Small Talk JEAN-MARC PONTROUÉ

The CEO of Panerai talks about sustainability and the brand’s first step into the world of Web3

You’ve just launched limitededition Radiomir Eilean watches which come with Panerai Genesis NFTS. Tell us about your move into Web3. The NFT concept is testament to Panerai’s Laboratorio di idee approach, [part of] our positioning to be a pioneer, to be much more daring than other watchmakers. It’s important that we surprise our customers. The digital world allows us to amplify our messages. Web3 is an additional tool for us to spread the message of the beauty of Panerai.

The new Panerai Submersible Quarantaquattro esteel is the latest example of the brand’s commitment to sustainability. Tell us what makes esteel special. three years, the commitment of Panerai is that our whole steel programme will be switched to esteel, which is 75 per cent of our watches. We decided last year to make it an open ecosystem, which means that all the suppliers who have helped us develop this concept of recycled watches are more than welcome to our manufacture so that we can show them [how it’s done], and they’re very much welcome to do the same for their watches.

Why did you make it an open system rather than keep the technology a secret?

It’s a good practice, and I’m very happy if others don’t lose three years like we did to make it happen. I’m very happy that Panerai was the first one to [execute this idea], and for the first time in my life, I’m very happy to be copied by others.