Panerai announced the debut of the new generation Luminor LAB-ID (PAM1700) which will be presented for sale by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo in the fine timepiece auction, “Racing Pulse” . This is the first time in the brand’s history to offer the inagural timepiece in the Flagship New York Auction on December 12th.
Suggested Worldwide Retail Price : 70,000 €
With the introduction of LUMINOR LAB-ID™ (PAM01700) the Panerai manufacture has produced a masterwork that lies at the nexus of the brand’s heritage and barrier-breaking technology. Luminor, the most iconic of all Panerai collections, marks its 70th anniversary with one of its most advanced iterations. Available in only 70 units, LUMINOR LAB-ID™ is a groundbreaking product of the Panerai Laboratorio di Idee, a creative incubator dedicated to making watchmaking fantasies material.
The full potential of carbon is apparent in every component of the LUMINOR LAB-ID™: the case is constructed from a composite material based on carbon fiber; the dial is blanketed with carbon nanotubes; and, because of the special attributes of carbon fibers, the movement never requires lubrication. It is the latest demonstration that the Florentine brand is at the vanguard of watchmaking design, materials and mechanics.
Steeped in the world of underwater instruments requiring legibility in the darkest of underwater environments, one of Panerai’s most acclaimed inventions is the classic sandwich structure dial featuring a luminous substance that emerges through the openings in the dial corresponding to the hour markers, the small seconds dial and case, crown protector, and strap. In this case, the design is enhanced by a new generation of super-luminova, Super-Luminova X-1 created specifically for this project and for Panerai. With enhanced durability to withstand being exposed to the elements on the case and crown-protecting device, this was a challenge taken on by the Laboratorio di Idee that took no less than fifteen months to solve.
The 49mm case of the LUMINOR LAB-IDTM is made from Carbotech™, a composite derived from carbon fiber that possesses compelling aesthetic and technical characteristics. First introduced to the watchmaking world by Panerai, Carbotech™ has a deep variegated black hue, and each section displays a uniquely dappled appearance that is impossible to reproduce. The material is formed when very thin sheets of carbon fiber are fused together at a controlled temperature under very high pressure with the organic polymer PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), which binds the composite material and makes it extraordinarily resistant and reliable. It is lighter and more resistant to external stresses than other materials often used in fine watchmaking, including ceramics or titanium, and is hypoallergenic and does not corrode. Carbotech™ has been used to craft the case and also the bridge device and the locking lever protecting the winding crown, which helps to ensure the watch’s water-resistance to 10 bar (a depth of about 100 meters).
The new LUMINOR LAB-ID™ features the P.3001/C calibre, a tour de force hand-wound movement with a power reserve of three days. It is partially skeletonized with only four jewels. Through a series of innovative measures that capitalize on the special properties of carbon and are tailored to the functions of individual parts—plates, bridges, barrels, escapement and antishock device—there is no need to ever apply liquid lubrication to the main bridges and plate, which are composed of a low friction composite which integrates a Tantalum based ceramic.
Main components composed of silicon and a wheelwork coated with DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) obviate any need to lubricate the escapement. An intensive multi-year process of testing and research by the Laboratorio di Idee revealed that treating the components and two spring barrels with layer after layer of carbon-based coating, finished with a final surface layer of DLC eliminated the need for traditional lubrication methods. Likewise, jewels coated with DLC resolve the necessity to further lubricate the Incabloc® anti-shock device.
Notable features present in the movement include a balance wheel that is no less than 13.2 mm in diameter, fixed by a bridge with twin supports with an oscillating frequency of 3 Hz, and a device that stops the balance and returns the seconds hand to zero (seconds reset) when setting the time, so that the watch can be perfectly synchronized with a reference signal.
Spec
CASE: 49mm Carbotech ™
DIAL: Black nanotubes dial
BACK: See-through sapphire crystal
SECOND STRAP: Black rubber MX007BZG
FUNCTIONS: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve indicator
MOVEMENT: P.3001/C – 3 Days, hand-wound
WATER RESISTANCE: 10 BAR (100 metres)
STRAP: Panerai Sportech™ black with white luminous stitching (MXE0DQDJ)
BUCKLE: Trapezoidal titanium with DLC coating (PAV00675)
INTERCHANGEABILITY: Spring bars strap system
