PANERAI Radiomir 1940 Chronograph Collection – Radiomir 1940 Chronograph Platino (45mm), Radiomir 1940 Chronograph Oro Rosso (45mm) & Radiomir 1940 Chronograph Oro Bianco (45mm)
The first chronograph made by Officine Panerai dates back to 1943, the year in which the prototype of the Mare Nostrum was presented to deck officers of the Italian Navy.
This long experience lives on today in the wide range of Panerai chronographs, all with designs inspired by the models created in the thirties and forties and enhanced by technical content of high quality watchmaking, developed by the manufacture in Neuchâtel in a variety of calibres enabling enthusiasts to choose the functions best suited to stopping time in their own way: Chronograph, Chrono Flyback, Chrono Regatta Countdown, Chrono Monopulsante, Chrono Rattrapante.
The 2014 collection includes new and exclusive chronographs which enhance Officine Panerai’s range in this chosen area of high quality sports watchmaking.
THE CHRONOGRAPH
Technically, the chronograph is a watch with a mechanism which enables intervals of time, ranging from fractions of a second to 24 hours and more, to be measured and visualised. The name “chronograph” (from the Greek chrónos, time, and gráphein, to write) was created in 1821 and its etymology recalls the origins of an instrument associated with the world of horse riders who wanted to record the performance of their thoroughbreds.
The first chronograph wrote the time, because the hand deposited a dot of ink on the dial when operated at the start and finish of the time being measured. Although the hand was not stopped, the number of seconds that had elapsed between the first dot and the second one could be read on the dial.
The most fundamental development of the chronograph was made by the Swiss Adolphe Nicole, who in 1862 patented a device in which the seconds hand was stopped, returned to zero and then started again when a second measurement was required.
The time intervals elapsed were no longer written, that is indicated with dots of ink, but only seen, by observing where the hand had stopped. To be exact, this was no longer a Chronograph but a Chronoscope, a word made up of chrónos and of skopein, meaning to look. In spite of this, it was the term Chronograph which entered into common use.
Celebrating a relationship which goes back to the twenties, Officine Panerai has renewed its own historic link with the Swiss manufacture Minerva, using its sophisticated calibres in some prestigious Special Editions with a vintage character.
The OP XXV chronograph calibre is developed from the Minerva 13-22 calibre, a hand-wound movement 12¾ lignes in diameter with a balance wheel which makes 18,000 vibrations per hour, like the Angelus movement that was used in the first prototype of the Mare Nostrum.
CHRONO FLYBACK
The flyback function, also known as the “retour en vol”, enables the hands to be zeroed and restarted instantly, without having first to stop the hand and return it to zero. The function had its origins in the 1930s in the military area, in particular in the field of aeronautics, where pilots wearing such a chronograph found that it significantly simplified their operations.
In 2013 Officine Panerai presented the first automatic chronograph movement with flyback function developed in-house: the P.9100. Characterised by its column wheel and vertical clutch, the P.9100 calibre has a power reserve of three days, central chronograph minute and seconds hands, calendar and seconds reset. The push-piece which operates the flyback function, returning all the hands to zero when the chronograph has been stopped, is at 8 o’clock.
CHRONO REGATTA
One of the rarest chronograph functions in high-quality watchmaking but one that is invaluable in the field of yacht racing, is the ability to precede the time measurement of the race with a countdown stage, which clearly displays the minutes and seconds remaining before the start of the race itself. In yacht races, in the pre-start procedure the yachts line up behind the start line, following the indications of the flags which mark the time remaining until the start.
In 2013 Officine Panerai presented an automatic calibre with chronograph flyback and Regatta Countdown functions, revolutionary in its simplicity: the P.9100/R calibre. Each time the countdown button is pressed, the chronograph minute hand is moved back one minute, until the countdown is set to the length desired. Then all that is needed is to operate the chronograph function which measures first, the time which remains before the start, and then, once the countdown has ended, the time elapsed since the start.
CHRONO MONOPULSANTE
The chronograph wristwatch, as we know it today, was created in the early years of the 20th century. Nowadays, the commonest control arrangement has two push pieces on the side of the case, one starting and stopping the central hand and the other returning it to zero. In early models, such operations could also be controlled by operating the winding crown of the watch, or else by pressing on a number of push-pieces which could vary from one to three.
The first chronograph completely developed and made in the Officine Panerai manufacture at Neuchâtel is the P.2004. Hand-wound, as were the first chronographs in history, it has a long power reserve of eight days and the fundamental characteristic of having a single push-piece, at 8 o’clock. This solution makes the chronograph function quicker to use while having a minimal effect on the appearance of the case.
CHRONO RATTRAPANTE
One of the most fascinating and useful developments of the chronograph is that enabling two measurements to be made at once, each of which can be stopped independently because it has two hands superimposed on each other. Known as the rattrapante or split-seconds function, or the “double chronograph”, it enables the partial times of a single event to be measured or the times of two separate events which started at the same moment to be indicated.
The Panerai P.2006 calibre offers the functions of a split-seconds chronograph combined with another very valuable characteristic associated with the history of the brand: the long power reserve of eight days, displayed on the dial by a linear indicator. These features are made possible by the movement’s sophisticated construction with three spring barrels, two column wheels and vertical friction clutch.
Panerai Radiomir 1940 Chronograph Collection
Officine Panerai presents a new chronograph of the highest quality, incorporating a fascinating combination of design, technology and history: the Radiomir 1940 Chronograph. This is available in three versions in different precious metals, platinum (PAM00518), red gold (PAM00519) and white gold (PAM00520).
