Another year, another new material ushered into the world of high horology by Officine Panerai, the Florentine maestros of rugged, sporty luxury. After bringing us such avant-garde alloys as Carbotech and Goldtech in recent years, Panerai introduces in its new Luminor Marine Fibratech – 44MM model a new high-tech composite material made of mineral fibers from volcanic basalt.

Used here for the first time in the watch industry, Fibratech is constructed from “natural and sustainable eco-fibers,” and 60 percent lighter than steel yet highly resilient and corrosion-resistant. Panerai says the material’s unidirectional mineral fibers are produced by the fusion of basalt rock, then bound with polymers to become thin layers which are superimposed in a precise orientation and finally consolidated through a pressure and temperature controlled process. Used in the aerospace industry, Fibratech has a homogenous matte gray appearance that differs slightly in each finished piece depending on the cut of the material. That means that each 44-mm barrel-shaped case of this new timepiece is subtly unique from all others. Fibratech makes up the case middle, including the patented crown protecting bridge, while Carbotech is used for the crown itself, the crown-locking lever, and the bezel.
The Luminor Marina Fibratech – 44MM (PAM01663), one of a handful of special editions released this year in commemoration of the Luminor model’s 70th anniver...