Introducing the Panerai L’Astronomo Luminor Moon Phase GMT

Called the L’Astronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon GMT, it is also Panerai’s first timepiece to sport a moon phases indication and an innovative system using polarised crystal to indicate the date.

The 50mm Tourbillon watch is made to order, and is powered by a Skeletonised movement. It is personalised to suit the specific geographical coordinates of a place chosen by the client.

In addition, the case material, colour of the hands, the engraving, the strap and other special features are also customisable for clients seeking something unique.

The upper disc – which is read by a small external index fixed onto the movement – displays the 24 hours of the day, showing the sun during the hours of daylight and the stars of the sky at night.

At the center of the starry sky is a little round window through which the lower disc can be seen. On this appears the moon, its shape changing with every passing day as a result of a small supplementary rotation of this disc of about 6.1° per day, a figure based on the exact duration of one lunar cycle.

Panerai have also designed a system in which the date disc is made of borosilicate glass and the numbers of the days have lasermodified optical properties.

The numbers are virtually invisible in all positions except for the one that is aligned with the little date window, where a further polarised crystal, situated above the date disc, causes the number to appear so that it is perfectly legible.

Panerai was founded in Florence, Italy by Giovanni Panerai in 1860.