The series PANERAI inspired by the Chinese horoscope is enriched with a new creation dedicated to the Year of the Dog. This special edition limited to 88 pieces features a lid adorned with superb decorations, created by master engravers using the ancient Sparsello technique.
This new timepiece is the tenth opus in the series launched in 2009 by Officine Panerai in homage to the Chinese horoscope, a thousand-year-old tradition with a very strong symbolism. After the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey and the Rooster, the new Luminor 1950 Sealand – 44 mm (Ref. PAM00858), duly celebrates the Year of the Dog, which will begin on February 16, 2018.
The extraordinary engravings handcrafted by great Italian master craftsmen make the Luminor 1950 Sealand 3 Days Automatic Acciaio, the Panerai Special Edition dedicated to the Year of the Dog, so original.
People born under the sign of the Dog are distinguished by their thoughtfulness and exceptional sensitivity. They know how to gain the trust of others through their honesty and sincerity. Rigorous and endowed with brilliant intelligence, they may seem stubborn and introverted, but their sense of honor and rectitude make them valuable companions, just like the animal with which they are associated.
The dog's features are chiseled onto the cover of this new Special Edition using a refined technique, in a style inspired by traditional Chinese iconography with plum blossoms, symbols of harmony and longevity.
Each copy of this Special Edition – limited to 88, a lucky number with high symbolic significance in Chinese culture – has been hand-decorated by the best Italian master engravers using the ancient Sparsello technique, named after the specific tool used to create the engravings on the lid. Inside the grooves cut into the steel, gold wire is inserted, projected in multiple parallel layers, which are then struck until their total inlay in the grooves forms the silhouette of the dog and its delicate ornaments. This operation requires extraordinary skill on the part of the craftsman, as the gold wire is inlaid on the lid, which is already engraved and polished. The slightest mistake could destroy all the work already done.
The ornate cover protects the understated, easy-to-read gray dial. It features Arabic numerals, baton indexes, and luminescent dots, a small seconds counter at 9 o'clock, and a date window at 3 o'clock. The cover, which conceals a small mirror on the reverse, is attached to a 1950mm Luminor 44 case in satin-finished stainless steel.
The watch is powered by the self-winding P.9000 caliber, produced by the Panerai Haute Horlogerie manufacturer in Neuchâtel. Robust and reliable, the movement boasts a 3-day power reserve. It features a bidirectional oscillating weight and a rapid time adjustment mechanism, changes to which are recorded via the date window.
The Luminor 1950 Sealand 3 Days Automatic Acciaio 44mm is water resistant to a depth of approximately 100 meters. It comes on a soft brown leather strap. Available exclusively at Panerai boutiques, the watch comes with a spare black rubber strap, a steel screwdriver, and a strap replacement tool.
Technical characteristics: LUMINOR 1950 SEALAND 3 DAYS AUTOMATIC ACCIAIO – 44 mm
Unique edition of 88 copies – Reference PAM00858
▪ MOVEMENT: Self-winding mechanical, P.9000 caliber entirely made by Panerai, 13¾ lignes in diameter, 7,9 mm thick, 28 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 28 vibrations/hour. Incabloc® anti-shock device.
3-day power reserve, two barrels. 197 components.
▪ FUNCTIONS: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date.
▪ CASE: 44 mm, in AISI 316L satin-finished steel.
▪ COVER: Polished steel, hand-engraved
▪ BACK: Transparent sapphire crystal.
▪ CROWN PROTECTOR DEVICE (protected by registered trademark): In satin-finished steel.
▪ DIAL: Grey with Arabic numerals and stick indexes. Date at 3 o'clock, seconds at 9 o'clock.
▪ GLASS: Sapphire crystal (corundum), 1,6 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.
▪ WATERPROOFNESS: 100 meters.
▪ STRAP: Leather, with satin-finished steel buckle, stamped PANERAI. Supplied with a second spare strap, a replacement tool and a steel screwdriver.
▪ PRICE: 23 euros.
The Glucydur® and Incabloc® brands are not the property of Officine Panerai
Claudie V.
