The new Submersible Elux LAB-ID PAM01800 is the culmination of a journey that draws from the historic patented Elux Panerai invention and a perfect expression of the purpose of the Laboratorio di Idee
Panerai’s Laboratorio di Idee carries on the essence of the historic family-owned Officine Panerai workshop through its continuous search for innovative technical solutions to elevate the standards and performance of its creations. Central to their creations is the Maison’s DNA of legibility in darkness and luminescence, as well as durability, consistently featured across all their concept watches and instruments. From 2017 Panerai presented three concept watches, starting with the LAB-ID Luminor Carbotech PAM700. In 2020, LAB-ID Luminor PAM01700 surprised with a new generation of SuperLuminova, the SuperLuminova X1, and in 2021, with the Submersible eLAB-ID PAM1225. 3
Building on this legacy and reflecting eight years of dedicated Research and Development at Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, the new timepiece represents an actualised mission that exemplifies the Maison’s historic expertise in luminescence with its renowned mechanical watchmaking – the creation of a fully mechanical movement, which can power light on demand. PAM01800 is a watchmaking feat with four patent system, 50 bar (~500 meters) water resistance and a 30-minute power light feature, all encapsulated in a 49mm case diameter.
It is equipped with an on-demand lighting powered by fully mechanical energy storage, a breakthrough innovation. With a simple gesture of opening the patented pusher-protector system and activating the mechanism through the pusher, the watch illuminates through a mechanism conceived by the Panerai Laboratorio di Idee. This feat is achieved through an innovative arrangement of four dedicated energy-storing barrels – out of six available in the movement – precisely engineered to unwind in a microgenerator that converts mechanical energy into electricity.
The compact 8 x 2.3 mm microgenerator features custom-made coils, magnets, and a stator and, to optimise energy efficiency, it incorporates no active electronics, a high-speed rotor operating at 80 revolutions per second, and generates a high-frequency electrical signal of 240 Hz. 4 This energy is then channelled to illuminate various indicators on the dial, including the lighting power reserve and indexes. Illuminating moving elements such as the hands (patented) and bezel marker (patent pending) was a particularly ambitious process.
Overcoming numerous challenges, the team has also ingeniously conducted electricity to the bezel outside of the watch case while maintaining exceptional water resistance levels. This technological feat is not just about the clever rerouting of power but also about optimising the minimal energy generated by a mechanical barrel. Thanks to its magnetic drive allowing smart lighting, it illuminates only the well-positioned LEDs below the dot, resulting in the lighting of only 15 LEDs simultaneously versus a total amount of 60 LEDs within the ring.
Another remarkable achievement is the mechanism’s ability to provide an extended duration of continuous light for up to 30 minutes, a significant milestone given the limited energy available compared to traditional batteries. The innovations continue with the Power Light function that relies on four dedicated barrels, with two remaining barrels to ensure the precision of the P.9010/EL over the three days power reserve even if the power light energy is depleted.
To match the intricate inner workings, PAM01800 is set in a Ti-Ceramitech case, crafted from ceramised titanium, a pending patent material by Panerai. Through seven years of meticulous research and development, Panerai has filed a patent application for a titanium ceramisation process through Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation to achieve a very distinctive hue of blue. This process transforms the titanium alloy surface into a dense ceramic layer, and the specific choice of elements used, combined with the electrolyte composition, allowed for the creation of the watch’s peculiar and striking blue colour, a shade inspired by the open seas. The technique yields a significantly enhanced hardness, and the resultant case is 44% lighter than steel yet has fracture toughness ten times higher than traditional ceramic.
The dial features a linear Power Light reserve indicator, also a distinctive Panerai feature, with a small seconds indicator at the 9 o’clock position, while the patent-pending bezel light system illuminates the timepiece’s counterclockwise rotating bezel. Adding to its robust functionality is the iconic crown-protection bridge, which securely guards the winding crown against impacts. In this iteration, the historical REG TM mark has been inventively replaced with SUB LAB, marking this model’s special identity within the Submersible series. Completing the watch’s aesthetics are the indices and the hour hand accented with green SuperLuminova X2 – now in a new grade that ensures a luminosity 10% higher than SuperLuminova X1 after 180 minutes in the dark. The blue-accented minute hands and dots on the bezel are illuminated by SuperLuminova X1. The watch comes with a blue rubber strap and a second bi-material strap. The Elux LAB-ID PAM01800 is a limited-edition of 150 pieces, with an availability of 50 pieces per year over three years.
