Panerai just announced the Luminor Submersible 1950 Amagnetic 3 Days Automatic Titanio (PAM00389). This is a titanium, 47 mm Luminor Submersible with the in-house P.9000 calibre. What makes the PAM389 unusual is that it is resistant to magnetic fields of up to 40,000 A/m. That is achieved with the tried and tested, and simplest, method of magnetism proofing a watch – a soft iron cage and dial which enclose the whole movement. 

Panerai Luminor Submersible Amagnetic PAM389

The Submersible Amagnetic is actually the second antimagnetic Panerai, the first being the Arktos Amagetic PAM92 worn by explorer Mike Horn during his Artic expedition.  The other notable feature is the titanium bezel with a ceramic insert, onto which the bezel markers are applied.

The matte ceramic bezel insert

The retail price is EUR8900, or about USD11,500. I have always liked the Submersible, I’ve had a PAM25 for some years, and this is an attractive variation on a theme, although it is nothing novel technically. The IWC soft iron cage Ingenieur watches are resistant to magnetic fields of up to 80,000 A/m. A more sophisticated solution would be to use amagnetic materials for the balance and escapement, which is what IWC did before with its Porsche Design Ocean 2000 Bundeswehr AMAG watches.

– SJX