In a limited edition of only a 1,000 pieces the third reference in the Panerai 'Bronzo' saga made its grand entrance at the SIHH 2017. Sporting a striking blue —in Italian 'blu'— dial instead of a green one, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Bronzo PAM 671 is not only the first Bronzo to be fitted with a dial that is not olive green, but also the most expensive of all three Bronzos ever released. A true chameleon depending on lighting and the angle from which you look at the dial, the hue of blue on the new Panerai Blue Bronzo PAM 671 ranges all the way from a true royal navy blue to a deep blue like that on the darker areas of the dial on the Rolex DeepSea Sea-Dweller James Cameron we featured here.

The History of the Panerai Bronzo

First released in 2011 under reference PAM 382, the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Bronzo was the first sports watch to feature a massive 47 mm case completely made out of bronze. The Panerai Bronzo PAM 382 just like its successors, was also released in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces but with a gorgeous matte olive green dial and a dark brown calf strap. Fitted with a titanium case back with sapphire crystal, one could admire the new in-house Panerai calibre P.9000.

Two years later, in 2013 a second Panerai Bronzo made its appearance, also in a 1,000 piece limited edition. The Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Power Reserve Bronzo PAM 507 was just like its predecessor in terms of size and case material, but for this second release, Panerai decided to add a power reserve indicator to its matte olive green dial and a new calf Ranger strap. While the first Panerai Bronzo PAM 382 was powered by the automatic Panerai calibre P.9000 —7.9 mm thick—, the second Panerai Bronzo PAM 507 was equipped with the automatic Panerai calibre P.9002 —7.9 mm thick— with power reserve indicator and seconds reset device and also visible via the display case back in titanium.

While pricing at the secondary market today is a completely different story and pre-owned Bronzos can command very strong prices anywhere between $18,000 USD and $25,000 USD, the two first Bronzos came out with a more reasonable price tag at the time of their release, —€7,300 and €9,600 Euros respectively— when compared to the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Blue 'Bronzo' PAM 671. Nevertheless, the higher price won't stop us from wanting and planning on getting one.

The New Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Blue Bronzo PAM 671

Issued in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Blue 'Bronzo' PAM 671 is almost identical to its predecessors in terms of case construction, case size and type of bronze alloy utilized in it; however, one thing that caught our eye while looking at the case, is that the new Bronzo PAM 671 is slightly thinner than its predecessors. This difference in thickness comes from the much thinner in-house Automatic calibre P.9010 powering this watch, which happens to be 1.9 millimeters thinner than calibre P.9000 and P.9002 powering the first two Bronzos. As far as diameter, the new Bronzo is still 47 mm, equipped with a titanium display case back.

The Dial

Fitted with a striking matte blue dial that makes the case material stand out even more, the dial simple and clean with 'ecru' luminova —instead of green as on the olive green dial Bronzos. For some reason, this 'ecru' luminova seems to be a much better fit for a bronze case watch like this one. Along with the contrast stitching on the Ponte Vecchio strap and the overall hue of its bronze case, the markers and hands come to life against the deep sea blue dial in a symphony of color with historical proportions.

The Strap

The Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Blue Bronzo PAM 671 is equipped with a Ponte Vecchio strap that matches the watch perfectly. Of all straps utilized on the Bronzo references, this is by far our favorite one. The contrast stitching on the strap matches the ecru luminova on the dial flawlessly. The strap is fitted with a titanium pin buckle.

The Movement & Case Back

The new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Blue Bronzo PAM 671 is fitted with a screw-down titanium display case back like its predecessors and powered by the new Panerai in-house calibre P.9010 completely developed and produced at the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel. This double-barrel movement composed of 200 parts, is almost two millimeters thinner than the previous calibres powering the other Bronzo references PAM 382 and PAM 507. The movement provides a power reserve of 72 hours when fully wound, while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph.

On the Wrist & Pricing

On the wrist, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Blue Bronzo PAM 671 wears true to its size and less clunky than its predecessors. A fascinating watch that brings back the beauty of bronze cases to the Panerai line-up. A watch that made waves in 2011 and 2013 and that set a trend in the watchmaking industry with its alluring bronze case. Today, the Panerai Bronzo PAM 671 makes a huge comeback with its striking blue dial that perfectly evokes the sea and uniforms of the Italian Royal Navy.

Sticker Price $14,400 USD. For more info on Officine Panerai click here.