A downsized, slimmer sports watch that’s the most civilian of Panerai’s military-inspired watches, the Luminor Due is now available in three sizes with a brushed titanium case (the PAM 926, PAM 927, and PAM 964). All have a date function, and the largest 45mm model has a second time zone and power reserve.

Prior to this launch, the Luminor Due was only available as a time-only in two case sizes (42mm and 45mm), so the newly launched trio substantially increases the offerings in the lightweight metal.

The Luminor Due 42mm PAM 927 in titanium

But perhaps more significant is the newly developed calibre inside the new models. The P.900 is a large movement at 12 1/2 lignes, or about 28mm, in diameter, but slim. In fact, it’s the thinnest movement produced by Panerai, measuring just 4.2mm high. It’s automatic and has a three-day power reserve. Not much else has been revealed about the movement yet, but it is likely to be the brand’s new entry-level calibre.

The smallest of the trio is the Luminor Due 38mm PAM00926 that’s powered by the automatic P.900 movement. It’s the first time the smallest Luminor Due case is being offered in titanium.

The Luminor Due 42mm PAM00927 is one step upwards in size, but otherwise identical, with the same movement and specs.

And the top of the line watch is the Luminor Due GMT Power Reserve 45mm PAM000964. This is equipped with the P.4002 automatic movement that has a second time zone, power reserve and zero-reset hack seconds.

From left: PAM 926, PAM 927 and PAM 964

The Luminor Due GMT Power Reserve 45mm PAM 964

All three titanium models are also fitted with quick-release straps featuring a tab on the back that allows easy removal of the strap, eliminating the need to unscrew or release the lug bars.

And in steel and “Goldtech”

Also unveiled at the same time is another trio of models, the first two in steel, but all featuring the same quick-release strap. The Luminor Due 38mm PAM01043 is steel with a white dial and beige Super-Luminova. It’s powered by the P.900 movement.

The Luminor Due 42mm PAM1046 is identical, but in a larger case.

And the third is the luxe watch for ladies, the Luminor Due 38mm PAM01045 in an 18k rose gold alloy Panerai has named Goldtech. According to Panerai it has a higher copper content than usual, giving it a redder due, while also containing platinum, which makes it resistant to fading as ordinary rose gold is prone to do over many years.

From left: PAM 1043, PAM 1046, and PAM 1045

The Luminor Due 42mm PAM01046

Key facts

PAM 926, PAM 927, PAM 1043, PAM 1045, PAM 1046
Diameter: 38mm or 42mm
Material: Titanium, steel or 18k rose gold
Water resistance: 30m

Movement: P.900
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and date
Winding: Automatic

Frequency: 28,800bph, or 4Hz
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Quick-release alligator with pin buckle

PAM 964
Diameter: 45mm
Material: Titanium
Water resistance: 30m

Movement: P.4002
Functions: Time and date, second time zone with day/night indicator, power reserve, zero-reset hack seconds
Winding: Automatic

Frequency: 28,800bph, or 4Hz
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Quick-release alligator with pin buckle

Price and availability

Prices for the new Luminor Due are as follows:

Luminor Due 38mm PAM00926 titanium – €6,700, or 9,800 Singapore dollars

Luminor Due 42mm PAM00927 titanium – €7,000, or 10,300 Singapore dollars

Luminor Due GMT Power Reserve 45mm PAM00964 titanium – €11,800, or 17,350 Singapore dollars

Luminor Due 38mm PAM01043 steel – €5,900, or 8,650 Singapore dollars

Luminor Due 38mm PAM01045 Goldtech – €14,900, or 27,950 Singapore dollars

Luminor Due 42mm PAM01046 steel – €6,200, or 9,200 Singapore dollars

All models, except the PAM01043 and PAM01046, are already available in stores.

Update August 27, 2019: Availability, prices in euros and Singapore dollars added.

The average Urwerk is distinctly sci-fi in appearance, more Star Trek than Games of Thrones. But every once in a while Urwerk gives one of its watches the ornately-fully-engraved treatment, with the latest being the UR-111C “Pistol”.

