Celestial CELEBRATIONS
A WATCH THAT HONOURS THE GENIUS OF GALILEO GALILEI
Panerai’s tribute to Galileo Galilei, L’Astronomo, showcased the Italian brand’s prowess in interpreting traditional complications for a beautifully customised timepiece.
A calendar, tourbillion regulator, equation of time indication and display of sunrise and sunset times were combined in the masterpiece introduced in 2010, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the celestial observations following the invention of the telescope by the Italian polymath.
The second L’Astronomo celebrates Galileo’s moon watching through the telescope, which led to discoveries concerning lunar appearance and movement that were captured on his detailed drawings.
Introduced at SIHH 2018 last week, Panerai L’Astronomo-Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMT is of the same whopping 50mm size, and is tailor-made like its predecessor, while differing in the additional functions, namely the moon phase indication, the GMT and a novel system for displaying the date using polarised crystals.
The personalisation technically extends to the skeletonised P.2005/GLS movement, which operates in accordance with the geographical co-ordinates chosen by the client. Thus the moon phases, displayed on the back of the watch, will always relate to the sky above that place.
The moon phase display is integrated into the day/night indicator, by means of a system consisting of two superimposed rotating discs.
The upper disc displays 24 hours of the day, showing the sun during the hours of daylight and the stars of the sky at night. The lower disc can be seen in a little round window, where the moon appears with its shape evolving day by day as the disc rotates in tune with the lunar cycle.
Following the sun path, indicators of sunrise and sunset times are positioned on the front, and like the moon phase indicator, are connected to home time. If the watch owner travels to a city with a different time zone, these indicators will continue to show the time at home, indicated by the GMT hand.
Located at 6 o’clock, a linear indicator of the equation of time displays the difference between actual time (solar time) and conventional time on each day — this period ranging between plus and minus 15 minutes, according to the time of year.
For the new L’Astronomo, Panerai introduces an original polarised crystal date display designed to integrate perfectly with the skeletonisation of the movement without covering its parts.
The date disc is made of borosilicate glass while the numbers of the days have laser-modified optical properties. The numbers are virtually invisible in all positions except for the one revealed through the polarised crystal of the aperture at 3 o’clock.
The absence of an actual dial has other elements of a traditional dial appearing on the movement or the flange.
The sophisticated skeletonisation further allows a view of the characteristic Panerai tourbillion escapement on both the front and back of the watch. The rotation can be seen by an indicator in the small seconds counter at 9 o’clock on the front of the watch.
Panerai’s patented mechanism differs from traditional tourbillion by rotating once in 30 seconds instead of in one minute and the cage rotates on an axis at right angles, rather than in parallel, to the balance.
The cage of the balance rotates continuously on itself, to correct any alterations caused by gravity and possible friction. The higher speed and the mechanism’s arrangement mean that any possible alterations of rate are effectively compensated, resulting in more accurate timekeeping.
The precision is complemented by a power reserve of four days, driven by two spring barrels visible along with the indicator on the back of the watch.
L’Astronomo’s multiple complications are packed in the Luminor 1950 cushion-shaped case with a crown-protecting bridge. Case material options include titanium and red or white gold. The finish of the case along with colour of hands, Super-LumiNova, and alligator strap can be selected in creating an exclusive Galileo-inspired timepiece.