The story of the Officine Fake Panerai watch company begins in 1869 in Florence, Italy. From the beginning of the 20th century, the company specialized in the production of precise timekeeping devices for the Italian Navy. Panerai invents the Radiomir luminescent material, which makes it possible to read the time even in the dark. The Radiomir and the Luminor are the company’s most famous watch models. They were initially produced only for special military units and were only produced in limited editions for the public from 1993. Since 2004, Panerai has been producing movements with top-level functions in its in-house factory in Switzerland.
Giovanni Panerai lays the foundation for a large watch company
It was the year 1869 when Giovanni Panerai settled in Florence as a watchmaker. He founded “Guido Panerai & Figlio” – a watch workshop and business that also included the city’s first watchmaking school. In doing so, he lays the foundation for the history of Officine Panerai. In 1890, management of the company passed to Guido Panerai, the founder’s great-grandson. The focus of the Florentine watch workshop is initially on the production of nautical precision devices. The development of patents in the watch sector soon follows. The company has been manufacturing high-precision equipment for the Italian Royal Navy since 1913.
With Radiomir the time can also be read underwater
In 1915, Guido Panerai came up with an ingenious invention. He developed the fluorescent substance Radiomir, a phosphor consisting of zinc fluid and radium bromide. Radiomir is used in the production of the dials so that the time can be read even in complete darkness, such as under water. Radiomir is patented in France in 1916. In 1936, Panerai developed the first prototype of the watch model now known as Radiomir. The Radiomir diving watch is made for a special commando of the Italian Navy that requires a watch for underwater operations.
Many features of this prototype have not changed to this day: the cushion-shaped steel case with a diameter of 47 mm, fluorescent markings and numbers, lug loops soldered directly to the case and a robust mechanical movement. Historical documents from the Italian Navy record that no more than ten prototypes of the model were manufactured in 1936. For the actual production of the Radiomir, which began in 1938, Officine Panerai made some changes to the original prototype. The adjustments result in greater luminosity and better readability of the dial as well as greater robustness of the instrument. The Radiomir and the later Luminor were subject to military secrecy for a long time and were initially carried exclusively by combat swimmers
Officine Panerai becomes an internationally sought-after watch manufacturer
In 1972, a lot changed in the traditional company. After the death of Guido Panerai’s son, the management of the company was taken over by the engineer Dino Zei and the brand was renamed Officine Panerai. In 1993 the time had finally come – watches from were produced for free sale and therefore available to the public. Panerai presents the Luminor, Luminor Marina and Mare Nostrum models in limited editions. Watch collectors and enthusiasts are immediately enthusiastic about the historically oriented collection. In 1997, Officine Panerai was taken over by the Vendôme group (now Richemont). The establishment of a qualified network of distributors in Italy is successful and Panerai’s presence is also strengthened on the international market. The collections are usually only brought onto the market as limited editions, which only increases the interest in Italian sports watches.
Sylvester Stallone is an avowed Panerai fan
The American actor Sylvester Stallone also made a noticeable contribution to increasing Panerai’s popularity. In the 1996 film ‘Daylight’, Stallone wears a watch from the Florentine brand at his own request. This is the Luminor logo model from before the company became part of Vendôme.
Stallone triggers a real boom in Panerai watches, especially in Hollywood. Attentive viewers can therefore see the massive timepieces in films such as: B. Discover “Transporter”, “Eraser” or “After the Sunset”. Panerai is now one of the best-known and most sought-after luxury watch brands in the world.
First-class clockworks are produced in the in-house factory
