Owning a Panerai watch is a dream for many. Having started life as utilitarian diving watches, Panerai are now coveted as iconic sports watches. The watches of Panerai today haven't changed that much from their original design. The Radiomir Chrono definitely owes its styling to a previous age though it possesses a timeless simplicity and elegance that people never tire of. He is a review of the Radiomir Chromo from Panerai.



The Panerai Radiomir has a long history. It was first created in 1938 for the Royal Italian Navy. The watch has been characterized by its robustness, reliable movement, and oversized casing that houses a dial that is easy to read.

The construction of the Radiomir is strong. The casing is built from AISI 316L steel and is 45 mm wide. You can only appreciate the weight and sturdy qualities of the Panerai Radiomir when you actually wear one.

The watch is fitted with a Panerai OP XVIII caliber automatic movement. The movement was developed by Panerai. The haute horlogerie Swiss movement operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a power reserve of 42 - quite impressive for an automatic of this type.

Enough with the technical specifications, what does the watch look like? First off comes the case. It is made in steel as stated. The dial is a circle which then morphs into a rounded square mounting sometimes referred to as a cushion-shape style. The chronograph functions are where you would expect to find them at 2 and 4 o'clock positions.

The dial of the Panerai Radiomir couldn't be simpler. It's black with luminous indices (Arabic numerals appear only at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions). The hour and minute hands are simple pointers and the dial comes with two subsidiary dials at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions.

The Radiomir differs from the Luminor in that you don't get the crown guard. There are a lot of people I know who don't think a Panerai is a Panerai without the trademark crown guard. However, such people are ignorant about Panerai and don't appreciate that there's more to a Panerai watch than the distinctive crown guard available on some models. The Radiomir also has a more antiquated look than do the models available from the Luminor collection. The case is always polished steel on the Radiomir, whereas the Luminor comes in additional finishes such as brushed steel and.

The Panerai Radiomir has a timeless quality to it. It doesn't quite fit into the mould of modern sports watches; the dial is simple without the need for skeletal hands, the addition of bold colors, or fancy painted backgrounds, the bezel only comes in polished steel and the strap you get is either black or brown leather. But that is its appeal. If you want something a little more up-to-date you can buy the Luminor.

The Panerai Luminor is for people, like me, who appreciate understated style married with today's latest movements. The Luminor hasn't changed very much since its inception but then why should Panerai change something that many watch enthusiasts have grown to adore.