For a brand with a history and design heritage closely associated with diving, such an investment in the development of its chronographs is a strange and risky move. But do these Luminor Chronos have what it takes to convince existing Panerai to diversify their tastes and attract new customers who have no shortage of options in the luxury chronograph segment?

If you’re not familiar with the material, Goldtech is Panerai’s proprietary alloy that contains a higher percentage of copper and platinum, giving it a darker color than typical rose gold, as well as a high degree of resistance to tarnishing. Basically, Goldtech is to Panerai what Everose is to Rolex and Sedna is to Omega. The dial color on this replica Rolex watch is Blu Notte, which translates to “night blue” and is absolutely gorgeous with the Goldtech case. In my photos, the blue isn’t as dazzling, but it shines beautifully indirect light. All in all, it’s just a wonderful combination of dial color and case material.

We’ll have to wait and see if it will gain new customers in the crowded luxury chronograph market. As for the dial, it’s very clear in both versions I tried, and the hands with luminescence and the laminated dial are well done, as you’d expect from any modern Panerai. I think I could have left out the “chronograph” at 6 o’clock, as the pushers on the side of the case and the sub-registers on the dial convey this quite thoroughly.

The case has a lot of nice lines and curves that add some real sturdiness and refinement to the whole package. In fact, I did find that the interplay of straight lines and curves throughout the case helped to distract from the large chunk that would have been more apparent on a flatter case. The pushers on the left side of the case are nice and solidly constructed, with a satisfying tactile feel when pressed. Thank goodness they don’t pierce the wrist either. Frankly, when I wear a chronograph, meeting these criteria is all I ask for.
The Panerai Luminor Chrono has landed in a crowded and competitive luxury chronograph market, and only time will tell how they perform. That being said, when handling these replica watches in metal, their finish is very impressive and my gut tells me that Panerai will sell a lot of these watches once consumers get them in boutiques and retailers. I find the weight of the case and dial to be more than adequate for their class, although the power reserve and water resistance may turn some people off. In terms of the former, I think having a power reserve that’s a day or so less than what you like is usually more important in theory than in practice. But that’s just my opinion. As for the latter, only the user knows how they will use their fake watch, so if 100m isn’t enough, then it’s probably not for you.