The Panerai Replica Luminor diving watch initially had a very rustic purpose. It was only Silvester Stallone who made the watch socially acceptable and helped it achieve a breakthrough in Hollywood. This is the history of the classic watch.
Luminor (patented 1956)
It is not easy to say exactly when this Panerai became a wristwatch classic. Unfortunately, the time of delivery of the first wristwatches with the new steel case to the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) cannot be said with absolute certainty. These were pieces of military equipment and were therefore subject to strict secrecy rules. That’s how strict things are in the Italian army. Above all, the structural details of the crown, the crucial part of all wristwatches at the time, were not intended for the public. This refers to the winding and hand setting crown.
As is well known, Panerai adopted the “Oyster” design patented for Rolex in an oversized form for the Panerai Radiomir, which was introduced in 1936. In terms of operation, this meant screwing the crown back on tightly after the daily manual winding.
Panerai Luminor
A real solution for Panerai was the Panerai Luminor case shell, which had been introduced long before but was only patented in Italy in 1956. A bracket presses the crown firmly against the case to ensure water resistance. To tension the mainspring and set the hands, this bracket must be folded out. The part that then protruded was a clear reminder of the need for pressure-tight closure. However, this development also brought with it another advantage:
It effectively protected the sensitive crown from damage during combative underwater operations. At that time, Maria and Giuseppe Panerai also obtained entries in the French, British, Swiss and US patent registers. The last one took place on October 4, 1960.
By the way, the model name Panerai Luminor has absolutely nothing to do with the pillow-shaped case. Rather, it results from a new luminous substance based on radiant tritium for the dial and the hands.
Thank Silvester Stallone
After the end of the Cold War, Panerai fell on hard times. The small brand owes its future not least to Silvester Stallone. In 1994, the actor was in Florence filming the thriller “Daylight”. While strolling through town, she discovered “Luminor” in the brand’s small shop opposite the Florentine Cathedral. He bought a copy, which can also be seen in the film. Afterwards, the star ordered specially made and engraved “Luminor Slytech” cars.