Panerai Luminor Sealand Florida PAM 845: Italy’s Handmade Florida “Pantera”

If you want genuine Italian craftsmanship in a Panerai watch, you have two choices: go Panerai vintage, or opt for a late-model Panerai Luminor Sealand.

This 1-of-50 Panerai Luminor Sealand Florida PAM 845 is a hand-engraved, hand-hammered work of art wrought in Italy itself. The watch itself may be “Swiss made,” but with a Florentine hunter case cover this gorgeous, the fortunate owner might not even bother to view the Swiss-signed dial…

The original Panerai “Sealand for Purdey” series debuted in 2002 as a Panerai Special Series collection of four Luminor models with hand-engraved and gold leaf-inlaid “half hunter” dial covers. These exceptionally rare models laid the groundwork for the Sealand series that continues to this day; iconic engraved imagery of great flora and fauna; hinged hunter dial covers; subdued brushed steel cases; striking dials of silver and black; a hidden mirror beneath the hinged case cover. Naturally, the final key was peerless exclusivity, and most Sealand editions have been issued in micro-runs of 25-50 units.

The Panerai Luminor Sealand Florida is a 2012 boutique exclusive series of 50 pieces produced expressly for the Panerai boutique in Boca Raton, Florida. Each example features an exquisite rendition of the rare (~200 individuals) Florida Panther. Contrasting black, gold, and textured steel surfaces express the majesty and power of the 150-pound subtropical cat. Alternating rustication, brushing, etching, and polished surfaces define the animal and its surroundings; each element is so vivid that the image appears three-dimensional atop the convex curvature of the hunter lid.

Beneath the , a silver Panerai Luminor Marina dial continues the departure from standard Firezne fare. This is a vision unlike any other in the conventional Panerai catalog. The silver dial with black hour indices exhibits perfect balance of greyscale tones and features; a dramatic black date disc at three o’clock is counterweighted by a constant seconds subdial at nine.

Since 2009, responsibility for hand-crafting the Sealand series has shifted from English gunsmiths J. Purdey & Sons to the Italian craftsmen closer to Panerai’s Firenze roots. The techniques, which involve excruciating tolerances, evacuation of low-carbon steel, and hand-hammered gold leaf, ensure that the Sealand series defies mass production.

While modern Panerai annual production amounts to tens of thousands of units, the Sealand series mirrors the volumes of military-era Panerai. Dozens of watches per year is the rule.

Within the Panerai Luminor 44mm case, an automatic caliber OP.III keeps time with COSC Swiss Chronometer precision. Based on the efficient and tough Valjoux 7750, this movement ensures peace of mind, durability, accuracy, and easy access to service. The hacking seconds feature stops the seconds hand and permits precise synchronization to an accurate reference timer. With efficient unidirectional automatic winding and a 42-hour power reserve, the cal. OPIII need be reset only seven times per year: twice for Daylight savings, and five times for irregular-length months.

Do you want a rare breed of Panerai Luminor? If so, this old-school Panerai Luminor Sealand Florida PAM 845 is a breed apart. Like the original combat Panerai instruments, the Sealand PAM 845 is crafted in Italy and built in precious few copies.