STYLE Edit: Panerai hosts the immersive ‘Submerse in Time’ exhibition in Hong Kong, showcasing the Italian brand’s maritime history as well as the newest diving and perpetual calendar watches

Oct 6 , 2022

Panerai’s “Submerse in Time” exhibition, hosted at Hong Kong’s Landmark Atrium until October 12, features some 80 exhibits and its High Complication Wall.

Hosted at Hong Kong’s Landmark Atrium until October 12, the exhibition charts the brand’s history, from its Navy heritage to its technical innovations

Recent innovations include the sustainably minded Submersible eLAB-ID and the Luminor Calendario Perpetuo, which shows day and date in Chinese characters

Twenty years ago, Panerai marked a pivotal moment in its history, as the renowned Italian luxury watchmaker expanded its operations beyond its hometown of Florence for the first time. The city it chose to kick-start its expansion was Hong Kong, and now the history of Panerai is fittingly set to be celebrated at a special exhibition in the city.

Hosted at the Landmark Atrium until October 12, “Submerse in Time” the exhibition charts the brand’s history, from its Navy heritage to expanding beyond its hometown Florence. Watch or diving lovers can register to visit at the exhibition’s official website, paneraisubmerseintimehk.com.

A deep dive into Panerai’s “Submerse in Time” exhibition, on display in Hong Kong’s Landmark Atrium until October 12

The name of the exhibition is not a coincidence. From its very earliest days, Panerai’s history has been intertwined with the ocean, and in particular the Italian navy. It began supplying them with watches and other precision instruments from the moment it was founded, back in 1860, and for five decades in the 20th century, the company was the navy’s exclusive supplier of diver’s watches.

Panerai’s Luminor Calendario Perpetuo Goldtech, one of a number of modern pieces on display at the brand’s “Submerse in Time” exhibition in Hong Kong

More than a dozen items from the 1950s to 1980s showcase this era, many of them on display for the first time, including wrist compasses, signalling devices, torches, a watchmaking lathe and Ugo, the diving suit used by Italian Navy frogmen of the time.

The Luminor Calendario Perpetuo is featured on the High Complication Wall at Panerai’s Hong Kong exhibition

In addition to historical pieces, the exhibition also celebrates the innovation in Panerai’s recent releases. Its High Complication Wall features giant replicas of the P.4100 and P.2005/T movements, which power the Luminor Calendario Perpetuo PAM01569 and Luminor Tourbillon GMT PAM00767 respectively. The Perpetual Calendar piece, an exclusive worldwide debut at this exhibition in Hong Kong, displays the day and date in Chinese characters, while the Luminor Tourbillon GMT combines a GMT function with Panerai’s first tourbillon calibre made from titanium.

As a brand closely associated with the sea, Panerai takes its stewardship of the marine environment extremely seriously, and this is manifested at the exhibition in an educational display that showcases how waste can be turned into recycled dials, sapphire crystals, SuperLuminova, cases and straps.

Perhaps the ultimate manifestation of this commitment to sustainability is the Submersible eLAB-ID PAM01225 concept watch, which uses the highest percentage of recycled material in the entire watch industry.