Haute Horlogerie Panerai: The Panerai Lo Scienziato Radiomir 1950 Tourbillon GMT Ceramica PAM 348

Panerai has built its reputation on a unique design ethos of large timepieces with cushion cases, oversized numerals, and dramatic displays. The brand’s Radiomir collection has become one of the most successful and recognizable in the industry, and perhaps perfectly emphasizes the brand’s design approach. Today, however, we’re showcasing what happens when this icon of Panerai’s is merged with their seldom-seen high horology mastery. This is the Panerai PAM348, a 150-piece limited edition featuring a tourbillon and GMT. 

History

The story of Panerai begins unlike almost any other watch brand— in a watchmaking shop in Florence Italy. Started in 1860, Panerai not only was a watchmaking shop, it was also a school that helped perpetuate the next generation of Italian horological expertise. . 

In 1935, Panerai presented the prototype of a watch for the Italian Royal Navy, the Radiomir. The distinctive watch had a cushion case construction, the iconic Radiomir dial, and many of the other foundational attributes of the Panerai design language we recognize today. The piece was overbuilt to accommodate the grueling demands of the Navy, and utilized a Rolex base modified by Panerai to meet their standards. This was the birth of the brand’s most notable model, and the progenitor to today’s piece. 

In 2010, Panerai decided to pair the classic Radiomir design with a tourbillon and a GMT complication in a 150 piece limited edition tribute fashioned in carbon. The result was the PAM 348, a complete masterpiece in technical achievement, and perhaps an unlikely release for Panerai. Let’s take a closer look. 

Design Details

Panerai may be known for its cushion case designs, but this watch takes this theme a bit further, with a skeleton dial and black ceramic case. The piece is a sizable 48mm, one of Panerai’s largest watches, but has a technical achievement list that’s equally sizable: the piece is outfitted with a tourbillon, GMT functionality, and three barrels with separate mainsprings. To make matters better, Panerai stripped away any extraneous dial structure to allow an inside look into the movement. 

Additionally, while the watch is substantial in size, since it’s fashioned from ceramic, it weighs far less than you might expect. Thus, if you have the wrist for this watch, it will be a comfortable wear where other watches of this magnitude might not. Similarly, the ceramic is extremely scratch resistant, and will have a long wearing quality to it that is particularly valuable with a sporty piece like this. 

To contrast with the otherwise monochromatic aesthetic of the watch, Panerai paired the dark theme of the piece with creamy lume plots that accentuate the details of the watch and interrupt the dark scape. All told, if you appreciate robust design, you’re likely to love this watch and its strong, bold presence.

Inner Workings

The PAM 348 is powered by the manually wound caliber P.2005/S, outfitted with three mainsprings barrels to fuel the complications and afford a startling 6 days of power reserve. Having both a tourbillon and a GMT included, this movement is one of the most unique slates of complications you will see. Very few watches feature this marriage of technical elements. Tourbillons are typically found in dress watches, while GMTs are almost exclusively placed in sports offerings. Thus, a watch with an almost military level of tactical appeal featuring these complications makes for a niche appeal.

One of the classic questions you might ask is why Panerai would choose to pair a delicate complication like a tourbillon with such a strong design. But Panerai also incorporated a substantial amount of shock resistance into the movement architecture. The P.2005/S comprises 277 components all finished to a degree we don’t typically associate with Panerai. 

Versus the Competition

The first watch that comes to mind as an alternative to the PAM 348 is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Survivor, a 1000 piece limited edition of the Offshore collection, executed in black ceramic with many firearm details incorporated into the massively overbuilt aesthetic. It’s a unique watch and it certainly would appeal to the same collector interested in the PAM 348. 

If you want to access the black ceramic aesthetic on the more accessible end of the cost spectrum, the Omega Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 is an excellent option. A modern interpretation of the Speedmaster, this watch has the surface of the moon on display dial side. A very cool feature.

Finally, shifting further down the price ladder, you don’t even have to spend that much to get a killer ceramic piece. Take this Tudor, for example, made from black ceramic and using a ceramic bezel as well. I think this piece is a great reminder that high quality modern materials can be found at almost any price point on awesome watches. Don’t think you have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get a cool watch. 

Personality

The collector that opts for a watch like this appreciates high horology but doesn’t want a dress watch, and also likely doesn’t want to wear precious metal. Collectors that want overbuilt, tactical spec watches with the complications of a classic Patek would gravitate towards the PAM 348 over almost any other piece on the market. Is this intended for a niche audience? Absolutely. But it’s also a limited edition, and most of the best pieces aren’t intended to appeal to everyone. This is a distinctive watch, and the collector that appreciates design of this kind will fall in love with this piece. 

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. One of the least known Panerais on the market, this watch certainly deserves your respect for its careful balance of elements that could easily clash with one another, but instead work surprisingly well in concert. Point to another 48mm monster like this on the market– you won’t find anything quite like it! 

See more of the Panerai Radiomir Tourbillon GMT Ceramic “Lo Scienziato” PAM 348 Limited Edition

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