Italian luxury watchmaker Panerai just dropped the all-new Luminor Destro Otto Giorni (PAM01655), which the brand describes as a “modern homage to the Italian Navy frogman” who wore Panerai watches while performing daring undersea missions in the 1960s.
Panerai—which recently honored U.S Navy SEALs with another dive watch collection—introduced its first left-handed model that decade, after Giuseppe Panerai sought to create a watch that left-handers could wear on the right wrist, introducing a crown-protecting device to prevent seepage while underwater. This aquatic innovation proved especially practical when paired with essential diving instruments such a compasses or depth gauges utilized by professional divers.
The modern-day PAM01655—described by Panerai as “a left-handed watch designed for the right wrist”—upholds Panerai’s adventurous spirit. Powered by the P.5000 hand-wound mechanical caliber, PAM01655 features a 44mm case, smaller than its 47mm military-grade predecessors, while delivering an impressive 8-day power reserve that was required by Italian naval commandos.
The new timepiece’s most distinctive feature is the crown positioning at 9 o’clock, complete with Panerai’s iconic crown-protecting device. This unique design accommodates left-handers and those who, by choice or necessity, wear their watch on the right wrist.
The PAM01655 features a polished steel case and bezel enclosing a black dial and illuminated by beige Super-LumiNova. The timepiece is further enriched by a light brown calf strap with beige stitching, a trapezoidal steel buckle and a secondary black rubber strap. The Luminor Destro Otto Giorni (PAM01655) retails for $8,100 and is available now at Panerai boutiques worldwide.
