2013 preview…Panerai just announced the Luminor Submersible 1950 Amagnetic 3 Days Automatic Titanio (PAM 389). The Panerai PAM 389 has the classic Luminor Submersible design, with a 47mm titanium case and Panerai’s in-house P.9000 calibre. There are two notable and distinguishing features on the PAM 389: 1) its “amagnetic” properties and 2) its titanium bezel with a ceramic insert.

The ceramic disc set into the bezel is a feature which is completely new in Panerai watches.

But did you know that the Submersible Amagnetic is not the first of its kind from Panerai? Indeed, this is actually the second antimagnetic Panerai, the first being the Arktos Amagetic PAM92 issued in 2004 (LE of 500 pieces) and worn by explorer Mike Horn during one of his Artic expeditions (pictured below).

This watch will makes its official debut in 2013 at the SIHH show in Geneva, but of course Perpetuelle is here bringing you a first look. An exciting watch, with Panerai in-house caliber, high performance materials, and a great looking and classic design. Lots of great pics, below!

Luminor Submersible 1950 Amagnetic 3 Days Automatic Titanio (PAM 389)

Price: EUR8900 (approx. $11,500 at current f/x)

47mm brushed titanium case (300m water resistance), automatic mechanical manufacture Panerai P.9000 calibre (power reserve 3 days, two barrels), comes on a PANERAI rubber strap and large-size brushed titanium buckle’ a second interchangeable strap and tools are also included

Why antimagnetic? High magnetic fields can noticeably alter the rate of a watch and in extreme cases can event stop the movement. The PAM 389 utilizes an special case construction which ensures high resistance to magnetic fields: 40,000 A/m (ampere per metre). Such a high limit is achieved by the use of a special internal case made of soft iron of the highest purity, which encloses and isolates the movement, forming a Faraday cage that diverts the flow of magnetic fields. The soft iron case is immediately beneath the dial, which is made of the same material. For comparison, the IWC Ingenieur watches are resistant to magnetic fields of up to 80,000 A/m. Not that it matters much, as 40,000 A/m is more than eight times greater than the value specified by the international standards of the Normes de lIndustrie Horlogère Suisse in NIHS 90-10 (NIHSis a set of quality standards established by the Swiss watch industry). As I mentioned above this is a tried and test method for giving a watch antimagnetic properties.

The antimagnetic Luminor Arktos (PAM 92), as worn by explorer Mike Horn

2004

PAM 389 Luminor Submersible Bezel

Anti-clockwise unidirectional rotating bezel in ceramic and brushed titanium with polished edges, graduated scale for calculating the time of immersion and ratchet click at minute intervals.

The Panerai PAM 389 Luminor Submersible price is EUR8900, or about $11,500 at current f/x.

The Panerai manufacture caliber P.9000 incorporates a convenient system for setting the hour hand, which can be moved forward and backward in jumps of exactly one hour, at the same time adjusting the date display accordingly: