Watches and Wonders Edit: Panerai is ‘a brand of communities’, says CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué … and the Italian luxury timepiece brand is increasingly appealing to women in Asia – exclusive interview

May 2 , 2023

Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué tells Style how Asia is turning on to Italy’s most famous watch brand, which is shedding its traditionally masculine appeal and gaining more fans among women in the region. Photo: Panerai

Watches and Wonders Edit

Supplier to the Royal Italian Navy, Panerai was niche until Sylvester Stallone discovered it in the 1990s and introduced it to Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger – now Dwayne Johnson loves it too

Hero watches include the Luminor and Radiomir but the traditionally masculine brand – compared by Pontroué to the Porsche 911 – was recently worn at the Oscars by Asian-American actress Hong Chau

Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué, who joined the company in 2018, calls the watchmaker “a brand of communities”. The only Italian luxury watchmaker of global renown, Panerai boasts one of the industry’s most loyal followings. “Paneristi”, as its most ardent fans are known, await releases eagerly, discussing the brand on online forums, social media and at face-to-face gatherings.

Established in 1860 in Florence and an erstwhile supplier of the Royal Italian Navy, Panerai was a niche label until film star Sylvester Stallone discovered it while making Daylight in Rome in the mid 1990s. He introduced it to fellow A-listers Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger back when such endorsements were organic and not mere pay-for-play moves.

In 1997, luxury group Richemont, the company behind houses such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, bought Panerai which, now based in Geneva, makes its watches in Switzerland, but keeps its connection to Italy with a design studio in Milan.

While Pontroué recognises the impact celebrities such as Stallone have had, he is adamant that product reigns supreme, as he explains during an interview at Watches and Wonders, the yearly watch fair held in Geneva. “In a luxury company priority one is product, priority two is product, priority three is product,” says Pontroué.

As befits its Italian heritage, Panerai is a brand where design – rather than technical prowess or complex movements – takes centre stage. You can spot a Panerai right away thanks to details such as the cushion case, sandwich dial, safety-lock system on the crown and the bold shapes of its timepieces. The brand’s hero collections – Luminor and Radiomir – are instantly recognisable. A new model of the Radiomir unveiled at Watches and Wonders doesn’t even feature the brand’s name on the dial. “You don’t need it,” says Pontroué proudly while showing off the watch.

Star of the Fast & Furious and Jumanji film franchises, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at the 2022 Super Bowl in California. Photo: Getty Images

He attributes Panerai’s success to its ability to cater to both avid watch collectors and customers who appreciate the chic and laid-back lifestyle its creations evoke. “When you enter a Panerai store we say buongiorno, no matter where you are – New York, Tokyo or Hong Kong,” he says. “Panerai is not an intimidating brand. We welcome people and want you to enjoy our time with us, whether you buy or don’t buy – but we prefer if you buy,” he laughs.

While the brand is seen as very masculine – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is also a fan – Pontroué says that in Asia 30 per cent of its customers are female (it’s about 15 per cent in the rest of the world). “I always compare Panerai to an iconic car like the Porsche 911, which is a masculine concept but women are driving it,” he says. “Porsche doesn’t do 911 for ladies; it’s the same for everyone. I believe the Italianity and masculinity that characterise us are interesting to women.” Case in point: Asian-American actress Hong Chau, who at the Oscars earlier this year paired a pink Prada gown with a Panerai Luminor Due Luna watch.

Hong Chau at the 95th annual Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on March 12. Photo: EPA-EFE