Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Panerai Luminor 8 Giorni 'Brunito Steel'
It has been a long time since a Panerai has made it onto the list of my favorite watches from a Watches and Wonders showing, but there's one particular model that many of my other colleagues and I have continued to talk about since we first got a glimpse of it in April. I'm talking about the Luminor 8 Giorni, reference PAM01733, in a uniquely finished steel case that Panerai is calling "Brunito steel." Put crudely, this Brunito steel case feels like the distressed-jeans equivalent of the Luminor collection. The large 44mm steel case gets a layer of black PVD treatment, but the final effect is then accomplished through a brushing process by hand. The tendency of black PVD coatings to eventually wear out is an advantage here, as the different monochromatic hues ranging between the bright silver of the base steel and the dark black PVD coating now give the case a look of distressed metal aged over time. The finishing is throughout the entire case, from the inside of the lugs to the caseback and the distinctive crown guard that has become an iconic design element of the Luminor silhouette. Yes, even the strap buckle achieves the same treatment. The handwork also means that each watch is unique, with subtle differences in brushing and fading. I've only seen one in person, so I can't tell you just how different one might be from the next. Though the main draw to this model is the aesthetic, this Luminor's dive watch heritage is not just for show, as it maintains a proper 300-m...
