One of the most innovative and surprising creations of the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel is the Lo Scienziato. With its 3D-printed titanium case and P.2005/T skeletonized movement with tourbillon regulator, it has all the characteristics of its predecessor but with a slightly revised appearance.
Continually searching for new, remarkable solutions to make Panerai watches even more technically impressive but without losing the unmistakable identity, the Lo Scienziato skeletonized tourbillion collection is dedicated to Tuscan Genius Galileo Galilei, who with his discoveries laid the foundation for the development of mechanical timepieces. The new Lo Scienziato – Luminor 1950 Tourbillion GMT Titanio is the most recent model of this distinguished series, a special edition with a limited number made.
Kudos to the Laboratorio di Idee of the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel for the lightness of the new Lo Scienziato that is truly remarkable, particularly considering its size and its array of features that include hours, minutes, small seconds, GMT with am/pm indication, a power reserve of six days with indication of the power remaining on the back, and a tourbillion escapement. The ingenious work of minimization is continued on the case and on the sophisticated P.2005/T movement, to design a watch with the typical Panerai characteristics but with a substantially lower weight.
The Luminor 1950 case of the new Special Edition has the classic diameter of 47 mm and it is made of titanium, a material that is not only hypoallergenic and resistant to corrosion but also about 40% lighter than steel. To reduce the weight further, the case is made using innovative technology which enables it to be hollowed out internally. The process, “direct metal laser sintering,” builds up the object layer by layer, using a fibre optic laser and powdered titanium. The result is a component that is very light, but with excellent rigidity, helping to maintain the water resistance of 10 bar (100 metres). This is the first implementation of this technology for a mechanical timepiece.
Weight is also kept low by the skeletonization of bridges, plates and spring barrels, and the absence of a normal dial. Numerals and hour markers are attached to the inner flange of the bezel, and the subdials at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock are integrated with the movement. .
At 9 o’clock, just below the tourbillon, there is a continuous seconds subdial, with another point-form indicator that rotates at the same speed as the tourbillon cage, once every 30 seconds. Along with the hour and minute hands, there is a third GMT hand showing a second time zone and at 3 o’clock there is a day/night indicator showing whether the second time zone is am or pm.
The P.2005/T tourbillion movement is hand-wound and both designed and built by Panerai. It has the brand’s patented tourbillon design, in which the cage rotates on an axis perpendicular to that of the balance, once every 30 seconds.
Presented in 2016 as the first implementation of this technology for a mechanical timepiece, Lo Scienziato is now available in a new version that still has all the characteristics of its predecessor but with a slightly revised appearance. In the new model, the blue of the hands harmonizes perfectly with the metallic tones of the titanium case and it is also used on the flange and in the sewing of the black leather strap, giving the watch an even sportier appearance, perfect for this creation with such a high level of technical content.
