Panerai Luminor GMT North Pole

Panerai has become an exclusive supporter of the North Pole Winter Expedition.

The company has developed the Panerai Luminor GMT North Pole, a timepiece featuring the most advanced watchmaking technologies. The performance of the watch was tested in extreme conditions during the expedition.

Panerai North Pole Winter Expedition watch is housed in a steel case with 44 mm in diameter. The case is covered by the 3 mm thick sapphire crystal provided with anti-reflective treatment. The winding crown is protected by the distinctive bridge, a construction patented by Panerai. The watch is also equipped with an additional internal case produced from soft iron. It is necessary for protecting the mechanism from the magnetic field of the earth. Such protection is of special importance if taken into consideration that the influence of the magnetic field increases on the North Pole.

The blue dial with luminous numerals and markers provides perfect readability of the timepiece. It offers both the time and the date indications. The date aperture at 3 o'clock position is supplied with the magnifying lens. The second time zone is pointed by the additional hand. The timepiece comes with a water-resistant Velcro strap.

The rotating bezel of the Panerai North Pole Winter Expedition is a detail of special interest. It features the four applied letters of the cardinal points. The bezel has been developed to give the watch's wearer an opportunity to establish one's position by observation of the stars. This simple device is possible to be used in the conditions of complete darkness - a common situation for explorers traveling to reach the North Pole. It provided the 2006 explorers of the North Pole, Mike Horn and Borge Ousland, with a basic system of orientation - the travelers were surrounded by the severely cold environment which made impossible the usage of the compass and GPS.

The Panerai watch is powered by a chronometer-certificated automatic mechanical movement - Panerai caliber OP VIII. The Panerai watchmakers lubricated the movement with special oils to provide its reliability even when the watch's wearer finds oneself close to the North Pole. The screw case back features a diagram which depicts the polar ice cap and the track of the North Pole expedition. There are also the signatures of Mike Horn and Borge Ousland, who took part in the expedition. The timepiece is water-resistant down to 300 meters. It offers power reserve of 42 hours.

Heroes of the Expedition

Mike Horn is well-known to the fans of Panerai due to his participation in the Arktos expedition, when he alone circumnavigated the Arctic Circle during the two years period. In 2006 Mike Horn involved himself in another courageous adventure - during the North Pole Winter Expedition he traveled across more than thousand kilometers of ice.

The expedition was organized in winter, with no sunlight and very low temperatures falling down to -40 degrees Celsius. In the expedition Mike Horn was accompanied by Borge Ousland, an experienced explorer from Norway. The expedition set a real challenge in front of the two explorers and its success was provided by the most reliable equipment based upon thorough technological research. In the extreme conditions of the North Pole the equipment passed through the most rigorous testing that proved its endurance and reliability.