Panerai’s history, a renowned provider of watches to the Italian Navy between the 1910s to 1993, has not always been smooth sailing. The watches, exclusively adorned by military personnel, symbolized the time-honoured partnership with the naval forces.
Moving from a strictly military-only purveyor to a public retailer in 1993 marked a significant milestone for the Italian watchmaker. This shift paved the way for the popular Luminor and Radiomir watches to take the public market by storm during the Pre-Vendôme era, before being clinched by the Richemont Group in 1997.
Emerging out of the shadows on September 10th, 1993, Panerai transitioned from its covert military exclusivity to becoming a public pleasure. Two emblematic models, the first Luminor 5218-2021/A and Mare Nostrum Chronograph 5218-301/A, became the gleaming symbols of the brand’s Pre-Vendôme era.
Like every notable brand, Rolex has a watch that encapsulates its spirit perfectly – the Datejust. Despite not being the flagship product, the Datejust rivals the prestige of Toyota’s Camry and Omega’s Speedmaster with its signature features – the Oyster case, cyclops lens, optional fluted bezel, and the timeless Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. Launched in 1945, it features a versatile aesthetic that is as suitable for a black-tie event as it is for a beach outing.