Though not exactly the most smooth-sailing, it has been — all things considered — a great regatta season thus far for the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team, having just eliminated NYYC American Magic from the semi-finals with a score of 5-3 on day five of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Advancing into the finals against INEOS Britannia, the Italian team will get one step closer to challenging the defending champions, which since 2017 has consecutively been Emirates Team New Zealand. And cheering them on from the sidelines is a new Panerai Submersible Luna Rossa edition that perfectly matches the Luna Rossa team boat and livery.

Of course, this isn’t the first Panerai Submersible Luna Rossa edition ever made — not by a long shot. Panerai had already released a slew of different Luna Rossa references at Watches & Wonders Geneva earlier in the year, ranging from high-tech and high-complication to sporty and classical. Among them, many are limited editions, some are e-commerce exclusives, others are boutique exclusives, and then there’s a small selection available through exclusive retail partners.

But before we dive into the details of this latest model, let us first look more closely at all the Panerai Submersible Luna Rossa watches to date as a way to better understand the series as a whole. We’ve observed that they can be broadly divided into three categories: Submersible Luna Rossa, Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa, and Submersible Luna Rossa with additional complications.

The Submersible Luna Rossa

Arriving in 42mm cases, the Submersible Luna Rossa is ultra wearable and super sporty, equipped with the requisite unidirectional turning bezel as well as the signature Panerai crown protector first introduced by the Panerai Luminor in the 1930s. Their robust cases contain the Panerai manufacture Caliber P.900 which at 4.2mm in height enables Panerai to go as slim as it conceivably can.

Available in a range of different case materials, bezel materials and dial colors, the Submersible Luna Rossa series includes PAM1565 and PAM1579, both in steel and black ceramic bezel, with the main difference between the two being dial color, blue in the former which is an e-commerce exclusive and white in the latter.

Then there is the Submersible Luna Rossa Carbotech PAM1563, a 37-piece limited edition dedicated to the 37^th America’s Cup. Spot this Carbotech model on the wrist of Luna Rossa team captain Max Sirena throughout the races.

The Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa

Now if you’re a big Panerai fan, or perhaps a card-carrying member of the Paneristi community, you will likely strongly prefer the Submersible QuarantaQuattro which is the 44mm model. This is the size of many OG Submersibles including the iconic PAM24 in full steel with its Egiziano style diving bezel and date magnifier. No doubt this was a hulking watch of pretty epic proportions — although Panerai has been known to go even larger, recall the 2010 PAM382 Bronzo at 47mm — however the modern day 44mm Submersible has become much more manageable on the wrist thanks to state-of-the-art case materials which are as light as they are strong.

At 2024 Watches & Wonders Geneva, the manufacture released two Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa models in a new material called Ti-Ceramitech, PAM1466 with a blue dial and boutique exclusive PAM1543 with a white dial. Ti-Ceramitech is a combination of titanium and ceramic wherein titanium is used as a base material on which ceramic is coated to gain not just performance improvements, but also aesthetic value. The finished product has a cool sporty matte blue look that echoes the rich deep hue of the Mediterranean Sea.

The New Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa PAM1681

Joining this impressive duo is the all-new Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa PAM1681 and it is a knock-out watch to say the least. In many ways it is the perfect watch for those who love sailing and wearing Panerai and waving the tricolore flag of Italy in support of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team. Honestly if you saw how well they did at the old harbor in Barcelona, you would feel totally inspired by the team who performed maneuver after maneuver, all of which completely powered by human energy and perfectly timed — undoubtedly, teamwork at its finest.

So the watch is cased at 44mm per its name and it is a limited edition of 137 pieces, again in honor of the 37^thAmerica’s Cup. Says Panerai CEO, Jean-Marc Pontroué, “We have carefully designed this watch to capture the essence of the team’s advanced AC75 boat, translating its design language into a wearable piece that resonates with sailing enthusiasts and watch collectors alike.”

The steely monochromatic brushed grey tone of the case is reflected as well in the dial which has a sunburst finish, altogether matching harmoniously with the Luna Rossa team uniform as well as the boat which is a monohull foiler known as the AC75. In addition to steel, in this case 316L steel, the PAM1681 also utilizes other performance-driven materials such as rubber coating the crown, black ceramic bezel insert, SuperLuminova for the indexes and hands, a bi-material rubber and grey nylon strap for maximum waterproofness, and of course, sapphire crystal for the glass.

On the back, you will find a screw-down case back featuring a laser engraving of the Luna Rossa AC75 boat captured in “mid-flight” across the water. This is the latest Luna Rossa edition to join the Submersible collection.

Submersible Luna Rossa With Complications

The third category includes Submersible Luna Rossa watches with added complications. Among Panerai’s favorite medium complications, the GMT makes frequent appearances in its timepieces and here we find it in the Submersible GMT Luna Rossa Titanio PAM1507. This is a boutique exclusive, with a blue ceramic bezel insert, bi-material rubber and blue nylon strap, and being cased in titanium means it is an absolute breeze on the wrist.

Finally, we arrive at the crème de la crème. Submersible Tourbillon GMT Luna Rossa Experience Edition PAM1405 takes the cake as the most complicated model in this series. It has a case in Carbotech and a striking skeletonized dial exposing the movement, manufacture Caliber P.2015/T. As a special tongue-in-cheek nod to the America’s Cup, the GMT hand in this and the previous model PAM1507 are specially designed to resemble the sail of the Luna Rossa boat.

Strictly limited to 20 watches, owners of this watch will be treated to a unique behind-the-scenes experience at the America’s Cup in Barcelona during the finals. If you’re headed to Barcelona for the race and the final showdown with Team New Zealand, don’t forget to check out the newly opened Panerai store on Paseo de Gracia 104.

Tech Specs: Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa

Movement: Automatic-winding Calibre P.900; 3-day power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds; date
Case: 44mm; 316L stainless steel; 300m water resistance
Dial: Silver sunburst finish with luminous hour markers and dots
Strap: Bi-material rubber and grey textile with red Luna Rossa stripe, trapezoidal pin buckle
Water resistance: 30 ATM
Price: USD 12,100
Availability: Boutique exclusive, from 7^th September 2024