Panerai’s Luminor Due Pastello Casts An Elegant Spell Charmed With Color and Character
5 min read
Panerai is a true story. It's not a marketing build or a reinvented issue. It has always been a true tale of design, engineering and practicality from the very beginning. Originally intended for military applications, these bulbous designs were first offered to the public in 1993.
In the case of Panerai, what might seem like a traditional aesthetic flamboyance is quite simply the result of happenstance. A military contract by Regia Marina, the Royal Italian Navy to equip its divers with something to tell the time with was outsourced and built to a budget by the lowest bidder. That lowest bidder just so happened to be Panerai, which already supplied equipment like compasses and depth gauges to the Italian Navy.
The problem was that Panerai didn’t actually make watches, so using its noodle, it had a little-known company called Rolex build them something. Rolex, a then unheard of brand, was trying to get a leg up in the game by logging its patented oyster water resistant technology to whoever would take it. Panerai was delighted to do so!
Recognisable From A Mile
The design of Panerai watches is an exercise in detail. Wearing a Panerai sure feels like being a kid in dad’s shoes. The monstrosity of size is however a defining character for the brand.
Despite the fact that for the past 30 years the world has changed dramatically, the principles of the Maison are still the same. While keeping what has made Panerai a success so far, fresh and pleasant asides from the big and monstrous size have been conceived at the Maison.
Luminor Due Collection
Panerai watches are divisive. Some people are obsessed with them, while many others are repulsed. There is no hiding a watch like the Panerai Luminor and that’s how most Panerais are. Big, oddly shaped and conspicuous, these timepieces yell their presence.
If you are in the repulse camp, then an exception to that yelling comes with the Luminor Due collection. Introduced in Florence in 2016, these timepieces rather than screaming their monstrosity, more seductively wrap around the wrist. Despite Panerai’s signature prowess in creating unmistakably hefty watches, their appeal to ladie’s wrists too knows no bounds.
A Colorful Amphibian Suited For A Slender Wrist: Luminor Due Pastello
The yet so tool-ish timepieces of the Luminor Due collection once again were freshened in May 2023 with a delicate, colorful and even dressier allure as the brand’s iconic Luminor case was introduced in undeniably feminine 38mm size configurations featuring pastel-coloured dials, a novelty from the Maison.
The underlying philosophy behind the Luminor Due Pastello collection is to offer a subtle alternative to the classic Luminor case featuring a thinner and more refined profile. This collection represents a significant evolution of the brand and gives lady Paneraists something new and maybe entices some people to wear the brand who wouldn’t have considered it before.
Panerai Luminor Due Pastello: A Horological Anatomy
The Luminior Due Pastello is a vivid twist on the brand’s line-up. Although Panerai purists would dare to dress up their bulbous timepieces simply for their affection of the brand, not every time could they pull off a good look.
The Luminor Due Pastello however is an elegant all-rounder that can be a perfect dress watch and an ideal women’s timepiece for aficionados of the Panerai DNA. This concept is reinforced by the pairing of a slim metal bracelet with the 38mm steel cases. Respecting the aesthetic codes of the brand, the steel cases feature Panerai’s distinctive crown protection device.
A Vivid Palate For A Fresh-Faced Collection
Purpose-built diver’s watches especially the likes of Panerai’s Luminors and Radiomirs adorn a stealth dial aesthetic to pave way for a maximum contrast against the luminated markers. As the Due Pastellos inherently tend towards elegant aesthetics, they feature a refreshing aside from the monotonous allure and give way to light green, light pink and light blue gradient dials.
Not necessarily the most aggressive sporting watch in the Panerai catalog, the Lumionor Due Pastello is designed to be uncommonly refined, graceful and versatile for a Panerai timepiece.
Full Of Panerai DNA
Don’t be fooled by the small case sizes of the trio timepiece collection as these watches pack just as much of a punch as their larger brethren. Proven automatic P.900 calibers drive the powertrain giving the watches real world practicality with 3 days of power reserve.
The Luminor Due Pastello comes with 30 meters of water resistance - not a lot for a watch that’s born out of a diving legacy. However, the Maison reinstates that the rating is enough for wearers to swim in. Adding the water resistance would have compromised the subtle profile of the timepiece, something Panerai were keen to avoid.
Dive Watch Legacy In A Decidedly Dressy Package
The Luminor Due Pastello watches make Panerai a viable choice for ladies who might not before have considered them an option.
