This year’s prestigious America’s Cup begins this week in Barcelona, with five Challenger teams and the reigning champion Emirates Team New Zealand lining up in one-on-one match-races with four races per day. Among the Challengers is Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, a team that has been closely associated with Panerai since 2019. This partnership has led to the development of technical watches capable of outstanding performance and reliability during the ultimate sailing challenge.
At the heart of this partnership is the Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech, a watch that embodies the spirit of sailing’s elite competition. With its 44mm case made from trademarked Ti-Ceramitech material, which combines the strength and lightness of ceramic and titanium, this watch is said to mirror the ethos of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team at the apex of sailing competition.
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“Our association with the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team resonates deeply with Panerai’s maritime heritage and our pursuit of boundary-pushing performance. This partnership is a natural extension of our brand’s core values,” says CEO of Panerai, Jean-Marc Pontroué.
The synergy between Panerai and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is evident in the development of the Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech. The watch’s case is made from a material that is almost half the weight of an equivalent in steel and ten times tougher than traditional ceramic. This material’s development was in-step with similar work being done by the Luna Rossa team, who were looking for materials that could reduce friction and increase performance.
“In recent years, as boats have gotten faster, the forces acting on sails and other boat parts have increased. Friction, which can add up to 30% more force, became a major issue. So, research was done on materials that don’t create as much friction, including titanium, special steels, composites, and more. However, none were ideal until by chance, it was found that a certain type of treated ceramic had a very low friction. After many tests, materials that are very strong and coated with ceramic were used, reducing friction to below 10%. This discovery is now used in many parts of the boat, like pulleys and carts, wherever there’s movement or rubbing under heavy load,” explains Max Sirena, team skipper and director for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.
The Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech is powered by an automatic P.900 calibre with anti-shock protection and a power reserve of three days from a single main barrel. The watch is available in two versions, with a blue sun-brushed dial (PAM01466) or a white grained matt face (PAM01543), both priced at $16,600 USD.