In a groundbreaking achievement, Panerai has unveiled the Submersible Elux Lab-ID, a luxury dive watch that illuminates its display without a battery. This limited-edition timepiece, priced at $96,300, boasts a patented system that generates electricity through a self-winding movement, powering multiple LEDs that illuminate the watch’s functions.
Panerai’s CEO, Jean-Marc Pontroué, emphasizes the brand’s commitment to mechanical watches, stating that batteries go against their ethos. Instead, the Submersible Elux Lab-ID utilizes a novel deployment of LEDs, powered by electricity generated in the movement.
The watch features a push-button on the left side of the case that switches the lights on and off. The activation button is protected by a safety device that guards against impact and water pressure. The watch’s blue-ish case material, Ti-Ceramitech, is also patented and made from a ceramized titanium alloy.
The real innovation lies in the watch’s ability to generate electricity through a dynamo device, powered by the oscillating weight that winds up the movement. This electricity is then used to illuminate the watch’s display, including the hands and rotating bezel.
The Submersible Elux Lab-ID has four patents, including one for the activation button and another for the watch’s blue case material. The watch’s development took eight years, with a team of watchmakers trained to assemble the microscopic LEDs, circuitry, and components.
While the watch’s luminosity is its most striking feature, Panerai hints at potential future applications for this technology beyond a light display. With its commitment to innovation and mechanical watches, Panerai has once again pushed the boundaries of what is possible in haute horlogerie.
