This particular timepiece generates mixed emotions not just to its owner but also to many that happen to have the opportunity to study it up close. It’s a beautiful albeit very simply designed instrument. Its craftsmanship and outright appearance are not what stimulates the undefined ratings of the watch. The primary source of the conundrum is the relatively new association with the mighty Ferrari brand.
Certainly we regard the partnership to be more appropriate as both brands are Italian, but since 1992 until the seemingly abrupt cessation in 2003, Ferrari was synonymous with Girard-Perregaux which is considered by many horological critics, myself included, as the more superior house that can trace its roots back to 1791 as well as boast the fact that they manufacture a vast majority of their own movements and individual components as well. So with Girard- Perregaux there was a sense of powerful pedigree and master craftsmanship which includes Tourbillion complications.
Girard-Perregaux owner Gino Macaluso was quoted saying, in reference to the termination of the partnership with Ferrari, “It was very passionate, a love affair; but I sensed at a certain moment it was time for a change. When I saw a lot of other watch brands start to associate themselves with automobile manufacturers, I decided that my time was finished. I can understand that this could be a good marketing situation for them, but nobody has the right legacy and I prefer to leave that.” Ironically, soon after Girard-Perregaux made timepieces with BMW F1 Racing and MV Agusta with the F4CC Superbike, so it may be awhile before we discover what really happened behind the scenes.
Panerai is without a doubt also an important brand which enjoys a phenomenal commercial success record that seemed to sprout out of nowhere. It too has its own unique pedigree combined with numerous patents that does date back pretty far also with its establishment in 1860 in Florence, Italy. Panerai, until 1995 however was best known for supplying the precision instruments from 1915-1918 to the Italian Royal Navy which includes luminous devices for sighting naval guns at night, timing mechanisms, depth gauges and mechanical calculators to launch torpedoes from MAS, high speed motor torpedo boats. And manufacturing timepieces for the Royal Italian Naval/Marine Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense from pre-World War II 1938 to 1993. Other Navies in the Mediterranean including Egypt also adapted unique Panerai pieces and instruments after WWII.
But the brand got its real modern civilian success bump from actor Sylvester Stallone who bought the Panerai signature model Luminor in a jewelry store in Rome in 1995 and wore it in the film Daylight. Stallone supposedly ordered a small batch of Luminors with his signature on the case back, and called them Sly-techs.He apparently also offered them as gifts to friends, which allegedly included Arnold Schwarzenegger. The gargantuan Richemont group eventually purchased Officine Panerai in 1997 giving the company the vital resources needed to catapult them to the powerhouse they are today.
With the new alignment with Ferrari, Panerai fans are now called “Paneristi”, a term coined along the lines of “Ferraristi” and “Tifosi”. Under contract, Panerai has been developing, manufacturing and distributing watches under the Ferrari trademark. Panerai representatives have been boldly proclaiming that Panerai is also the official timekeeper to Ferrari but there is no such agreement thus far. The Panerai regular Ferrari production series pieces are priced from $5,850 to $30,000. The Panerai Ferrari watches are principally divided into two collections: Granturismo and Scuderia. This piece featured here is part of the Special Collection to further demonstrate its exclusivity. Under the Special Collection, only two variants are offered, the 8 day power reserve GMT and the Perpetual Calender.
Both variants feature identical but unique to the Ferrari series cases with the celebrated Prancing Horse on the winding crown and at 12 o’clock, the GMT can only be purchased in 18k Rose Gold, while the Perpetual Calender has both a stainless steel and Rose Gold versions. The most interesting and even practical feature of this piece is the distinctive 192 hour power reserve which is quite extraordinary. If you can find one the price range for the ultra limited Ferrari 8 day GMT starts at $23,500 to as much as $36,000.
PANERAI 8 DAY GMT
- Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai calibre P.2002/2, completely created by Panerai, 13¾ lignes, thickness 6.5 mm, 21 jewels, 8-day power reserve, 3 barrels in series, 28,800 alternations/hour.
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, second time zone (on 12-hour and 24-hour dials), power reserve indicator.
- Case: Diameter 45 mm, in polished 18 ct pink gold with brushed edges, winding crown with the Ferrari logo and rim worked with square-grid pattern.
- Bezel: brushed 18 ct pink gold.
- Back: 18 ct pink gold, screw-in, with sapphire crystal window decorated with a metallic grid; round the edge is engraved the inscription – Engineered by OFFICINE PANERAI.
- Dial: black with square-grid decoration, Ferrari logo and Prancing Horse at 12 o’clock, Arabic numerals for the hours on the flange, 60-minute scale, date window at 3 o’clock, circular power reserve at 6 o’clock and small continuous seconds dial at 9 o’clock with applied cone-section rings in 18 ct pink gold, second time zone indicated by the centre hand and day/night division at 9 o’clock. Skeleton baton hour and minute hands.
- Crystal: sapphire, made from corundum, 1.9mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.
- Water resistance: 100 meters.
- Strap: black alligator with contrasting stitching, inside part in red alligator with red sewing, personalized adjustable buckle in brushed 18 k Rose gold with the edge of the closure in polished finish. Supplied with a steel screwdriver and a second interchangeable strap in rubber with the Ferrari inscription.