. It has been bronzed and made completely non-reflective, while the back, in contact with the skin, is made of brushed steel. The case shape is the classic Luminor one, with the round bezel setting off the rounded corners of the cushion case, the large straight strap attachments and the strength to resist every challenge.
To withstand the pressure which is found at a depth of 300 metres (the watches are actually tested at 400 metres), a sapphire crystal that is particularly thick (3.5 mm) has been used. It has anti-reflective treatment to avoid the distraction of reflections when looking at the dial. The dial itself is of sandwich construction, is another Panerai speciality. It consists of two superimposed plates, the upper one being perforated with the large numerals and hour markers, and the luminous material inserted between them. This provides exceptional luminosity at night, and reading the dial is further facilitated by the broad baton hands and the small leaf seconds hand which are also coated with luminous material.
The hand-wound movement is the reliable, tested Panerai calibre OP II, 16 lignes in diameter with 17 jewels. Fitted with a monometallic Glucydur balance making 21,600 alternations/hour, it has a power reserve of 56 hours and is fitted with an Incabloc anti-shock system.
Identified by the reference PAM00026, the Luminor Marina Left Handed 44 mm is completed by a leather strap with a brushed steel buckle that is also bronzed.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, exclusive Panerai OP II calibre, 16 ½ lignes, 17 jewels, monometallic Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/hour, Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 56 hours.
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds.
Case: Diameter 44 mm, steel with special hard black coating.
Bezel: Steel with special hard black coating.
Back: Screw, brushed steel.
Device protecting the crown: (protected as a Trademark) Steel with special hard black coating.
Dial: Black with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Small seconds at 3 o’clock.
Crystal: Sapphire, formed of corundum, 3.5 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.
Water-resistance: 300 metres (30 bar).
Strap: PANERAI personalised leather strap and brushed steel buckle with special hard black coating. Supplied with a steel screwdriver.
Reference: PAM00026
