Italian watchmaker Panerai has blended history with modernity in its latest timepiece release, the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition.
Only 50 models of the sailing yacht-inspired Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition will be created, alongside an exclusive collection of 50 NFT artworks that will accompany each purchase of this limited-edition watch.
While signifying a step towards the brand's future with a hyper-modern NFT initiative, the watch itself is distinctly rich in history. Designed to appeal to the yachting crowd, the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition takes its name from the 1936 classic sailing yacht by William Fife owned by Panerai.
The 45mm timepiece features bronze accents salvaged from Eilean during her refit, making it a physical piece of seafaring history. Other features inspired by the classic ketch include the marine blue watch dial, designed with striations reminiscent of Eilean’s teak decking, as well as an engraving of nautical ropes on the watch caseback.
The Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition is presented in a patina steel case and paired with a tobacco-brown strap of calf leather. Waterproof to 100 metres, the timepiece is hand-wound and has a power reserve of three days.
A fully experiential product, owners of the watch and its accompanying NFT will also be granted priority access to events, services and even future blockchain initiatives from the Panerai brand. The first of these will be an invitation for buyers of the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition to board Eilean in June 2022 for a special Mediterranean cruise along Italy’s Amalfi Coast, further solidifying the connection between this modern venture and Panerai’s rich past.
To mark the brand’s entrance into the web3 world, Panerai has partnered with Arianee, a digital platform that will supports buyers in tokenising, distributing and leveraging the value of this uniquely time-stamped NFT series across the internet. Panerai joins a growing community of companies throughout the superyacht and luxury industry that have recently announced NFT enterprises, including Oceanco, Denison Yachting and Cloud Yachts.
“Technology is the next frontier offering limitless potential, and Panerai is at the leading edge in that arena too,” said Panerai chief executive Jean-Marc Pontroue. “Through the creation of our first NFTs, the brand will use dynamic new measures to respond to our customers and allow them to enhance the ownership of their treasured Panerai watches.”
This NFT timepiece venture is just the beginning of Panerai’s journey into the web3 world, however. The brand has hinted at its intention to further modernise for the future by issuing a digital passport for every watch so that wearers can confirm proof of ownership but also unlock benefits and services to enhance the customer experience.
The Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition is priced at €39,000.