The Panerai Luminor — derived from the divers the watchmaker built for the Italian Royal Navy back in the 20th century — is an icon in its own right. But not willing to rest on its laurels, Panerai has continued the evolution of the Luminor. This watch has all the features and specifications you’d want from a modern diver while still delivering the classic looks of the original Luminor. Better still, it’s done so using a cutting-edge material, placing it ahead of the pack regarding watchmaking tech.
Like the rest of the Submersible lineup, the Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech 3 Days is an update on the original Luminor design, featuring a legible dial, a rotating diver’s bezel and a case with a 300-meter depth rating. That case, though, is made from a material Panerai dubs Carbotech. It’s a composite material made from thin sheets of carbon fiber that are compressed at a controlled temperature under high pressure and never before used in the world of watchmaking. The result is a durable material with a unique matte black finish that’s lighter than ceramic or titanium and strong enough to protect an in-house automatic movement with a whopping three-day power reserve.
