Panerai Release Radiomir Bronzo PAM00760 to Celebrate Eilean 90th Anniversary

If you’re a member of the Paneristi, then you’re likely already familiar with the Eilean, the 1936 sailing yacht that Panerai has been partnered with for many years now, assisting in its restoration. You might also be able to do the maths to work out that 1936 was exactly 90 years ago, making this year an important anniversary for the boat. They’ve used this milestone to announce that the Eilean will be returning to the Classic Regatta racing circuit, which it left in 2018. As such, Panerai have released the new Radiomir Bronzo PAM00760 to celebrate.

The Radiomir first made its debut in 1935 in the form of the Ref. 2533, making the collection only one year older than the Eilean itself, so it’s a fitting tribute. On top of that, the new PAM00760 measures 47mm in diameter, the same as that original Ref. 2533, making the vintage connection even stronger. The Radiomir was also designed with the Italian Navy in mind as a captain’s watch, keeping operations running smoothly.

For case materials, Panerai have opted for bronze. Prior to the widespread use of stainless steel, bronze was one of the premier working metals for hardware and tools. This is especially true of maritime environments where bronze’s corrosion resistance made it the ideal material for use in and around water. As such, many boats and yachts including the Eilean used bronze throughout many of their core components. In watchmaking, bronze has become famous for the distinctive patina it creates over time through wear and use, something that Panerai actually encourage through the formulation of their specific bronze alloy.

However, one drawback of bronze and the patination process is that it reacts to prolonged contact with skin, causing staining. In order to avoid this, the Radiomir Bronzo PAM00760 has a titanium caseback with exhibition window so that there is no direct contact between your wrist and the bronze parts of the watch. Through the exhibition window you can see the P. 3000 calibre with manual winding and 72-hour power reserve.

The P.3000 is a time only movement and you can see that reflected on the dial of the watch, which features only hour and minute hands. Those hands are presented in blue against a green fumé gradient background with a slightly grainy texture. The dial itself uses the classic Radiomir sandwich construction, meaning it’s formed from three layers – a central layer of lume being sandwiched between two plates with the hour markers being cutouts in the top plate revealing the lume below.

Overall, the Radiomir Bronzo PAM00760 is quite an understated tribute to the Eilean. Its design doesn’t shout; it’s instead restrained and sophisticated with plenty of heritage throwback elements. It’s priced at £16,800.

More details at Panerai.