Panerai Luminor Marina 3-Day Automatic

In 1860, Italian watchmaker Giovanni Panerai opened a small watchmaker’s shop in Florence on Ponte alle Grazie to offer watch services and act as a watchmaking school. For many years, Panerai operated his successful small shop, but decades later, through the next generation, in the 1900s the company started making timepieces for the Royal Italian Navy. This was to prove the inception of Panerai’s long-standing association with dive watches.

In 1953, with the war over, Panerai’s contract with the Italian Navy ended and the brand made its watches available to the public in Italy for the first time. Because of their size, Panerai watches were not in great demand. In 1972, Guido Panerai passed away and the family business passed to another family member, engineer Dino Zei, who changed the name officially to Officine Panerai S.r.L. In the ensuing decades, Panerai had a small, but somewhat obscure, business in Italy. Then, in 1993, the brand released three updated collections, including the Luminor and Mare Nostrum. These are now world-famous production lines.

Today Panerai are famed, amongst other things, for their history, naval associations, celebrity endorsements and attention to detail. Panerai have a huge global following, amongst so-called ‘Paneristi’, and the brand prides itself with an almost ongoing dialogue with its aficionados through its watchmaking. Panerai are often seen on film, usually on the wrists of action heroes.

This PAM00351 is indubitably one of the best-selling and best-looking Panerai's ever made. This titanium PAM00351 sports a beautiful, tobacco, Luminor sandwich dial and polished gold luminous hands. It is powered by the in-house P.9000 calibre automatic movement with 3-day power reserve and water-resistant to 300m. Fitted to a rubber Panerai dive strap, this is a true luxury diver. In superb condition, and complete with its original Panerai pearwood box, booklet and UK stamped certificate, this Panerai will surely delight its new wearer.

The watch, case and case back are presented for sale in excellent condition. The rubber dive strap shows signs of wear, which presents something of an opportunity to the buyer, given the myriad strap options available. Panerai are known for their ease in swapping out straps. Box and papers are present and in very good condition.

All watches offered for sale are searched and cleared against The Watch Register database and a certificate is available to the winning bidder upon request.

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