Watch-Replica.net News Blog

Each company has its own unique course of development. For Officine Panerai this course was closely related with the Italian Navy, Marina Militare. From 1938 to 1942, the Florence-based watchmaking company was the official supplier of the Italian naval forces. It is only natural that in 2005 Officine Panerai introduced a special edition of the Panerai Marina Militare in tribute to its glorious past. The production of the timepiece was limited to 1000 pieces. In order to use the “Marina Militare” name, the company had to obtain authorization of the Italian Navy, which was not so easy. Luckily for Officine Panerai, the Italian naval forces gave their consent due to their close ties with the brand.

What has distinguished the Panerai Marina Militare watch since its invention in 1942 is the exclusive “déclic” winding crown protector which makes the watch water-resistant. The protector on the left side of the case is stamped with the mark REG. T.M., standing for “Registered Trade Mark”. Thanks to the construction of the “sandwich” dial, it is highly legible: the lower plate is coated with Superluminova and the top plate is laser-perforated so that the markers show through.
The luminous substance is very concentrated, and the markers are visible even in low light conditions. The functions of the Panerai Marina Militare watch are very simple, like those of the timepieces supplied to the Marina Militare in the mid-twentieth century. The only exception is made for a small seconds counter at the 3 o’clock position.
The Panerai Caliber OP XI, a C.O.S.C. certified manually-wound mechanism, gives an advantage of a 56-hours power reserve. The only significant change affected the case-back of the watch – it is made from sapphire crystal instead of steel, so the wearer of the watch can admire the movement.