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| RADIOMIR 1940 CHRONOGRAPH PLATINO – 45mm, Reference: PAM00518 |
In the new chronographs the Radiomir 1940 case, 45 mm in diameter, has the simple, elegant lines developed by Panerai in about 1940, the time when the classic cushion case with the wire loop strap attachments of the first Radiomir started to acquire the more massive proportions of the Luminor 1950 case.
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| RADIOMIR 1940 CHRONOGRAPH ORO ROSSO – 45mm, Reference: PAM00519 |
Every detail of the 1940 case has a polished finish, including the two push-buttons controlling the chronograph functions, the cylindrical winding crown and the bezel. This bezel frames a crystal made of Plexiglas®, a material similar to that used in the original models created by Panerai for the Royal Italian Navy, which had a polymethyl methacrylate crystal.
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| RADIOMIR 1940 CHRONOGRAPH ORO BIANCO – 45mm, Reference: PAM00520 |
The dial of the new Radiomir 1940 Chronographis a new and original design, inspired by the history of the brand but also by the function of the watch, and it has some subtle variations depending on to the metal of the case.
The red gold version has a brown dial with the combination of graphic hour markers, Roman and Arabic numerals that has acquired the name California, adopted by the Radiomir of 1936.
The platinum version has the ivory dial, with simple baton or dot hour markers, and the same design distinguishes the black dial of the white gold version.
The latter has a dial with the sandwich structure, formed of two superimposed plates with the luminous material between them, visible through holes corresponding to the hour markers. Common to all three versions is the tachymeter scale for calculating average speed and the two chronograph counters.
The movement of the new Radiomir 1940 Chronographis the OP XXV calibre, developed on a Minerva 13-22 base.
The Minerva manufacture has had historic links with Panerai since the 1920s, when the Swiss manufacturer was a supplier to the Florentine watchmaker. The OP XXV calibre is a hand-wound chronograph with a diameter of 12¾ lignes.
Its construction is extremely sophisticated, with high quality details such as the column wheel, the swan-neck regulator, the polishing and chamfering of the individual components, and the Côtes de Genève finish of the bridges. The high level of craftsmanship can be appreciated through the large sapphire crystal porthole in the back, which allows the movement to be admired.
The new Radiomir 1940 Chronograph are produced in a unique edition limited to 100 examples for each of the gold versions and 50 examples for the platinum version. They are supplied with an alligator strap and are water-resistant to a depth of 50 metres.
Technical details
RADIOMIR 1940 CHRONOGRAPH PLATINO – 45mm
Reference: PAM00518, Unique edition of 50 units
Movement
Hand-wound mechanical, exclusive Panerai OP XXV calibre
12¾ lignes
22 jewels
Glucydur® balance
18,000 alternations/hour
Incabloc®anti-shock device
Swan’s neck regulator
Power reserve: 55 hours
Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with two counters, tachymeter scale
Case
Diameter 45 mm, polished platinum.
Screw-down winding crown personalised OP.
Polished platinum buttons for the chronograph functions at 2 and 4 o’clock
Bezel: Polished platinum
Back: See-through sapphire crystal
Crystal: Plexiglas®, 2.8 mm thick
Water-resistance:5 bar (~ 50 metres)
Dial
Ivory with luminous dots and hour markers
Minute counter at 3 o’clock, seconds at 9 o’clock, central chronograph hand
Tachymeter scale on the edge of the dial
Strap
PANERAI personalised alligator strap and 18 ct. polished white gold adjustable buckle.
RADIOMIR 1940 CHRONOGRAPH ORO ROSSO – 45mm
Reference: PAM00519, Unique edition of 100 units
Movement
Hand-wound mechanical, exclusive Panerai OP XXV calibre
12¾ lignes, 22 jewels
Glucydur®balance
18,000 alternations/hour
Incabloc®anti-shock device
Swan’s neck regulator
Power reserve 55 hours
Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with two counters, tachymeter scale
Case
Diameter 45 mm, 18 ct. polished red gold.
Screw-down winding crown personalised OP.
Polished red gold buttons for the chronograph functions at 2 and 4 o’clock.
Bezel: 18 ct. polished red gold.
Back: See-through sapphire crystal
Crystal: Plexiglas®, 2.8 mm thick
Water-resistance: 5 bar (~ 50 metres)
Dial
Brown with luminous Arabic and Roman numerals and hour markers
Minute counter at 3 o’clock, seconds at 9 o’clock, central chronograph hand
Tachymeter scale on the edge of the dial
Strap
PANERAI personalised alligator strap and 18 ct. polished red gold adjustable buckle
RADIOMIR 1940 CHRONOGRAPH ORO BIANCO – 45mm
Reference: PAM00520, Unique edition of 100 units
Movement
Hand-wound mechanical, exclusive Panerai OP XXV calibre
12¾ lignes, 22 jewels
Glucydur® balance
18,000 alternations/hour
Incabloc®anti-shock device
Swan’s neck regulator
Power reserve 55 hours
Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with two counters, tachymeter scale
Case
Diameter 45 mm, 18 ct. polished white gold
Screw-down winding crown personalised OP
Polished white gold buttons for the chronograph functions at 2 and 4 o’clock
Bezel:18 ct. polished white gold
Back: See-through sapphire crystal
Crystal: Plexiglas®, 2.8 mm thick.
Water-resistance: 5 bar (~ 50 metres).
Dial
Black with luminous dots and hour markers
Minute counter at 3 o’clock, seconds at 9 o’clock, central chronograph hand
Tachymeter scale on the edge of the dial
Strap
PANERAI personalised alligator strap and 18 ct. polished white gold adjustable buckle
