Created at the dawn of the 1950s, the Luminor 1950 is a cult timepiece that has attracted an active community of aficionados or "paneristi" as they are known. That this timepiece enjoys such a unique aura is as much due to the emblematic design of its case and dial as to its prestigious past, worn by members of the Italian and Egyptian navies. For a long time, until 1992, watches by Officine Panerai were produced in limited series, exclusively reserved for members of these two armed forces. Hence the Luminor 1950 was above all designed as a true professional instrument combining robustness and reliability. This emblematic watch in fact represents a natural evolution of the Radiomir, unveiled a few years earlier. As official supplier to the Royal Italian Navy, Officine Panerai created, in 1936, the first prototype of the Radiomir for the frogman commandos of the First Submarine Group Command. It already featured many of the characteristics that still distinguish the Radiomir today and would later give rise to the Luminor 1950: a large (47mm) cushion-shaped steel case, luminescent numerals and hour-markers for unprecedented underwater readability, a mechanical manual-winding movement, wire loop attachments soldered to the case and a wide, water-resistant strap that was long enough to be fastened over a diving suit. The Radiomir prototype went into series production in 1938. After some notable developments in the following years, the Radiomir completed its transformation in 1950 with the adoption of the famous crown-protecting bridge equipped with a locking lever. This new creation was now called Luminor. As a replacement for the Radiomir powder, still used to make indications readable in the dark, Panerai unveiled tritium, a luminescent substance patented in Italy in 1949. However, it wasn’t until 1993 that Officine Panerai marketed its very first collection, consisting of three limited editions inspired by timepieces created for World War II marine commandos. In 2005 the brand took a new step forward by equipping the Luminor 1950 with the very first in-house movement, the P.2002. This manual-winding calibre had a GMT function and an eight-day power reserve. Over the next decade, through the Luminor collection, the Italian brand demonstrated significant technical mastery of both mechanical movements and materials research – such as the 2015 unveiling of a carbon fibre-based composite named Carbotech™. This was also the year Panerai released a Luminor Equation of Time 8 Days. Introduced in 2016 in 42mm then 38mm sizes, the Luminor Due broadened Officine Panerai's horizons and opened it up to a new client base, in particular women. Never short of new ideas, the brand went on to present, in 2017, the LAB-ID™ Luminor 1950 Carbotech™ 3 Days – 49mm. Guaranteed for 50 years, it runs without any lubricant. The following year was that of L’Astronomo: a skeletonised Luminor with a tourbillon, an equation of time and moon phases. A chronograph followed in 2021, which was also the year that recycled eSteel™ entered the Luminor collection, confirming Panerai’s commitment to sustainable watchmaking.

• Mechanical wristwatch created for members of the Italian Navy • Luminescent indications • Crown-protecting bridge with a patented locking lever