A Different Shade of “Green”: Panerai’s 2021 Eco-Friendly Watches

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It’s well known in the watch collecting community that if a watch brand wants to shake things up, they’ll release a favorite watch with a new green dial. While we’re always up for different dial colors, there’s a new wave of green watches hitting the market. No, we’re not talking Hulks and Kermits. Instead, these watches are metaphorically green. Today, we’ll take a look at two eco-friendly Panerai watches. Some of these watches are made with recycled materials, while others have made their manufacturing processes more sustainable. This attention to “greening” the watch industry is a trend we’ll be watching with great interest. Here’s the latest in eco chic. 

Panerai’s 2021 Luminor Marina eSteel

Panerai has never been known for doing business in a traditional manner. They’re not afraid to push the boundaries of what’s expected, whether that be in their product design, marketing approach, or general brand attitude. Panerai’s built an empire on flaunting convention, and the latest addition to their lineup definitely follows suit. At Watches & Wonders, Panerai presented their take on a sustainable watch: the Luminor Marina eSteel. Panerai’s Luminor is beloved by Panerai collectors, and with the Marina eSteel, Panerai takes a classic and tweaks it for a new millennium.

Using a 58% recycled steel alloy, (Panerai dubs this “eSteel”) the watch is a first in sourcing recycled materials for the majority of the watch. Both the watch strap and the crown are made of recycled PET. Even though it uses non traditional colors, Panerai doesn’t hold back on bold design. The three dial colors in blue, green, and gray pulse with saturated color in a 44 mm case, depth-rated to 300 meters. Sandwich cutout indices filled with Super-LumiNova complete the dial. 

Panerai’s 2021 Submersible eLAB-ID 

The Submersible eLAB-ID is even more impressive, as its case and strap buckle is constructed with an 80% recycled titanium alloy. It also features 100% recycled silicon in the P900.e movement, recycled Super-LumiNova on the recycled sandwich dial and recycled gold hands. The sapphire crystal is recycled, as is the fabric strap. However, all these recycled materials retain the utmost integrity, creating a watch that’s visually compelling and technically rugged, retaining water resistance to 300 meters. With the eLAB-ID, Panerai envisions a circular supply chain where older watch parts and materials are never discarded, only repurposed.

This one-of-a-kind Panerai will be difficult to source, since only 30 special edition pieces were made. All are being sold for a not so wallet-friendly price and will be available in 2022. The PAM01225 is limited to 30 pieces, each set to sell for $60,000. It definitely doesn’t showcase how using materials secondhand can be economically savvy. But it’s a proof of concept watch that challenges other watchmakers to consider the impact their manufacturing processes may have on the Earth. (As we enter a new era in conservation, that’s a conversation well worth having.)

Innovative Strap Design for Innovative Watches 

Truth be told, Panerai’s sustainable watches are in a class all their own. Most other eco-friendly timepiece offerings are either quartz or solar-powered quartz, movements that aren’t likely to appeal to the mechanical watch collector. Still, we believe Panerai’s innovation in this area is likely to be followed by a host of watchmakers. As national and international discourse turns towards sustainability, Panerai’s initial offering will likely be seen as the design that launched a new breed of luxury watches.

If you love innovation in watchmaking, you’re likely to appreciate our line of Everest watch straps. With thousands of five-star reviews, our watch bands are custom-designed to fit specific watch models, including the Panerai Luminor 44 and the Luminor Submersible as shown above. Which will you choose?

By Meghan Clark