Introducing the Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica 48mm PAM00577 (specs & price)

Choosing a Panerai means going through a huge catalogue, this comprises multiple editions, complications and a varied price range. It can go from a massive chronograph (the Mare Nostrum PAM00603), to a tourbillon watch with GMT function (the Panerai Radiomir 1940 Tourbillon GMT Oro Rosso) or super cool editions with a vintage Minerva movement (the Panerai Radiomir Platino and Oro Rosso or the Panerai Radiomir 1940 Chronograph). But let’s be frank, when it comes to Panerai, the cleaner, the cooler – and the new Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica 48mm PAM00577, with its vintage inspired looks, pure SLC dial and ceramic case, it is most definitely cool.

One of the most beautiful recent Panerai watches is, for me, the Radiomir SLC 3 Days Acciaio PAM00425. This edition of the classical Radiomir (the first one, with the loop strap attachment) comes with a very sleek dial (of course with a sandwich construction, meaning 2 layers) that shows minimalistic batons and dots as indexes. Furthermore, its dial features the SLC (Silura a Lente Corse, the human torpedo), a feature that is reminiscent of the rich past of Panerai – when Officine was delivering watches to the Italian Navy. We chose here to only talk about the PAM00425 (that is still in the collection) but also note that this same design was used in 2011 in the PAM00373, a 750-piece limited edition that can now reach 30.000 Euros or more on the second-hand market.

It’s this same sleek, clean dial that we found back in the Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica, a.k.a the PAM00577. However, if the face is the same, the case had been reworked in a more modern style, both concerning the design and the material. As you’ve already noticed from the name and from the first photos, this new edition comes with the 48mm Radiomir 1940 case, meaning the transitional shape, that has the central part of a Radiomir, with the lugs of a Luminor but without the crown protection of the latter. Less vintage than a classical Radiomir, which it is but also cleaner and easier to wear than a Luminor. It feels design-wise much more modern. Same goes for the material used, as the case now comes in matt-black ceramic, a lightweight, scratch resistant composite. When mixing this case with this colour, we obtain a definitely cool watch, that looks sporty and contemporary, without being ostentatious.

Just like the PAM00425, the Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica comes with the SLC dial. It only features 2 baton hands (hours and minutes). It shares the typical Panerai sandwich construction, meaning a black plate with openings and a lower plate coated with crème coloured luminous material. This dial is like the rest of the watch extremely simple but it has a classical Panerai style, with clean batons and dots and – good point for hard-core collectors – a relief image of the SLC (Silura a Lenta Corsa) at 6.

The Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica PAM00577 features one of the in-house movements, the Calibre P3000. This large engine can be seen through the sapphire caseback which is tinted, in order to give a darker look that matches with the case – and comes with a deliberately industrial look, due to the straight brushed finish of the bridges (that are however chamfered). It features 2 barrels for 3 days of power reserve and an intelligent quick setting of the hours by one-hour increments – in order not to jeopardize timekeeping.

The Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica comes on a untreated brown leather strap with cream sticking and a black DLC coated titanium buckle. It is priced at 10.900 Euros. More details on Panerai.com.