Panerai has released their latest edition to the Luminor collection in the form of their 40mm (Quaranta) BiTempto in proprietary Goldtech™ – the PAM01641
The Panerai Luminor is not only one of the Italian brand’s most recognisable watches but possibly one of the most recognisable watch shapes in the world thanks to their “Device Protecting the Crown”. Its Silhouette is instantly recognised by watch lovers everywhere and made famous by the likes of the late 90’s and early 2000’s action stars like Arnie, Sly, and Jason Statham (or anyone in an “Expendables” Movie for that matter!) But action stars aside, the brand has been slimming down its most iconic watch collection in recent years with the introduction of the Quaranta™ line at a very wearable 40mm. Couple this with a material like Goldtech™, and you have a nice everyday piece that is on the more formal side.
The new Luminor Quaranta™ BiTempo Goldtech™ adds a more dressy piece to their Quaranta™ collection and the first precious metal variant in the collection. For those new to Panerai, or more likely not aware of what Goldtech™ is, it is Panerai’s version of rose gold, 18k gold mixed with a combination of platinum and copper to give it a red hue and making it more durable than normal 18k gold, and highly resistant to tarnishing. It is a great option for those who want a harder-wearing gold piece without compromising on the look.
The case as said, is typically Panerai. The 1950s-styled cushion case with its mix of soft curves and angular edges that are brushed is reminiscent of the Luminor’s from the 50’s and the fixed polished bezel gives a texture contrast to offset the brushed case and crown guard.
On the dial, you will notice, the BiTempto written at 6 o’clock, which is the Italian translation for Dual Time – indicating the GMT functionality of the Luminor Quaranta™ BiTempo. In typical Panerai fashion, the GMT time is indicated with the third arrow hand using the hour indices as the second time zone, and all the hands are done in a gilt fashion which adds to the contrast of the dial as is the small seconds at 9 o’clock.
The dial is a sun-brushed black giving the watch a more refined dressy look, and this has been coupled with a sandwich dial, now synonymous with Panerai and the Luminor collection – one aspect I have always loved about the Luminor dials and why I bought my 312. The fully lumed disc under the dial gives off a long-lasting glow thanks to the generous amount of Super-LumiNova that sits under the dial making reading the watch at night easy, and to distinguish the GMT hand, Panerai has lumed the inside of the arrow with a blue glow, vs the green for all other dial elements.
Under the hood, you will find the Panerai P.900/GMT caliber – an automatic winding movement with 3 days of power being generated by the bi-directional rotor, and coming from a single barrel. This movement is actually one of the slimmest in the Panerai portfolio, at just 4.2mm thick, and is on full display via the see-through caseback. The movement itself is still very utilitarian in nature and finished with horizontal brushing on the plates, bridges, and rotor – one area I think Panerai could improve on when it comes to their more expensive and precious metal models.
The Luminor Quaranta™ BiTempo Goldtech™ comes with Panerai’s PAM Click Release System™ for the strap, making changing the straps easy with the click of a button so to speak. So if you’re not a fan of the black alligator leather with T/T stitching, and the brushed Panerai Goldtech™ trapezoidal buckle, you can always switch it out for another of Panerai’s many leather or rubber strap choices, however, it does come with a black rubber strap for those wanting a less formal look.
Quick Change Straps
Panerai were one of the pioneers of the quick change strap, allowing people to swap out the straps easily and quickly, not to mention with most Luminor models, having both a rubber and leather strap with the quick change tools as standard.
The PAM Click Release System™ is their latest iteration of this, allowing people to swap the straps when they want.
Initial Thoughts
For those that have read my articles for a little while now will most probably realise that I’m a fan of Panerai. After all, it was one of my very first grail watches and the PAM 312 was the watch that really got me into collecting in the first place, which you can read here. But whilst I love the brand and the watches, I do feel that the brand has watered down its offering over the last half decade or so with the introduction of model lines like the Due, which I feel takes the brand away from the DNA of its heritage. Yes, I’m all for brands making sure they appeal to an audience to stay commercially viable, and with watch sizes coming down, you need to adapt to this. Saying this, however, this is where the Qaranta collection walks that fine line – a smaller watch to suit modern tastes, but with the DNA still intact.
Yes, it’s not 300m water resistant, but logically speaking, does it need to be? For most people, the answer is no. And for this new model in particular, which is aimed more at people who want a piece that is versatile as a precious metal sports watch to be worn both at night dressed up or by day dressed down, then the aesthetics is what you would be looking for here, not a pure diver. You get the look and feel of Panerai, without the larger and thicker sizing, plus the luster of pink gold offset by the black alligator strap which dresses the watch up a lot. Want to dress it down? Simply swap out for the rubber strap which is included, or alternatively, there are plenty of other strap options designed for the Quaranta™ collection to choose from.
Reference: PAM01641
Specifications
- Case Size: 40mm
- Case Material: Brushed and polished Goldtech™
- Case Back: See-through sapphire crystal and Panerai Goldtech™
- Dial: Black sandwich sun-brushed with white Super-LumiNova®
- Movement: P.900/GMT, automatic mechanical,12 ½ lignes, 5.2 mm thick, 23 jewels, 28,800 VpH with Incabloc® anti-shock device, one barrel. 186 components.
- Power Reserve: 3 days
- Water Resistance: 100m (10 ATM)
- Crystal: Domed Sapphire Crystal
- Strap: PAM Click Release System™ black alligator with T/Tstitching. Trapezoidal brushed Panerai Goldtech™ buckle with additional black rubber strap
