Illustrating Officine Panerai's close ties with the Italian navy, a pop-up exhibition showcasing a slow-speed human torpedo entices visitors to step into a submarine-like ambience that takes them away from Singapore's bustling Orchard Road.
The 1938 prototype human torpedo, Siluro a Lenta Corsa.
Although not sitting astride on the cumbersome 7.5m-long torpedo nicknamed maiale (meaning pigs), the "History and Legend" exhibition takes visitors on a ride back in time to learn of the brand's heritage and view iconic timepieces.
The Siluro a Lenta Corsa (S.L.C) torpedo dates back to 1938, when it was designed to carry two commandos for underwater warfare while Panerai watches and instruments, such as compasses and depth gauges, were specially created for attacks against enemy's vessels.
Before making watches, Panerai had long been producing nautical devices for the navy, with some of these instruments on display at the exhibition.
Ref. 3646 Radiomir — 1930s.
The Florentine company was asked to design a diver's watch of which the prototype tested in 1936 proved to be trustworthy for underwater missions. The display of vintage watches include a 1938 Radiomir Ref.3646 housed in a 47mm pillow-shaped case, with the strap lugs soldered onto the case and a specially treated leather strap for use in seawater sewn directly onto the case.
An easy-grip "onion crown" for winding and setting the time could be screwed together with the case and sealed the watch to a depth of around 100m.
The dial was designed for underwater visibility, as underneath the black-coated aluminium milled disc was a layer of Radiomir paint, a mix of phosphorescent zinc sulphide and radium bromide.
Not only did Panerai serve the Italian military, it created the 1956 Radiomir L'Egiziano for the Egyptian navy. With a 60mm steel case, this oversized timepiece is structurally different boasting a large rotating bezel and reference markers at five-minute intervals, with the design enabling the calculation of immersion time.
This model later inspired Submersible watches, with the exhibition dedicating a specific area to this range, including exemplary pieces like Luminor Submersible 1950 3 days Automatic Bronzo and Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Ceramica.
Two exceptional vintage models with the engraving Marina Militare on the dial are also included in the vintage collection. They demonstrate Radiomir's evolution towards Luminor, characterised by a bridge-shaped crown-protecting device that increases its resistance to water and shocks.
The solid strap attachments are made from the same block of steel, replacing wire lugs that were welded onto the case in the early models.
In the 1950s, radium-based substance was gradually replaced by non-radioactive Luminor paint that gave excellent visibility in the dark.
The Radiomir and Luminor designs were covered by the Military Secrets Act for many decades until after the Richemont Group acquired Panerai in 1997, which led to the commercial launching of these models.
The exhibition also bring current models offering a marriage of Italian design and Swiss watchmaking know-how of the Panerai manufacture, which is now based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Learning of the history, visitors to the exhibition can better relate to new versions in titanium such as the Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Titanio and Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Titanio launched earlier this year at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) 2015.
Until Sunday from 11am to 9pm, Panerai's "History And Legend" exhibition is in front of ION Orchard shopping mall in Singapore. Visit ion.singapore@panerai.com for guided tour registration.
Bourdon wrist depth gauge — 1940s.
Radiomir L'Egiziano 1956.
Vintage Luminor — 1950s.
Marina Militare Transitional 3646 — 1950s.
