Panerai Luminor 1950 Submersible PAM 243 Luxury Watch Review

Watchuwant is now WatchBox! Subscribe for the best luxury watch content. The Panerai Luminor 1950 Submersible PAM 243 is the latest in a line of Paneri Luminor "Super Subs" dating back to the famed PAM 64 "Bomba" of 2000. Like the PAM 64 and the PAM 87 that followed, the PAM 243 combines the original Panerai Luminor 44mm case size with the 1000-meter hardcore dive rating that defines the Submersible 1000 breed. Unlike its two illustrious ancestors, the Luminor Submersible PAM 243 is built upon Panerai's "1950" case profile. Originally launched as a larger Luminor, the "1950" nomenclature now refers specifically to a certain case shape. While still a "cushion" when viewed from overhead (Height:Width=1:1) the Luminor 1950 case features more complex curvature, thoughtful detail, and ergonomic nuance. This Luminor Submersible 1000-Meter still lives up to the "tuna can" nickname of the series, but now the tuna is bluefin rather than skipjack. Substance is what defines a Panerai Luminor "Super Sub." A thicker stainless steel case is a given, but Panerai steps up to the plate with 5.1mm sapphire crystal that looks as though it could stop a bullet. The sheer depth of this synthetic stone as viewed through the bezel is staggering, and the sapphire's burly build is matches by the size of the unidirectional dive bezel that encircles the dial. Since the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1000 PAM 64 limited edition of Y2K, the Firenze firm has equipped each Super Sub with a helium escape va