Last year Panerai launched Luminor Marina eSteel as another big step in reducing the high environmental impact of virgin material mining.
The eco-conscious watchmaker also introduced the concept watch Submersible eLab-ID featuring 95% recycled SuperLuminova on its dial and hands, and 100% recycled silicon for its movement escapement. From the sapphire crystal to the movement, most of the major components contain recycled material.
The sustainable haute horlogerie continues with the new Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel, of which 72g is made of recycled materials, corresponding to 52% of the total weight of the professional divers watch.
Panerai is at the forefront of forging ingenious materials, with its eSteel made of pre-consumer recycled steel scraps (up to 95%) coming from different sources, in particular from the Swiss watchmaking industry.
The next-generation metal shares the same physical structure, chemical behaviour and resistance to corrosion, as conventional steel.
An engraving on the crown protection device and caseback as well as inscription on the dial indicate an eSteel version of the Submersible, inspired by the brand heritage in professional divers watches.
The origin of the company dates back to 1860 in Florence, where Giovanni Panerai opened a workshop and the city's first watchmaking school. For many decades Panerai supplied the Italian Navy and its specialist diving corps in particular with precision instruments.
The watches, including Luminor and Radiomir, were covered by the Military Secrets Act for many years and were launched on the international market only after the brand was acquired by the Richemont Group in 1997.
Today, the watchmaking takes place at the eco-friendly manufacture in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Sustainable operations, for instance, aim at reducing carbon dioxide emissions to zero by implementing several recycling processes and the intelligent use of renewable resources like the reuse of rainwater and 100% hydroelectricity to power the production process.
As profound environmental challenges demand more solutions, Panerai has adopted other practices that reduce the ecological impact in every aspect.
The Panerai Ecologico framework embraces all sustainability activities in five pillars: Performance in real estate, Processes, Products, Partnerships and People.
The Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel is the latest model that further shows Panerai's commitment to improved product sustainability.
The 44mm case is made from brushed eSteel, and the unidirectional rotating bezel is a combination of this material with a glossy polished ceramic. The dial also has a polished finish and colour gradient that steadily deepens from top to bottom, rendering a dimensional effect.
Water resistant to 300m, the new model comes in three versions, with the dial, bezel and strap in deep blue, green or gray. The 4.2mm thick automatic P.900 caliber supports a date indication and three-day power reserve.
Panerai's focus on sustainability is not confined to eSteel. Two straps accompany each watch -- the first is composed of fabric made from recycled PET, and the second is made from recycled rubber.
The goal is to involve more green measures, and by 2025, 30% of Panerai's timepieces will be produced using recycled materials.
