Lovers of old timey-looking watches will love the tropical infused 1950 PCYC chronos that are now available from Panerai. The watches, originally announced in April, are on sale for $12,000 each and add a little flyback to the traditional Panerai chrono design as well as the addition of a regatta timer for the PAM 652.
How does it work? Basically you can reset the timer each time a boat is due to launch by pressing a little button at four o’clock. The flyback chrono times the next minute interval and your next fancy boat sets sail on your mark.
Why do you want these watches? Primarily because you love Panerai, love aged-looking tropical chronos, and you’re a big sailor. Otherwise you could use the regatta timer to time your Hot Pockets in the microwave or the flyback chrono to time your kids as they rush past you to get the last piece of pizza.
From the website:
The new Luminor 1950 PCYC 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic reveal its association with the world of classic yachting through a masterly combination of technology, design and fascinating little details, such as the engraving of an elegant classic yacht on the back, beneath the inscription PANERAI CLASSIC YACHTS CHALLENGE. But the powerful sporting identity is primarily demonstrated by the chronograph flyback function of the Manufacture P.9100 automatic calibre: the push-piece at 8 o’clock instantly zeroes the chronograph hands and immediately restarts them, without it first being necessary to stop them and return them to zero by pressing on the stop and reset button at 10 o’clock. The dial of PAM00654 is ivory with beige markers and blue details and it is supplied with a strap in brown leather with beige sewing. To make reading the dial and its relative functions as clear and as simple as possible, the chronograph minute and seconds hands are of different colours and positioned centrally, while the hour counter is at 3 o’clock and the small seconds dial is at 9 o’clock, its hand being the same colour as the central chronograph seconds hand. Another element which expresses the link with the sea, while at the same time performing a useful additional function, is the tachymeter scale in knots printed on the flange, which enables the average speed of the yacht over a particular distance (one nautical mile) to be measured by the chronograph minute hand. The case of the new Luminor 1950 PCYC 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic is 44 mm in diameter and it is made of AISI 316L stainless steel, an alloy which is extremely resistant to corrosion. Made of the same material as the case but with a contrasting brushed finish, the characteristic bridge device with lever locking the winding crown helps to ensure the water-resistance of the watch to 10 bar (a depth of about 100 metres).
