Panerai Luminor Marina 40mm PAM00049

This watch is in excellent condition, with some very light scratches on the crystal and some small dings on the caseback.

Watch comes with original box, booklets, spare orange alligator strap, adjustment tools and dated warranty card.

The Panerai Luminor was first introduced in the 1950s, as an evolution of the older Radiomir design. While the Radiomir was a relatively simple time-only dive watch design, the Luminor added the now-iconic lever-operated crown protection system. This was designed to prevent divers from accidentally pulling out the crown while underwater - something which would've led to a catastrophic failure of the watch's movement. Only in 1993, however, did Panerai begin offering this watch to the open market. Since then, it's become an iconic part of the brand's heritage.

PANERAI

Panerai traces its heritage back to Florence, where Giovanni Panerai founded a watchmaking school, repair shop, and retail shop. The company became a retailer for Swiss watches, but grew into a watchmaker in its own right by purchasing parts as well as movements and putting together to create watches.

Panerai was one of the first manufacturers to produce waterproof watches, using Rolex movements, cases and dials. These watches were delivered to the Regia Marina (the Italian Navy) for its divers, and found its way in service with the German Kriegsmarine.

While thankfully these two regimes didn't last, Panerai survived the war and was able to continue watchmaking until the 1970s, where it transitioned to making diving gauges and other technical equipment. Only in 1993 did Panerai return to watchmaking, including the now-famous Luminor and Radiomir. Throughout the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s, Panerai was beloved by action stars including Sylvester Stallone, and led the way in making larger watches the norm.