Ralph Lauren’s Love for Panerai: A Brand of History and Heroism

Ralph Lauren is an American fashion designer known for his “All American” design aesthetic. However, what most people do not know is that this man has an amazing collection of vintage Panerai’s that most fanatics would dream to posses.

For most, it is love at first sight when purchasing a Panerai. Ralph Lauren’s passion for his extremely rare Panerai watches stems from the brands rich history and heroism.

Panerai was founded in Florence in 1860. The company spent most of its time catering to specialist collectors and members of the military. In fact, to meet the military needs of the Royal Italian Navy, Panerai created the radium- based powder that gives luminosity to dials. Before this, Panerai already supplied high precision instruments such as diving instruments and timing devices for the Italian torpedo boats of World War II for a number of years.

If the Italian military had not changed sides to fight alongside the Allies in September 1943, watch collectors such as Ralph Lauren would probably not be so passionate about the brand. Most certainly, Panerai would still be striking timepieces, skillfully crafted and uniquely styled, however precision is harder to love on enemy lines.

Today, Panerai can be seen on American celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone, professional athletes such as baseball player Mike Piazza and athlete Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), and politicians, including Bill Clinton and Arnold Schwarzenegger. These watches are owned and admired by a select group of ‘Paneristi’ who indulge in great precision. For fanatics like Ralph Lauren, the watch is both a tool for measuring time and also a witness to heroism past.

“The luxury of Panerai grew out of its heritage and the purposefulness of each detail,” explains designer Ralph Lauren.  “These watches were not about the latest fashion—they were designed to work in specific conditions. Their form and beauty were secondary to their function; they’re rugged, utilitarian, and handsome.” Unlike many types of dress watches that need to be in perfect condition to be worn, Panerai watches look amazing when they have signs of life and wear.

Ralph Lauren has an impressive rare collection of Panerai and has been collecting these vintage pieces for many years. Below, Ralph Lauren is pictured with a 1954 47mm Vintage Panerai pictured in front of his 1950 vintage Series 1 Land Rover.

Another treasure from Ralph Laurens collection is this vintage piece with a Marina Militare designation on the dial. This time piece was actually made by Rolex so it features a Rolex Brevet winding crown. This picture was taken in the Polo New York Flagship store.

Below is a beautiful Panerai watch shown in a Ralph Lauren ad. What is shown is a rare “Big Egiziano” 60 MM vintage Radiomir Panerai 2/56. This particular watch was made for the Egyptian Navy in 1956. It is known well for its monster size and power: has great water resistance and a marked bezel for calculating immersion time. Panerai recently created a similar model named the PAM00341 Egiziano which Sylvester Stallone frequently wears.

Ralph Lauren is sitting on a gold mine. The value of Panerai watches is growing. New panerai models are doubling and tripling their value in the space of a decade. Furthermore, Sotheby’s sold a vintage Panerai at auction for $43,200 which is a rare stainless-steel diver’s watch from 1938. It is said to be the most historically significant model to come on the market. When it was created, the Italian navy realized it had no battleships capable of matching the British fleet, so commandos were trained to do battle from beneath the waves. For that they would need watches, compasses, and depth gauges, and Panerai produced all of them.

View some great Panerai’s at www.watchuwant.com