Felix Scholz
Officine Panerai has jumped?out of the blocks at Watches & Wonders (the Hong Kong spin-off fair of?Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie – SIHH) releasing a bevy of new models and limited editions.?And one of the most compelling?of these releases is the latest update to the classic Radiomir 1940; The Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic, which is available in steel (PAM00572) or in red gold (PAM00573).On face value it's not immediately obvious?what's changed with this particular PAM but once you flip the case over the innovation becomes apparent. This Radiomir is the first Panerai to be powered by the P.4000 calibre, Panerai's first in-house movement with a micro-rotor.The benefits of this small, off-centre rotor are manifold; perhaps most importantly for watch lovers is that you can see the automatic movement in all its glory, unobscured by a larger winding mass. That is, you could see more of the movement, if it wasn’t covered by the P.4000 calibre’s large bridge. Yes, a big bridge makes the movement more stable, but it also obscures the workings of the watch. Panerai giveth and Panerai taketh away! A little bit of quirky logic there from OP.?Hopefully the micro-rotor will be incorporated into more open-worked movements in future.?In the model with a steel case, the oscillating?weight is made of tungsten, a shiny, high density metal. In the red gold model, the rotor is made of 22?carat red gold.On a more technical level, the micro-rotor allows for a thinner movement (it clocks in at 3.95mm thick).The three day power reserve (stored in two mainsprings) is nothing to sneeze at either, and all in all this new in house Panerai caliber in a fairly entry level Radiomir is another positive step in the brands ongoing focus on in-house movements. Stay tuned for pricing.PRICING: Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Acciaio (Steel) – 45mm RRP $12,200AUD,?Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Oro Rosso – 45mm $28,500AUD
30.09.14