From the sea to the solar system
Following the astronomical and horological achievement of the Jupiterium, Panerai is continuing its tribute to Galileo Galilei with a special exhibition in Florence entitled ‘Time and Space: A tribute to Galileo Galilei’. The exhibition showcases an enormous selection of timekeepers and instruments from the brand’s historical and contemporary collections, and is unveiling two new collections that will be presented during the SIHH this year.

P.2005, P.2005/G and P.2005/P movements

L’Astronomo
The first collection is Panerai’s Luminor 1950 Equation of Time Tourbillon Titanio – 50mm L’Astronomo, which was created to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first celestial observations and is the most technically complicated watch that the brand has ever produced. The timepiece includes a tourbillon with equation of time, indication of sunrise and sunset times for the owner’s city, as well as a map of the night sky of the same region on the caseback (the map can rotate both ways depending on which hemisphere the owner lives in). The Astronomo is equipped with Panerai’s P.2005 in-house calibre which has been modified to include the new functions (P.2005/G) and is also available in white or rose gold. As soon as the collection was announced, Panerai fans started fighting to get their hands on a piece. “We are only making 300 pieces, but have already received 2,600 requests,” shares Angelo Bonati, Panerai’s Managing Director.

L’ASTRONOMO

Lo Scienziato
The Radiomir Tourbillon GMT Ceramica – 48mm Lo Scienziato, the second collection to be previewed before the SIHH, was also conceived as a tribute to the famous scientist, mathematician and philosopher. The Scienziato timepiece comes in a zirconium oxide ceramic case and its striking skeleton structure is made out of a fine mesh that supports the indexes and the sub dials. The P.2005/P movement powers the tourbillon (which rotates perpendicularly to the axis of the balance and completes two rotations per minute instead of one), small seconds, am/pm indicator and second time zone. The collection is limited to 30 pieces.

LO SCIENZIATO

Museo Galileo
In addition to the Jupiterium, exhibition and two limited editions, Panerai is also sponsoring the Institute and Museum of the History of Science which was recently reopened under the name of Museo Galileo, after two years of extensive refurbishment. The company has generously donated its Jupiterium clock to the museum so it can continue to be admired by everyone. “We were offered two million Euros for the Jupiterium,” explains Bonati “but it wasn’t manufactured to sell, it was created to convey our watchmaking skills”.
The new Galileo Museum is an incredible collection of five centuries of scientific instruments that were put together by Florence’s Medici and Lorraine families. The star of the exhibit is Galileo’s original, 400 year-old telescope that he used to discover Jupiter’s moons in 1610.

Angelo Bonati, Galileo Galilei and the JUPITERIUM

Preview of a new movement – 3000P
News from the brand doesn’t stop there, however, a new family of in-house calibres joins the ranks at the base of the Panerai movement pyramid. This 3000P hand-wound movement is 5.3mm thick and has a diameter of 16 1/2 lines. Other features include a three day power reserve, 21 jewels, 21,600 alternations per hour, Incabloc® anti shock devices and two spring barrels connected in series. The construction is solid with a large bridge next to a smaller bridge that covers the majority of the mechanical parts and which is fixed to the bottom plate by a series of thick screws. This robust structure doesn’t sacrifice the aesthetic side though, with brush-finished bridges and chamfered angles. The 3000P sits next to Panerai’s smaller P.999 calibre, which was a response to the Asian market for a smaller movement.

Brand boutiques in abundance
Thanks to the increasing number of in-house movements that the brand is mastering, and the fact that the company’s case manufacture is now owned by the group, there should be a constant flow of timepieces in the future. This will be important for the brand as it initiates its strategy of opening 40-50 brand boutiques, and the same number of additional franchises, over the next two years. As a reminder, Panerai already has 18 flagship stores worldwide. “Boutiques are extremely important in emerging markets,” notes Bonati. “Rapid evolution in China and the Far East is very different from the rest of the world with its malls instead of traditional stores. If you don’t have a flagship store, you are just not visible.”

Star gazing
Panerai has always strongly promoted its link to the sea and its collaborations with the specialist forces of the Italian navy, so this year of Galileo tributes and star gazing may seem strange to some. But the connections between the Tuscan scientist and Panerai are many, with both scientist and brand coming from the city of Florence, historically recognised for its connection to both art and science. In addition to Galileo’s many inventions and astronomical discoveries, he is also credited with discovering that the oscillations of a pendulum are isochronous. “To pay tribute to Galileo conveys our technical image through science,” notes Bonati. “Today’s companies must support museums, especially in Italy where many risk closing down.” Whatever the reason for such a partnership, the fruits of this year of tributes certainly haven’t disappointed Panerai’s fans who are as fervent for the brand’s timepieces as ever.

Source: Europa Star December - January 2011 Magazine Issue