Panerai's intense partnership with luna rossa sails into the america's cup

For a brand that built its reputation on the rugged performance of dive watches, Panerai has always had an affinity for the high-stakes world of competitive sailing. The 90-year-old Italian manufacturer has been a close partner and sponsor of the Luna Rossa sailing team since 2019, collaborating on a series of bespoke watches inspired by the America's Cup.

Timeless design meets modern tech

Last week, Panerai unveiled its latest Luna Rossa watches, based on the iconic Luminor Marina design. These modern iterations boast a sleek, sun-brushed silver dial and a 42-hour power reserve for the chronograph model, or a 72-hour reserve for the GMT version. Both are crafted in stainless steel and feature a water-resistance rating of 100 meters, more than enough for a deck or a wet beach.

The 44mm chronograph comes with a chunky, rubber-and-textile strap in gray, accented with the signature red stripe of Luna Rossa, a color scheme unchanged since the team's inception. Meanwhile, the 40mm GMT model sports a stainless-steel bracelet.

These two watches embody the perfect blend of rugged functionality and stylish design that Panerai is known for, with the added bonus of being directly inspired by the world of competitive sailing.

A passion for performance

For Gilberto Nobili, Luna Rossa's operations manager and mechatronics coordinator, the partnership with Panerai is deeply personal. As a veteran sailor who has crewed four America's Cups with the team since 2003, Nobili has a deep appreciation for the technical wizardry that goes into keeping these high-performance boats afloat.