Panerai has returned to its roots dramatically with the new Luminor Marina Militare PAM05218, unveiled alongside the brand’s “The Depths of Time” exhibition in Florence. Precisely 32 years after Panerai transformed from a military supplier into a public-facing luxury watchmaker, the PAM05218 revives the spirit of the 1993 reference 5218-202/A—arguably the watch that marked the beginning of its journey.
The PAM05218 echoes the rugged minimalism that defined Panerai’s early civilian offerings, with a 44mm stainless steel Luminor case now finished in ultra-tough black DLC rather than the scratch-prone PVD of the original. The sandblasted matte surface absorbs light, while the signature crown guard and 300-meter water resistance underline its tool-watch heritage.
The dial is a meticulously considered tribute to the quirks of the original 5218. Known for its “non-matching” Panerai patina, where the tritium numerals aged into a dark orange while the hands remained pale, the new model recreates this contrast using dark beige Super-LumiNova on recessed numerals and greenish-white lume on blackened hands. The font, layout, and single-layer matte black dial construction are all period-correct.
Inside, the in-house, hand-wound P.6000 caliber delivers a solid 72-hour power reserve at 3Hz, keeping things simple with just hours and minutes. The watch comes on a vintage-style golden brown calf leather strap with a DLC-coated trapezoidal buckle and includes a black rubber strap for more rugged use.
Available exclusively upon request from boutiques starting September 2025, the PAM05218 channels Panerai’s naval legacy into a modern collectible priced at $8,800.
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