At first look, Lo Scienziato watch, which was shown at the Geneva show, seems a little different from other similar models produced by Officine Panerai. However, in modern watchmaking art they became a breakthrough - in its production of Swiss-use 3D printing technology.
The technology itself is not new, its advantages discovered various industries - from medicine to the aerospace industry, but in the watch creation it has not yet been applied. Problems commonly faced by watchmakers easily solved in the traditional way, using the existing equipment, the Officine Panerai company has been a pioneer not because they decided to change the lathes the 3D-printer in this area. Brand has set a different goal - they wanted to relieve the maximum clock.
For the same reason it was decided to make the mechanism of titanium, because it is much easier to brass or steel. With it, the company has managed to ensure that the new caliber P.2005 / T to become 35% lighter than the identical skeletonized caliber P.2005 / S.
It is obvious that the body needed titanium. But the head of company Angelo Bonati was not satisfied with such a simple statement of the problem - he wanted to make not only lightweight, but very lightweight body, while maintaining its original size (47 mm). The company's engineers have studied all available technology and opted for direct laser sintering (DMLS), allowing us to create accurate metal parts arbitrarily complex shapes. Laser Device "bakes" them in layers from metal powder by applying to each other layers of 20 microns thickness. Moreover, using DMLS was not possible to make the whole body, and a hollow, keeping it with the necessary mechanical properties.
After the body have been printed, they are processed and tested for impact resistance, pressure resistance and water resistance. All these tests are brilliantly passed test confirmed even their 100-meter water resistance. The result of the work became Lo Scienziato model, which weigh a little more than 80 grams. Watch released in a limited edition of 150 copies. Price is $ 143 000. Engineers are not going to stop on the titanium brand - they are going to repeat this experience with steel and other materials.
Perhaps none of the watch company has such faithful "fan club", like Officine Panerai. Brand fans call themselves «paneristi» (by analogy with the «ferraristi»). Their number is growing rapidly around the world, and especially in the US, where the Panerai sales volume has doubled in the past years.
Every year since 1997, a very limited edition special series is being produced, which is a great attraction for collectors. Panerai Special Edition - is a body of rare metals, rare calibers (sometimes from old stock) and rare features. In this series you can find split-chronograph, fly-back chronograph, rare chronograph with counter-eighths of a second and even a tourbillon on three bridges (of course, based on the Girard Perregaux caliber).
At the Geneva Grand Prix Horlogerie 2001 Luminor Marina received the audience award, and in 2004 the title of the best sports watches, was awarded the Luminor Submersible 2500m (yes, 2,500 meters - it is nothing like water resistance). Today Luminor Submersible made virtually impossible - took a hefty market share from Rolex Submariner.