Panerai evolves to stay the same. Masamasa Hirota unravels its worldview at an event at the HF-AGE Sendai store.

The HF-AGE Sendai store, an authorized retailer of luxury watches, underwent a complete renovation and reopened in July 2025. One of the store's key focuses was the revamping of the area displaying luxury watch brands from the Richemont Group, such as Panerai and IWC. At the HF-AGE Sendai store, a talk show was held between Naoyuki Maruyama, also known as "Maru-chan," a men's fashion writer active mainly in FORZASTYLE, and Masamasa Hirota, editor-in-chief of Chronos Japan and webChronos. The theme was Panerai, a favorite of all watch enthusiasts. We delved into the history and current state of this watch brand.

A talk show will be held at the newly reopened HF-AGE Sendai store!

　The HF-AGE Sendai store, located along Jozenji Street in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, a particularly popular tourist and shopper street, reopened on July 12, 2025. The renovation covers the entire store, with the most notable change being the revamped Richemont corner. Luxury watch brands from the Richemont group, such as Panerai, IWC, A. Lange & Söhne, and Jaeger-LeCoultre, offer a wide variety of products in a relaxed atmosphere that reflects the HF-AGE philosophy of each company.

Restaurant overview

Address: 1F Jozenji Park Building, 2-14-18 Kokubuncho, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Business hours: 11:00-19:30 (closed on Wednesdays)
Inquiries: 022-711-7271

Maru-chan and the Watch Professor Dig Deep into Panerai

　On December 6th, a special customer event was held at the newly renovated HF-AGE Sendai store. It was a talk show featuring Naoyuki Maruyama, also known as "Maru-chan," a writer who explores men's fashion from a female perspective under the catchphrase "Make Men Beautiful!", and Masamasa Hirota, editor-in-chief of the watch magazine Chronos Japan and webChronos. The theme was Panerai. This brand, which has many enthusiastic fans, especially among the "Panelisti," is known for its iconic design that makes it instantly recognizable. However, some people complain that the watches "look the same" or "I can't tell the difference." Maruyama and Hirota shared their unique perspectives as fellow watch enthusiasts, discussing Panerai's history, current status, and the essence of its evolution.

Tracing back Panerai's history with customers at the HF-AGE Sendai store

　The majority of attendees at this event were customers of the HF-AGE Sendai store. Using materials prepared by Hirota himself, the attendees were given an explanation of what kind of watch brand Panerai is, among a group of discerning watch lovers.

　Hirota's story begins with the history of Panerai, which was founded in 1860. It began as a Swiss watch shop in Florence, Italy. It imported and sold watches from Switzerland, and also had a workshop for watch repairs and trained watchmakers. Its technical capabilities caught the eye of the Italian Navy, and from the 1910s it began supplying precision instruments such as compasses and depth gauges. Hirota explained how the company gained a reputation for its highly reliable instruments, and eventually the Italian Navy requested that the company manufacture watches for its submarine forces, which led to the creation of the Radiomir in 1935. "'Make something that can be used properly.' This philosophy is the DNA of Panerai, cultivated as an instrument manufacturer."

　The conversation then turned to Luminor, the luminous paint that Panerai patented in 1949. "Radiomir, the first luminous paint developed by Panerai, was radioactive, so a new Luminor was created using safer materials. Also, the stainless steel material at the time was not as strong as it is today. Screw-down crowns are prone to wear, and forgetting to tighten them can lead to fatal water damage. You can't rely on such an unstable structure - that's why Panerai came up with the iconic 'crown protector'."

"Instead of screwing the crown in, the crown protector uses the principle of leverage with a lever to hold the crown down firmly from above, ensuring water resistance. It is a structure that could be considered primitive, but it is extremely rational and a solution that no one had ever thought of. It is also a structure that could only be realized because of the large case diameter of 47mm. In 1956, this crown protector was officially patented, and Panerai's unique water resistance system was completed," says Hirota.

　Even after establishing its waterproofing system, Panerai's sales of watches were limited to the military. Hirota says, "We continued to make watches that were thoroughly 'for use.'"

　However, from 1993, Panerai released models for the mass market, while retaining the original design. "Their serious construction and overwhelming presence appealed not only to watch enthusiasts but also to those with a keen sense of fashion," says Hirota.

What should we look at in today's Panerai?

　So what is the current greatness of Panerai?

　Hirota said, "First, take a look at the case." Maruyama immediately chimed in, "It's Donze Bohm, isn't it?" The audience was likely surprised by the nerdy conversation that only the two of them could have.

　Donze Baume is a Swiss case manufacturer that has continued to hone its skills thanks to what Hirota calls "unreasonable requests" from Franco Coloni, who revived Panerai as a watch brand together with Angelo Bonati, and now produces high-quality cases for Panerai. "One of the reasons for Panerai's success is the Donze Baume cases," Hirota asserts.

　However, the quality of the case may not be particularly flashy. In fact, at first glance, Panerai watches may look the same as they have in the past. Maruyama and Hirota then took out two Panerai watches and asked the audience a question: "Can you tell the difference between these two models?"

　There are two main differences. The first is the movement. While the previous PAM01312 is equipped with the Caliber P.9010, the latest PAM03312 is equipped with the Caliber P.980. While the case diameter remains the same, Caliber P.980 has succeeded in reducing the thickness by approximately 2mm. It has also reduced the weight by approximately 20g. Another major difference is that, despite the thinner case, the water resistance has been improved from 300m to 500m. The thickness of the crystal has also increased by approximately 10%. While the crown has also increased in thickness by approximately 0.2mm, the gasket sheet between the case and bezel has been integrated and pressed into the crystal, achieving a high level of airtightness. "We've evolved everything without changing the shape. That's Panerai," says Hirota.

　In recent years, Panerai has also added stylish, small-diameter, thin-case models to its lineup, such as the PAM03312, which has achieved a slimmer design. However, like the PAM01312, the company also produces models that deliberately retain their weight and toughness. The Caliber P.9010 is another Panerai movement, and its design thoroughly considers shock resistance, with features such as a double-bearing balance and a hacking mechanism that reduces deflection by vertically moving a lever adjacent to the balance. "They may look the same, but their characters are completely different. There are countless evolutions in Panerai that cannot be conveyed by numbers alone," says Hirota.

You can only understand the quality of Panerai by touching it!

　At the end of the talk show, Hirota said, "Although Panerai is a watch with military origins, it has also produced unexpected models, such as those with luxurious 18K gold cases and moon phases. What they all have in common is that there is a reason for them. They are big and heavy, but they are comfortable to wear. Wearing them on the weekends makes you feel good. That's why Panerai are watches that you want to talk about again and again, and touch again and again. Finally, I would like everyone to touch a Panerai. It is by touching a Panerai that you can truly appreciate its quality."

　After the talk show, attendees enjoyed the touch and feel of Panerai watches, focusing on the latest models. Maruyama and Hirota joined in, discussing which Panerai they liked best and their favorite designs. Some customers even ended up making a purchase, and the event came to a successful close.