Panerai Tantalium Watches

Tantalizing Tatalinum

Panerai is a unique blend of Italian style teamed with Swiss craftsmanship. A high-end status watch, featured in the sports/luxury sector, it has developed for itself a strong identity with its impeccable quality. Giovanni Panerai, the Florence based watch-maker who founded the family business in 1860, opened the first watchmaker's shop in Florence. Panerai's early works resulted in many patents in the horological and optics field. But Panerai made its first appearance in the international market only in 1998, a year after it was bought by Richemont. In the 1930s, Officine Panerai had supplied diving watches to the Italian Royal Navy.

The Panerai watches are also favorite collectors' items as they had adorned the wrists of many a commandos of Mussolini's army. The watches, Panerai specially manufactured for underwater commando units, were fitted with Rolex movements on a Cortébert base, which was originally intended for pocket watches. The specific use, and consequent need for reliability and legibility, justified the exceptionally large size of these watches. Panerais are now owned by civilians struck by the watch's unique sapphire crystal face, Arabic numerals, and half-moon crown guard. They proudly strap their Panerai to their wrists, both as an instrument for measuring time and as a witness to past heroism.

Panerai's Luminor Marina Tantalium series was launched as a unique edition of 300 units in 2003. The case of 44 mm diameter is made of brushed tantalum. The bezel is of polished tantalum and the back is made of see-through sapphire crystal. The black dial with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers has the small seconds dial at 9 o'clock.

This model is fitted with a leather strap with personalized Panerai tantalum buckle. The Panerai Tantalium is also supplied with a steel screwdriver and a second interchangeable strap .The crystal is sapphire, formed of corundum, 3.5 mm thick. It has an anti-reflective coating. The device protecting the crown is polished tantalum. The movement of this watch is hand-wound mechanical. This model is equipped with Panerai OP XI caliber with swan's neck regulator, 17 jewels, PANERAI bridges Glucydur balance with Nivarox I spring, 21,600 alternations/hour, and Incabloc anti-shock device. This watch has a power reserve of 56 hours. This model was duly given the official Chronometer Certification (C.O.S.C) to certify the high standards of precision and reliability. It is water resistant up to 300 meters.

Nishana Nazimuddin

Hi-Tech Editorial Division