Panerai Lo Scienziato Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT PAM767

Presented by Officine Panerai in 2016 as the first implementation in watchmaking of a new 3D printing technique used to produce its case, the exclusive Lo Scienziato Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT is now available in a new version which maintains the key features of its predecessor but with a slightly revised appearance.

In the new model the blue of the hands, harmonising with the metallic tones of the titanium case, is also used on the flange and in the sewing of the black leather strap, enhancing the sporty appearance of this super-technological timepiece.

The Luminor 1950 case has the classic diameter of 47 mm and it is made of titanium, a material that is resistant to corrosion but also about 40% lighter than steel. To reduce the weight further, the case is made using an innovative technology which enables complex geometrical shapes to be created without in any way compromising its water-resistance (10 bar, equivalent to a depth of about 100 metres / 330 feet), its solidity or its resistance to any tension or torsion to which the case may be subjected.

The technology used is called Direct Metal Laser Sintering: this process builds up a 3D object layer by layer by means of a fibre optic laser using powdered titanium. The successive layers – each one only 0.02 mm thick – merge together and become completely solid, creating forms which would be impossible to achieve using traditional working methods, lower in weight and with a uniform, even appearance.

And, for sure, the lightness of the new Lo Scienziato is truly remarkable, especially if you consider the rich set of features: hours, minutes, small seconds, GMT with am/pm indication, a power reserve of six days with indication of the power remaining on the back, and a tourbillon escapement.

The hand-wound P.2005 mechanical movement appears here in the P.2005/T version, skeletonised and with titanium bridges and plates. Beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, this advanced movement guarantees a power reserve of 144 hours (6 days).

Thanks to the lower density of this material – about half that of the brass of which these components are normally made – the overall weight of the movement is 35% less than that of the P.2005/S skeletonised version.

The ultimate lightness of the watch is both the result of the fine skeletonising of the bridges, plates and spring barrels, and of the absence of a traditional dial, since all the elements which normally comprise it are attached directly to the movement or the flange of the watch, such as the hour markers.

At 9 o’clock is the small seconds dial, inside which a small indicator rotates, showing the rotation of the tourbillon. At 3 o’clock, another small dial indicates whether the central second time zone hand (GMT) refers to day or night. The long power reserve of six days is achieved by the three spring barrels connected in series, and the power remaining is shown by a special indicator on the back of the movement, visible through the large sapphire crystal porthole on the back of the watch.

The rotation of the tourbillon cage can be admired from both sides of the watch. Interestingly, it rotates on an axis which is perpendicular, not parallel, to that of the balance, and it makes a complete rotation every 30 seconds instead of once a minute. This way, it compensates more precisely for the effects of gravity on the escapement, thus further enhancing accuracy.

The Panerai Lo Scienziato Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT PAM767 is a unique edition of 100 pieces with a price of Euro 139,000 / US$ 143,000. panerai.com