The new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT Titanium PAM 719 Pole2Pole Expedition is the latest collaboration between Mike Horn and Officine Panerai. On May 6th, 2016, 50-year old storied adventurer Mike Horn embarked on the greatest adventure of his life to travel for two years across 26,000 miles and six continents. Mike Horn is a Swiss-South African professional explorer that for 25 years, has inspired and educated the world by pushing the limits of human ability through a series of groundbreaking expeditions. He has circumnavigated the globe entirely under human power, summited four eight-thousander peaks without the use of additional help or oxygen, followed the Artic Circle around the globe during the dark Artic winter and swum the length of the Amazon River. For this expedition, a Panerai Luminor Submersible GMT is the watch on his wrist. Available in a limited edition of 500 pieces, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 GMT Titanium PAM 719 Pole2Pole Expedition will celebrate what could be —if successfully completed— one of the greatest expeditions of all time.
The Pole2Pole Expedition
Equipped with a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, his sailing vessel Pangaea and his Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT, Mike Horn will attempt to become the first person to undergo a unique circumnavigation of the globe via the two poles over land and sea. An expedition funded by two main sponsors —Mercedes-Benz and Panerai— and eight secondary sponsors, Mike Horn will begin his expedition from the Yacht Club of Monaco, from which he will sail his boat southwards to Namibia.
From there, Horn will trade sails for wheels, where by means of the G-Class he will explore the world’s oldest desert, the Namibia. His route will then take him through the Okavango delta in Botswana, the world’s largest inland delta. On to Horn’s homeland South Africa, where he will research and dive with Great White Sharks, an ultimate predator but also a critical element of the marine ecosystem. Afterwards Horn will sail to the Antarctic, which he will cross on skis via the South Pole.
Crossing complete, he will navigate the Pacific through the islands of Oceania to Asia, where he will travel parts of New Zealand and Australia. In Papua New Guinea, the G-Class will await him for an expedition through the primordial equatorial forests. Once arrived in Asia onboard Pangaea, a further overland journey with the legendary off-road vehicle will unfold, leading Horn through the tundra in Kamchatka, before setting sails for the great north. The extreme athlete will then attempt another crossing, this time of the Arctic via the North Pole. Following this, Mike will cross over the world’s largest island, Greenland, after which he will conclude his adventure by navigating back to his point of departure, Monaco.
Across this magnificent journey the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT in titanium will be his fellow companion.
The Case & Dial
Perfectly suited for land or water activities, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT Titanium PAM 719 is fitted with a titanium 47 mm case with the patented Panerai crown guard device and fully finished with a satin brushed finish. The case features a unidirectional graduated rotating bezel with superluminova insert at 12 o'clock and polished applied markers. The dial, in one of the most beautiful hues of blue —deep blue with a slight hint of teal— features yellow accents on the running seconds subdial at 9 o'clock, a yellow GMT hand, date aperture at 3 o'clock and the writing 'Pole2Pole' in yellow at 6 o'clock.
The matte deep blue dial is extremely well finished and the yellow accents provide perfect contrast, somewhat reminiscent of the color combination of older IWC Aquatimers —nothing wrong with that. The case with its light titanium construction, makes the watch feel very comfortable on the wrist but still bulky and properly suited for an expedition of such nature—total weight of the watch is 153.6 grams to be precise.
The Strap
The Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 GMT Pole2Pole Expedition is delivered on the traditional rubber strap that comes will all other Submersible models. The strap is one of the best natural rubber straps in the market and is equipped with a trapezoidal brushed pin buckle in matching titanium.
The Movement & Case Back
The beating heart inside the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT Titanium PAM 719 Pole2Pole Expedition is the in-house automatic calibre Panerai P.9001. Executed entirely by Panerai, this 229 part and 29-jewel movement, beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph to provide a power reserve of three full days thanks to its two barrels. The movement is protected by a solid case back that features a special engraving of the Pole2Pole Mike Horn Expedition logo with a Polar Bear and a Penguin, the two most representative animals that inhabit the Arctic Circle and the Antarctica.
The engraving is very nicely done with a bead blasted finish and no sharp edges or whatsoever. A very nice case back to commemorate Mike Horn's feat in completing this amazing 2-year expedition across 26,000 miles. The new Panerai Pole2Pole's case back is simply robust and gorgeous looking.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT Titanium PAM 719 Pole2Pole Expedition is a true Panerai in all its essence and DNA. Wearing true to its size but with remarkable comfort, the 47 mm case feels light but not ultra light on the wrist. With a weight similar to that of a Rolex Submariner, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible GMT Titanium PAM 719 Pole2Pole Expedition wears like a glove.
A watch worth every penny with a flawlessly executed dial that celebrates a very special odyssey. Available in a limited edition of only 500 pieces, this is a Panerai that we believe will fly off the showcases in a very short period of time.
Sticker Price $10,200 USD. For more info on Mike Horn's Pole2Pole expedition click here and for Officine Panerai here.
