Panerai, the luxury watchmaker with famously deep ties to the Italian Navy, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its transition into the civilian market with a historical exhibition and an all-new timepiece. The company, which supplied precision instruments to the Royal Italian Navy from the 1910s until 1993, is now offering the new Luminor Marina Militare PAM05218, a modern reinterpretation of a model that was previously only available to Italian military personnel.
The exhibition, “The Depths of Time,” opened in Florence, the birthplace of the brand. It traces Panerai’s evolution from a secretive military supplier to an international luxury name. The display includes never-before-seen archival materials such as personal correspondence, technical drawings, and historical photographs, along with original military instruments and watches. The exhibition will run for two months before embarking on a global tour to the U.S. and China.
“We are proud to unveil ‘The Depths of Time’ exhibition, where connoisseurs and watch enthusiasts can discover the secrets of Panerai’s legendary past and the heritage that defines our distinctive identity,” said Panerai CEO Emmanuel Perrin in a statement announcing the opening. “The exhibition offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the birth of Panerai’s distinctive features, which have evolved into a design that is now unmistakable and recognized worldwide.”
Meanwhile, the new Luminor Marina Militare PAM05218 is a faithful recreation of the 1993 Luminor ref. 5218-202/A. The 44mm stainless steel case is coated in DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon), providing a black finish that matches the original PVD treatment. The watch is powered by the in-house P.6000 hand-wound movement, which offers a three-day power reserve.
A unique feature of the new model is its “non-matching” dial and hands, which intentionally replicates a rare, sought-after detail from the original. The dial’s engraved numerals are filled with caramel-colored Super-LumiNova, while the hands remain a lighter tone, mimicking the effect of tritium aging on the 1993 watches. The watch also features a screw-down caseback with a 30-bar (~300 meters) water resistance, and comes with a vintage-style golden brown leather strap and an additional black rubber strap.
The PAM05218 is available upon request through Panerai boutiques worldwide.
