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5 Interesting Things & Facts You Did Not Know About Panerai Watches

July 15, 2022

Today we will be talking about Interesting Things & Facts You Did Not Know About Panerai Watches. Luxury watch brands often have long and varied histories, and Panerai is no exception. With roots over 150 years old and involvement in world events like World War 2, it is safe to say Panerai is no boring company. 

Interesting Things & Facts You Did Not Know About Panerai Watches

1. Beginnings and History of Panerai watches

To understand the watches of Panerai, you first have to understand the history of the company. Going back to 1860, Giovanni Panerai opened his first shop in Florence. This was not only a watch shop and workshop but also the city’s first watchmaking school. 

From here, Panerai would have a rich and notable history, such as being utilized by the Royal Italian Navy throughout much of the latter half of the 20th century. Panerai would open to the international market soon after the turn of the millennium. 

2. The Use of Plexiglass and Diving Watches

When a watch brand has been around as long as Panerai, there are going to be interesting quirks, facts, and tidbits of information to come out over the years about the company. For example, Radiomir, one interesting thing about Panerai’s lines of watches, is that it was the first watch to utilize plexiglass in its design. Plexiglass was more durable than the glass crystals commonly used at the time, which made the Radiomir great for divers in the Royal Italian Navy. 

Early on, Panerai seemed intent on producing the best dive watches they could, to the point where they even used a machine to test how their watches manage seawater. Their focus may have shifted away from diving into luxury brand watches, though they still offer many quality diving watches.

3. Radium in Panerai Watches and German Divers 

Like many other watch brands that have been around for a while, Panerai watches have secrets. One notable secret from Panerai’s past is that the original models of their watches were toxic. Panerai crafted their watches with luminous markings for better visibility, but they used the element Radium, an incredibly radioactive element. 

Panerai watches were not exclusive to the Royal Italian Navy but were also used by German military divers. However, these watches did not see much production and are rare today.  

4. A Partnership With Rolex

Another interesting fact about Panerai watches is that Rolex had a hand in its development. When founder Giovanni Panerai and his son began to look at designing their watches, they utilized Swiss suppliers, most notably Rolex. It was Rolex who helped set in motion Panerai’s prototype of a waterproof watch case with their ideas. 

In 1936, the Royal Italian Navy was given the first Radiomir watch powered by Rolex components. This partnership would not last as it would end in 1956 during a lull in the company’s history. 

5. Watches Sold and Brands In Demand

Panerai is a powerhouse in the luxury watch brand market, selling an estimated 70,000 watches yearly. This is due to some of their more iconic collections like the Bronzo, a watch solely responsible for the current boom of bronze watches in the luxury watch market today. These watches were originally sold at prices ranging from $7,000 and $8,000, but because of their immense popularity, it is not uncommon to see them go for $26,000 and $32,000 plus.

The Bronzo watch and other collections helped Panerai carve its place in the luxury watch market, keeping the company alive and thriving for years to come.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, Panerai has a rich history of ups and downs, firsts and mistakes, but ultimately, incredibly interesting and it with come lots of interesting facts and things about its watches. Many of these company fun facts and watch secrets could fit right in with our history books, and they provide insight into what some may consider just another watch company. 

As always, if you are looking to pawn your luxury watch do contact our watch appraisers for a free consultation at our shop in Mayfair, Central London

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