Panerai are continuing to lean into their core identity this week with a new Luminor Marina dive watch reference that boasts a case constructed from the lighter-than-titanium Carbotech material. The new watch is the reference PAM 1707, and it pairs the mostly old-school Luminor Marina design with a decidedly modern construction and movement. The matte black appearance from case to dial and warm beige lume don’t hurt the situation, either. This one might not be for the purists out there (‘risti’s you know who you are), but it represents a sensible modern approach that furthers the design goals of the watch.
Carbotech might sound like a fictional material straight out of a futuristic ‘80s action flick, but it is a real material within Panerai’s rather extensive catalog of exotic materials developed by the Laboratorio di Idee within the manufacture in Neuchâtel. Carbotech is the lightest material in Panerai’s stable, and is made by compressing sheets of carbon fiber at a precise temperature and pressure with a Polyether Ether Ketone polymer that reinforces the composite. The result is a higher strength to weight ratio than titanium while being 64% lighter. The production method also results in a unique layer pattern for each case produced.
The matte black finish is soft and uniform in nature, and wears easily on the wrist. It’s the perfect kind of material for a watch that measures 44mm in diameter, allowing it to wear effortlessly as long as it doesn’t get in the way of the bend in your wrist (which, to be honest, is a big ask for this watch). With the Luminor Marina, the size is a feature, not a bug, and this material feels like a perfect choice for ergonomics.
The PAM 1707 retains a 300 meter depth rating, so it’s very much ready for the water as about as pure a dive watch experience as you could ask for these days. A highly legible dial with no gizmos or bezels to worry about. Inside sits Panerai’s automatic caliber P.9010, which provides three days of reserve, and more importantly, allows for the hour hand to be individually adjustable in one hour increments, making it a pretty good travel companion to boot. I would love to see this simple feature in more watches.
Panerai is referring to this as a high performance watch made from high performance materials, and on paper, it’s hard to argue with that. My brief time with the watch didn’t allow for a full and proper assessment of that claim, but it was certainly one of the better PAM watches I’ve ever worn from a comfort perspective. And while I’m generally not one for the beige lume schtick, I think it works well here. All this comes at a price, however, and Panerai is asking $15,600 for the PAM 1707. Panerai
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