When I first saw images of this new logo-free Panerai Radiomir series replica watches with its so-called “Anonimo” dial, I knew that it was something pretty darn cool that needed to be shared. This is a big watch at 47mm, but it’s that big for a reason. This watch is essentially a reissue of the Panerai Reference 3646 from the late 1930s. That watch, which was made solely for military issue, was 47mm as well. While Panerai has been making a concerted effort of late to attract new clientele with its thin and dressy Luminor Due line, this new Radiomir is aimed squarely at Panerai enthusiasts.
As you can see in the picture above, there’s no logo on the dial, a minimalist detail that makes for a squeaky-clean design. What we have is black sandwich dial with faux aged lume (what Cara might call “fauxtina”) that is intended to recall early radium numerals. The hands are blued and look basically identical to those found on the original, with the hour hand bisected by an additional piece of blued steel. The watch is bold, graphic, and super cool. From across a room, you’d be forgiven for thinking someone was wearing a super rare ref. 3646 (albeit one in very good condition).
According to Panerai CEO Angelo Bonati, this is only the second instance of a modern Panerai (i.e. from the post-Vendome era) with an unsigned dial – the other being the Panerai fake PAM 448 with its California dial that mixes Roman and Arabic numerals. Bonati says that Panerai made its original unsigned dials for the Italian Navy during World War II so that if watches were captured by the Allies, the manufacturer wouldn’t be easily identifiable.
Furthermore, Panerai opted for this very minimalist design to put forward a pure expression of its design codes in a watch highlighting the company’s sponsorship of the Design/Miami design fair, a partnership that is now entering its third year. “This is a design object,” Bonati notes.
When you flip the case over, you start to notice that this is definitely a modern watch. Most notably, there is the in-house P.3000 movement looking back at you through the sapphire caseback. This is a manually-wound caliber with three days of power reserve, coming via two spring barrels. The P.3000, which beats at 21,600 vph, has proven itself to be a solid workhorse for Panerai since the company first announced it seven years ago. Its large size (a diameter of 16 1/2 lignes) helps to fill out the large case nicely. This watch’s vintage inspiration, of course, came with a manually-wound Rolex movement inside.
When you flip the case over, you start to notice that this is definitely a modern watch. Most notably, there is the in-house P.3000 movement looking back at you through the sapphire caseback. This is a manually-wound caliber with three days of power reserve, coming via two spring barrels. The P.3000, which beats at 21,600 vph, has proven itself to be a solid workhorse for Panerai since the company first announced it seven years ago. Its large size (a diameter of 16 1/2 lignes) helps to fill out the large case Panerai copy watches nicely. This watch’s vintage inspiration, of course, came with a manually-wound Rolex movement inside.