Panerai Luminor Due 45mm PAM00944: Malaysia Price and Review

Leong Wong 09 April 2018

Panerai gets bitten by the travel bug.

Historically known to be a supplier of diving watches for various militaries around the world, Panerai launched its first product for the civilian market in 1993. The Luminor, as it was named, featured a bold design move on the part of the manufacture. Its outsized case measured a hefty 47mm in diameter, something unheard of in an era where most watches would only go up to 40mm.

Despite the gargantuan build of the Luminor, it was a great hit in a market that had begun to see a resurgence of mechanical timepieces. The Luminor set a trend of oversized watches and quickly enticed a new generation of watch collectors who were thirsting for something new and exciting.

After nearly 30 years of staying robustly large, Panerai unveiled the Luminor Due in 2016. It had a smaller and more elegant design compared to its predecessors. The draw of it was unquestionable as the watch retained the DNA that made the original Luminor a firm favourite but with sleeker trimmings. Fast-forward two years and for 2018 we have the Luminor Due 3 Days GMT Automatic Power Reserve Acciato 45mm, an elevated piece of the collection with a practical touch.

Slim enough to be worn under your shirt cuff, something rather difficult with its predecessor, this year’s Due bears a 45mm case that’s polished ever so nicely down to its famous crown guard. The anthracite with sunburst polished dial contrasts against the polished case to evoke a style of two eras – the 1960s and the present. On it is Panerai’s recognisable luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers.

Powering the watch is the 288-component Manufacture Calibre P. 4002 automatic movement (above) that features a Glucydur balance, two barrels and a slew of other components that make it an extremely robust engine. Boasting up to 72 hours of power reserve that’s displayed though the power reserve indicator at seven o’clock, the movement also features a date function at three o’clock while a second time zone appears at nine o’clock.

A perfect tool for a globetrotting gentleman looking for something remarkable but not too much, the Luminor Due 3 Days GMT Automatic Power Reserve Acciato 45mm is probably one of most handsome travel companions we’ve seen this year.