Global Luxury Fashion

Mariska, Rowdy and Chaplin win Les Voiles D’Antibes,
the first Mediterranean leg of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2010
 
Antibes, 6th June 2010 – After four days of regattas, the boats Mariska, Rowdy and Chaplin won in the “Big Boats”, “Vintage” and “Classic” categories respectively on the occasion of the 15th edition of Les Voiles d’Antibes. This was the first leg in the Mediterranean sea of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2010, the international circuit dedicated to vintage and classic yachting sponsored by the Florentine fine watch-making company Officine Panerai. The winners received a Radiomir Regatta 1/8th Second Titanio – 47 mm watch, specially created by Officine Panerai for this new season of regattas and produced in a series of just 500 pieces.
 
Mariska is an auric cutter from 1908, one of the few survivors of the “15-metre International tonnage” class. More accustomed to ascending to the highest step on the podium is Chaplin, the 16-metre Italian Navy vessel built in 1974, previously winner of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge in 2009 in the “Classic” category. Also the Marconi cutter Rowdy from 1916, one of the four NY-40 craft still sailing, had already won the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge in 2008 in the “Vintage” category.
 
The regattas that took place at the famous French resort on the Côte d’Azur saw the participation of 51 boats, split into seven categories. Starting on Thursday 3rd June and thanks to sunny days, summer temperatures and winds that never exceeded 12 knots, the boats were able to complete one regatta every day. The event was organized by the Yacht Club d’Antibes and the Club Nautique d’Antibes.
 
The glorious 12-Metre I.T. (International Tonnage) boats present, French Kiss, South Australia and Kookaburra III, the stars of past America’s Cup challenges, raced in a separate field. South Australia, having won all nine regattas scheduled, was awarded the final victory.
 
Also present in Antibes, though not participating in the regattas, was Eilean, the 22-metre Marconi ketch built by Scottish boatyard Fife in 1936. The boat, purchased in 2006 by Officine Panerai, made its official debut during one of the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge events after undergoing a complete restoration at the Francesco Del Carlo boatyard in Viareggio, Tuscany. The two-mast yacht, as well as being one of the most admired boats on the quayside, sailed every day with representatives from the international press on board.

Panerai is probably one of the most famous watch brands in Italy. Despite its long history the Company started assembling watches for a wider range of customers only at the end of the last century, whereas almost during its entire existence Panerai supplied highly reliable watches to the Italian Navy.

Retelling the story of such a brand in a few words is actually impossible, because of the numerous events that took place during a more than 140 years’ history. It is also not quite possible sorting out the events that are of more importance, because they all played a great role in the history of forming the manufacture to become that what it is today. However, the following part of the article will contain those events, which might be crucial in the forming of the company.

How Everything Began

Everything started in 1860 in Florence, when Giovanni Panerai opened the first watchmaker’s shop, which became the basis of the family business Panerai. During a few decades Giovanni Panerai assembled high quality watches in his workshop, until his grandson, Guido Panerai, expanded the business, giving it new horizons to reach. After Guido Panerai established a good relation with the Royal Italian Navy the company focused on manufacturing high-precision instruments and watches for the military sector.

In 1900 the Panerai workshop was moved to Piazza San Giovani in Florence, where it can be seen today too.

The Italian Navy required for its marines highly-reliable watches, which could be easily read under the dim under-water conditions. Thus in 1938 Panerai began the production of Radiomir watches, which had a 47 mm cushion-faced case, a screw-down crown, the easy-to-read luminous dial with its elements and a mechanical movement from Rolex. This combination made the watches very popular in the marines’ lines, where a Radiomir was considered a real man’s watch.

The Turning Point in the History

The fourth decade of the last century marked maybe the most important event in the history of Panerai – the famous Luminor watch was created. This watch was perfect for the Navy as its water-resistance reached a depth of 200 meters. This outstanding achievement (for those times) appeared due to a device called locking lever which was fixed to the case.

After the astonishing success of Panerai watches amongst the Italian Navy, in 1956 the Company received a request from the Egyptian Navy. According to the agreement between the two parties, Panerai was to assemble a larger Radiomir powered by the 8-day power reserve Angelus movement with a scale of 5-minute intervals for determining the duration of diving.

After the Richemont Group overtook Officine Panerai in 1997, at the turn of the century, Panerai began opening boutiques all over the world:

- in 2001 – the first Panerai’s boutique in Piazza San Giovani in Florence;
- in 2002 – in Neuchatel appears a manufacturing base and the first Asian boutique, in Hong Kong, received its first visitors;
- in 2003 – boutique in Portofino;
- in 2005 – boutiques in Los Angeles and Shanghai.

Introducing, Innovating and Developing

In 2004 the Radiomir collection of watches was supplemented by the 8 days model, which looked like a flash back into the past. The 8 days is a modern mechanism, which has already been used by Panerai earlier. The strong point of this watch is its 8 days’ power reserve with manual winding.

Exceptional news was announced in 2005: Panerai has presented its first self-made movement – the caliber P.2002. This clock ‘engine’ is widely used for assembling Panerai watches until now and it features hand-winding and 8 days power reserve.

Panerai Replica Watch – a Reliable Companion

Being the official supplier of timepieces of the Royal Italian Navy, Panerai has proved the reliability of its watches. A Panerai replica watch is also a very trustworthy companion in any situation.

If a genuine Panerai is for real men, it doesn’t mean that a Panerai replica watch wouldn’t be for real men. A Panerai replica watch makes the same impression on people as the genuine watch does, as it looks and weighs the same.

Everyone who has bought a Panerai replica watch was really thankful and satisfied with this acquisition, as it is a really reliable instrument during any water expeditions. Panerai replica watch became the choice of many men, and actually women too, who wanted to present this exclusive timepiece to their business partners or beloved ones.

The Italian character of these timepieces can be easily seen in these watches, because just as Italians themselves, a Panerai replica watch will serve you with fidelity and precision for a long time, if you take good care of it, of course.