STYLE Edit: Inside Panerai’s new 40mm Luminor Marina Quaranta – the Italian watchmaker debuts the smallest case in one of its best-loved collections

Dec 23 , 2021

Panerai’s PAM01270 pairs a sun-brushed blue dial with a navy blue strap. Photos: Panerai

The Luminor collection takes its name from the luminous numerals that have adorned its dials since 1949, and was originally reserved for the navy’s use only

The luxury timepiece comes with a blue, white or black dial, each paired with an alligator or calfskin strap that can be easily swapped with the Quick Release System

The latest update to one of Panerai’s best-loved collections, the Luminor Marina Quaranta presents an old favourite in a novel new size that reconnects it with its own history. What’s more, there’s a choice of three different dial configurations to ensure there’s one to suit everyone’s taste.

The 40mm Panerai Luminor Marina Quaranta with a matt white dial and a black strap.

The Luminor collection has a long history, taking its name from the luminous material that adorns its dials. It was trademarked by Panerai as long ago as 1949, part of a lengthy heritage of innovation that stretches back to the brand’s founding in 1860.

Originally, Luminor watches were reserved solely for the use of the Italian navy, to which Panerai was the official supplier of precision instruments – in particular its specialist diving corps – and they were even covered by the country’s military secrets laws.

The blue dial version of the Panerai Luminor Marina Quaranta with a stainless-steel case

The Luminor Marina is among the most instantly recognisable iterations of this storied collection, known for its distinctive features that include a cushion-shaped case with a brushed finish, solid lugs and a polished bezel. Now this Panerai icon has been given a smart new look in the form of the Luminor Marina Quaranta, a 40mm case that becomes the smallest Luminor Marina in production, reintroducing a size that was previously a part of the model’s history.

That case comes in stainless steel, surrounding a dial that features a seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock and the date at 3 o’clock. The dial is available in three different executions, each coordinating with a pair of straps in alligator and calf that are equipped with the Quick Release System, allowing them to be simply changed without the use of tools.

The Panerai Luminor Marina Quaranta with a matt black dial – all editions feature a strap is with quick release system.

Reference PAM01270 pairs a sun-brushed blue dial with a navy blue alligator and tobacco calf straps; PAM01271 features a matt white dial, and comes with straps in black alligator and deep brown calf; and PAM01272 accompanies a matt black dial with black alligator and black calf straps. All of them are powered by the P. 900 automatic winding calibre, which measures a slimline 4.2mm and comes with a three-day power reserve and 100 metres of water resistance.