Jean-Marc Pontroué has been the CEO of Panerai since April 2018, bringing with him extensive experience from his roles at Givenchy, Montblanc, and Roger Dubuis. With Spice, he talks about the evolution of Panerai’s partnerships, their newest timepieces, and the brand’s plans to tap into India’s expanding luxury market.
The Luna Rossa watches were the stars of 2024. How do you see this partnership evolving?
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The partnership with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team is instrumental in shaping Panerai’s brand equity. It embodies our heritage, values, and forward-looking ethos. The competitive spirit, quest for innovation, and resilience in sailing mirror our aspirations for excellence and precision in horology.
This partnership intertwines Panerai’s sporting narrative with the dynamic world of sailing, enhancing our brand recognition globally. The evolution of the Luna Rossa Collection has been natural, with several watches characterised by high complications and technical features within the Submersible, Luminor, and Luminor Due lines.
We create watches inspired by technologies and materials used in the America’s Cup, one of the most advanced competitions in terms of research and innovation. The Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa PAM01466 and PAM01543, featuring Ti-CeramitechâÄâ, are prime examples. These were presented at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024, showcasing ceramic-coated materials inspired by high-performance sailing, adapted to enhance watchmaking.
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Each watch embodies the shared values of adventure, dynamism, and boldness of this partnership, incorporating high levels of technicity. We are now focussing on the upcoming America’s Cup. Italy has never won the Cup, and a victory would be extraordinary, amplified by the massive support Luna Rossa receives. Winning the America’s Cup is our dream!
Tell us about the magnificent Panerai Submersible Elux Lab-ID?
Elux represents the culmination of our historic patented invention and our Laboratorio di Idee’s purpose. The PAM01800 is the result of eight years of dedicated R&D, featuring four patented systems, 500 metres water resistance, and a 30-minute power light feature, all within a 49mm case.
On-demand lighting is powered by fully mechanical energy storage. Opening the patented pusher-protector system and activating the mechanism illuminates the watch. This innovation uses four dedicated energy-storing barrels, precisely engineered to convert mechanical energy into electricity via a microgenerator.
The compact microgenerator features custom-made coils, magnets, and a stator, optimising energy efficiency without active electronics. It generates a high-frequency electrical signal, channelled to illuminate various dial indicators, including the lighting power reserve and indexes. Illuminating moving elements like the hands and bezel marker was particularly ambitious.
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How important is the clients’ feedback when designing new releases?
Maintaining Panerai’s heritage is paramount. We offer products distinctly imbued with our unique design and history, producing some of the most recognisable watches in the industry. Our brand equity is among the strongest and most distinctive in luxury watchmaking. Indian consumers appreciate our ability to be different by nature. All our iconic designs represent sophisticated elegance, embodying Panerai’s powerful identity and unmatched history. Clients’ feedback plays an important role at Panerai, as customers are at the heart of everything we do.
We actively engage with our clients through boutiques, social media, and exclusive events to understand their needs. These interactions provide valuable insights into their preferences and concerns, ensuring our timepieces exceed their expectations and help us in our pursuit of innovation. Our goal is to create watches that resonate with the varied lifestyles of our clients.
India’s luxury market is set to quadruple by 2030. How does Panerai plan to capitalise on it?
India’s burgeoning luxury market presents a significant opportunity for Panerai. Our strategy involves meeting the dynamic market’s requirements. We recently opened our boutique in India’s new luxury destination, Jio World Plaza, which allows us to capture the local audience. The boutique offers a global luxury experience, featuring the Bar Italiano, a space functioning as a café and paying homage to the coffee tradition.
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Increasing our brand visibility through dedicated boutiques in key markets, including India, is crucial. Creating immersive retail experiences showcasing our technicity enhances customers’ connection to our brand. Panerai aims to continue establishing a strong consumer base in India’s expanding luxury market, keeping our core values of tradition and heritage intact while offering timepieces of the highest quality and design.
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