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Introducing the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC

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July 2018


Introducing the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC

The latest addition to an already rich Luminor collection is a masculine and no-nonsense military inspired watch sporting many unique design elements.

You’ve got to give Panerai credit. The watchmaker has done a great job of maximizing its iconic Luminor collection over the years.

Whether we’re talking about their classic military-inspired designs or more complicated watches, there is something for everyone. With all the choices, this is probably one of the most versatile collections out there, despite the fact that the watch models are not all that different really.

Introducing the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC

Here we have yet another example: the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC PAM00779. The name is a mouthful and it’s fitting for this timepiece, which incorporates different elements from previous successful models by the luxury watchmaker.

Now, as much as I like the new watch – and Panerai watches in general - unfortunately I probably will never sport one of them. The obvious question of price aside, Panerai’s watches are usually on the large side.

The Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC
The Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC

This one here sports a 44mm case, which is actually on the smaller side of the Panerai offering but is well within contemporary watch size ranges. As ever, the titanium case is masculine, helped further by the DLC coating and the brand’s serious crown guard.

The case is also quite rugged, boasting an impressive water resistance of 300m. That’s part of the reason we don’t have a display case back. But we’re not really missing out on much there.

Introducing the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC

The watch is power by the P.5000 in-house movement, which is relatively uncomplicated. Yet, it provides an impressive eight days of power reserve, drawing inspiration from the brand’s historic movements that provided the Italian military the same eight hours of autonomy.

And because this is a simple two-hand movement, we have even less to clutter the dial. We don’t even see a brand logo to identify the watch on the dial, keeping true to its military watch roots.

That means that only true Panerai fans will recognize this watch. Or, just as likely, mistake it for a much cheaper tribute watch on first sight.

Introducing the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC

The clean military dial sports a “California” design, which means that it uses Roman numerals on the top half of the dial, and Arabic numerals on the bottom of the dial. This is a unique feature of the watch, and it’s also something drawn from vintage Panerai models.

The watch is completed with a brown leather bund strap, but I would rather opt for the traditional two-piece leather strap or the more sporty rubber strap.

Introducing the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC

I understand the practical reasoning behind a bund strap; to protect the watch and wrist from extreme temperatures. But it also adds more bulk and height on the wrist, and also takes a bit of attention off the dial.

Overall, the Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC PAM00779 is a mouthful to say. But that’s in part because the watch sports many interesting design features. Coming in at a price of just under 10,000 Swiss francs/USD, expect this new Luminor to move fast.