Panerai Luminor Watches at Gemnation.com

More about Panerai Luminor Watches

Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovanni Panerai as a watchmaker's shop. In 1890, Panerai, under the stewardship of Guido Panerai expanded the business into the manufacture of high precision instruments and became an official supplier of the Royal Italian Navy. By 1993 Panerai stopped providing watches to the Italian Navy, as they were no longer cost-effective. Panerai instead offered its product to the civilian market. The watch gained rapid popularity, and in 1997, Officine Panerai was taken over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. The Panerai brand could have remained in obscurity, but its distinctive and high quality styling ensured that it was just a matter of time before someone took notice. It did not take long. In 1995 Sylester Stallone saw a Panerai Luminor in an Italian jewelry store in Rome and bought it. He also ordered several more of these watches with his signature engraved in the back to give to friends, one of whom was Arnold Schwazeneger. Panerai made its Hollywood debut on the wrist of Arnold Schwarzeneger in Eraser (1996) and Sylester Stallone in Daylight (1996). The watch brand never looked back. Other actors soon followed, including Hugh Grant, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hartnett, Pierce Brosnan, Orlando Bloom, and Clive Owen. They have also sported the distinctive italian watches in film. Panerai has also made it on the small screen being seen on the wrist of Isaiah Washington in Greys Anaotomy and David Caruso in CSI: Maimi. The Panerai Luminor Marina is considered to be the most contemporary of Panerai's series'. With its oversized case, large hands and numerals, it fits in perfectly with today's stylistic mode of dress.