Officine Panerai

Officine Panerai S.P.A (Firenze)

The Luminor Logo
Ref: 5218-201/A

With an increasing interest of many international parties, as well as an international decrease of all military budgets reflecting in loss of business, Officina Panerai S.P.A. Firenze decided to re-issue in a limited production its legendary watches for a selective clientele.

Officine Panerai has a wealth of intellectual proprieties in the field of mechanical instruments known and referred by civilians as wristwatches/timepieces. Those precision instruments of the past played an important part in some of the most courageous attacks that have probably changed the course of the WWII history as they were worn by combat divers (‘sommozzatore’) of the Italian combat unit, Flottiglia Xa Mas.

As result, in 1992 this emblematic mechanical wristwatch, as well as other; Luminor and Mare Nostrum models were re-designed using the brand’s patents for a protecting crown locking mechanism and readability on land and underwater.

At the end 1992 and early 1993, the production of those wristwatches destined to the civilian commercial sector, were officially presented to the Marina Militare at the occasion of the launch of the Italian destroyer ‘Luigi Durand de la Penne’ in 1993.

A few of the initial production of the Luminor ‘Logo’ and the Luminor Marina Militare were handed to selected highly ranked officers of the Marina Militare as well as some highly positioned politicians. Later, the commercial distribution in Italy was slowly put in place.

In mid 1994 the Luminor ‘Logo’ was being displayed by some of the 50 Italian agents of the brand at a retail price of Lira 2,900,000 (€1,500 Euro)

To begin with, due to the exaggerated size, simple look and strong charisma of each model, as well as the lack of commercial communication, the Panerai wristwatches were appreciated only by a few. It is only later at the end of 1996 and by affiliations that those wristwatches started finding their merited success.

Today, the Luminor Logo 5218-201/A is considered by all wristwatch enthusiasts as ‘The’ icon of a Panerai wristwatch collection, and its value never stops climbing. Currently in October 2005 this piece can be purchased amongst worldwide collectors from 15,000 Euro.

Officine Panerai S.P.A Firenze
Luminor ‘Logo’
5218-201/A
(Some of this watch's Photos were taken and displayed on ViaPaneristi by Panerai enthusiasts)

5218-201/A Specifications & Data
The case has an external diameter of 44mm and is constructed entirely in AISI 316 stainless steel and resists to 40 atmospheres (400 meters). The watch-case surface is polished. The case-back finish is circular satinated.
The Bezel is mounted in force onto the top of the watch-case, fitted with an intermediate screwed in seal. Its surface is polished.
The Rounded sapphire crystal is mounted in force on the the watch-case and is fitted with an intermediate seal.
The winding crown tightness is obtained by means of a movable snap-down lever which locks the crown in a recessed position, thereby compressing its seal thereby compressing its seal. This lever is mounted on its own round-edge support attached to the case. NB: This device, patented by Panerai guarantees tightness in an extremely effective and reliable manner because it allows compression of the crown seal at a pre-established, axially exercised pressure as opposed to the systems normally used on underwater watches.
Case-back ID, engraved are the identification number (two groups of numbers: one of four (4) digits and one of three (3) digits) and the serial number of the watch.
The Strap is secured to the watch by means of 2 pins connected to the watch-lugs by freely rotating screws. The two straps originally supplied have a stainless steel ardillon type buckle engraved with the Panerai logo and the word PANERAI. Those buckles are known as the Pre-Vendome Buckles.
The Mouvement manual wind, ETA UT-6497, 16lines (36,60mm), 4,50mm thick, 17 jewels with Incabloc anti-shock system. Rhodium-plated soigné finish surface. Adjustment in four positions with precision guaranteed to within 10 seconds a day.
The Dial is in brass on a black satin-finish background, with 4 large Arabic numbers and 8 white luminescent indices for viewing in the dark. Luminescence is ISO 9/3 Tritium, protected by a layer of transparent lacquer.
NB: Dials differences: The first production of dials (approx 100 dials) are today known as Non-Matching Dial, this is because the initial lacquer used was fast ageing the tritium applied on the indices hence discolouring it to a dark brown colour.
All other dials indices are white and age to a creamy often yellow/orange colours.
The Hands skeletons are in brass and filled with tritium
The total weight of the watch is 125 grams

Production 677 watches numbered from 0001 to 0889.
A total of 889 watches were produced under this reference, but only 677 watches were issued. All other remaining watch-cases were used and re-worked for later models 1994-1997

Original Packaging; Manual (libretto), Box, Screw-driver and Packaging
The original packaging for the Panerai Luminor Logo was:
A blue carton box, a wood watch box, a libretto (29 numbered pages + 2 transparent pages + front and back covers.), a brass Screw-Driver, 1 watch-strap attached to the watch and one spare watch-strap, both with a stainless steel Pre-Vendome buckle.