It’s a one-off creation based on the UR-111C, a watch inspired by the earlier and much more expensive UR-CC1, itself modelled on the 1950s Patek Philippe ref. 3414, an experimental wristwatch nicknamed “Cobra”. The standard UR-111C has a streamlined case with a mechanical looking details, very much in the house style of Urwerk.

The Pistol, in contrast, is decorated on all surfaces with an ornate motif that’s hand-engraved by Urwerk’s go-to engraver. It was commissioned by a client who has a soft spot for such engraved Urwerk watches; the UR-111C “Pistol” is his third fully engraved watch.

(Editor’s note: This Pistol shares the same name as the EMC Pistol from 2015, and was decorated by the same engraver, but is a completely different model.)

Inspired by 19th century French wrought iron fixtures, the motif is in relief, raised against the background by only a fraction of a millimetre but enough to give it significant depth. Add to that the refined, narrow and perfectly straight lines of the decoration, and the talent of the engraver is obvious.

Credit for the work goes to Florian Güllert, an Austrian engraver who trained as a gunsmith and usually decorates firearms. Based in Klagenfurt, a city in the south of the country, Mr Güllert is responsible for all of Urwerk’s recent engraved watches, including the UR-210 “Dubai”, which is matched with a fully engraved bracelet; in its earlier years the brand relied on Swiss watch engraver Jean-Vincent Huguenin.

At a distance, Mr Güllert’s engraving is so well done it resembles machine engraving. Up close, tiny irregularities reveal themselves, proving that the decoration was done by hand, and done exceptionally well.

Aside from the obvious engraving, the Pistol is also distinguished by a more subtle customisation – the numerals for the time display are in a dark green similar to British racing green. The colour is subtle; because the shade is dark, at a distance it’s indistinguishable from black.

With the time-setting lever extended

The rest of the watch is identical to the standard UR-111C. Hours are indicated on the left cone, with the minutes shown twice. First on the central cylinder, with a yellow strip that travels upwards towards “60” before jumping back to zero, and the second minute display on the right cone.

The retrograde cylinder relies on a long, coiled spring inside that gradually winds up as the minutes progress towards “60”. At the top of the hour the spring is released, bringing the indicator on the cylinder back to zero.

An exploded view of the mechanism inside the cylinder for the retrograde minutes. Photo – Urwerk

And the seconds are equally elaborate, indicated on the front panel of the watch in a large window. Two sweeping, skeletonised discs show the seconds. Each disc is graduated in alternating five-second increments, so the digital seconds sweep past in five-second steps. And the display is actually much larger than the discs below, thanks to a fibre optic tube that magnifies the numerals.

The twin seconds discs. Photo – Urwerk

Winding and setting the watch is a bit of a hassle, which is often the price to pay for a mechanically ingenious time display. An elongated roller just below the window for the seconds winds the movement; pulling the lever from the right side of the case engages the time-setting mechanism, which is also done with the same roller.

Concluding thoughts

The engraving on the case leaves the watch looking larger than the standard UR-111C; it also has more wrist presence. Visually the design of the watch and the engraving are cohesive, save for one detail – the typography for the time display. It’s modern-looking and identical to that on the standard model, and doesn’t quite match the elaborate engraving.

For what it costs – about a fifth more than the standard model – the fully engraved version is worth the stretch for someone who likes the style.

Key facts

Diameter: 42mm
Height: 15mm
Material: Stainless steel, fully engraved
Water resistance: 30m

Movement: Calibre UR-111C (base movement Zenith Elite)
Functions: Jumping hours, retrograde linear minutes and digital minutes, digital seconds
Winding: Automatic

Frequency: 28,800bph, or 4Hz
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Alligator with pin buckle

Price and availability

The UR-111C “Pistol” is a one-off commissioned by a client, however, Urwerk offers similar customisation for its various models. The additional cost of engraving is typically 10-30% over the retail price of a standard model.