If you asked me to identify a partner, I would have gone for Wally Yachts, no doubt. However, I think that Brabus complements Panerai, and the other way around, much more than you might expect. They equally operate like boutique brands, producing curated bold limited edition and technologically advanced products; Brabus is an automotive engineering firm, thus offering further development to the partnership moving forward. Brabus and Panerai signed a long-term agreement, and to my eyes, Panerai aims to approach a target audience where the right luxury sports watch is complementary to their Brabus sports car or yacht. The brand’s R&D Department spent three years to release the first timepiece, a Submersible-based skeletonized watch, out of a whole new collection that will understandably include further technological advancements and new materials.
The Panerai Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops Edition PAM 01240 is named after Brabus Marine‘s Black Ops premium high-speed powerboat. Proof positive of the direction taken by both brands, you’ll find a digital Luminor clustered into the boat’s dashboard. Also, we were told a Brabus x Panerai Customer Experience, following the likes of Panerai‘s first-ever customer-oriented “Experience”, is in the works.
From a technical perspective, the timepiece is a skeletonized GMT three-hands product building on the familiar 47 mm large Carbotech® case. The automatic in-house P4001 calibre turns into the P 4001/S by adopting the latest developments by Panerai‘s “Laboratorio di Idee”. The off-centred oscillating mass is skeletonized too and comes in polished tungsten; featuring a 19.3 g/cm3 density, it offers the exact moment of inertia you’ll measure on any equivalent gold rotor with the same geometry. When fully wound, the calibre ensures three days of power reserve to such an intricate yet appealing “full black” architecture. I like the raised and kind of floating applied indexes. They glow green in the dark and contrast with the blue-glowing round dot on top (rotating bezel).
The P 4001/S calibre also introduces the patented polarized date display. You won’t find any annular date ring but a standard date display you’ll find on a traditional no-skeleton watch. I look forward to seeing the watch in the flesh to find out more about this complication. I would have hopefully avoided any additional Brabus branding on either strap and protecting device. The Brabus logo on the dial is more than enough and the proper hallmark of the partnership.
Crafted in 100 pieces, the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops Edition PAM 01240 retails for 45,000 Euros. To sum things up, I believe Panerai and Brabus are exploring how to further connect themselves and benefit from boosting their brand awareness equally. As far as watchmaking products are concerned, Panerai seeks to empower the brand’s positioning among super luxury high-tech products, thus hopefully closing up on brands like Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet (with its Concept Royal Oaks), as quickly and effectively as possible.
(Photo credit: courtesy Panerai)
Gaetano C @Horbiter®
