IntroducingPanerai Celebrates Decades Of Collaboration With Italian Navy With The Submersible Marina Militare And Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech

We'll start with the Carbotech version of the watch, measuring 44mm by 14.25mm in a carbon fiber-based case with a 300m water resistance, housing a P.900 automatic movement hidden behind a Marina Militare and Aviazione Navale wings emblem on the Screwed Titanium DLC case-back. That movement has a 72-hour power reserve. Meanwhile, the dial has the historical Aviazione Navale aircraft's anchor insignia engraved on the green-grained matte, black gradient finish with grey Super-LumiNova® grade X2 in the hands and indices. The indices on both watches are now 20% larger in diameter for legibility. There's also a unidirectional rotating bezel in black carbon.

The slightly thinner, lighter, and more affordable version is the steel Submersible Marina Militare (PAM01697) with many of the same touches but rendered in 316LVM stainless steel. It only measures 13.45mm thick, a size savings, with the same movement and other specs. The bezel features a matt green ceramic disk. Both watches are paired with a green canvas strap, with either steel or blackened titanium.

The watches are not limited editions and go on sale now for $12,500 in steel and $19,500 in Carbotech.

Looking critically at my collection, I don't necessarily need another diver. But from an aesthetic standpoint, a blacked-out case and military green dial is made so much for my taste that I'd reconsider my previous statement. The combination just works, and while I could do without the Marina Militare branding, it's less obtrusive than some other previous military-inspired releases.

The elephant in the room is the price. A steel version of the Luminor Marina released earlier this year is over $4,000 less expensive but features an updated movement with the same power reserve, 200m more water resistance, and a display caseback. I'm not sure there are other specs or co-branding here that justify the price increase, and I would suspect that most buyers of this watch are ones that would be won over by an overwhelming love of aesthetics or general consumers who might not be cross-shopping specifications.

Brand: Panerai
Model: Submersible Marina Militare (PAM01697) and the Submersible Marina Militare CarbotechTM (PAM01698)

Diameter: 44mm
Thickness: 13.45mm (steel) and 14.25mm (Carbotech)
Case Material: 316LVM Stainless Steel or Carbotech (carbon fiber)
Dial Color: Green-grained matt, black gradient finish
Indexes: 13.3mm
Lume: Grey Super-LumiNova® grade X2
Water Resistance: 300m
Strap/Bracelet: Green canvas with T/T stitching strap, trapezoidal AISI 316L 1.4435 stainless steel pin buckle. Additional black rubber strap

Caliber: P.900
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, stop-second
Diameter: 12½ lignes
Thickness: 4.2mm
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,000 vph
Jewels: 23
Chronometer Certified: No

Price: $12,500 (steel) and $19,500 (Carbotech)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No

For more, click here.