Big lume, big case, big personality
By Rafael Ortiz, Mexico City ยท
Panerai lume is the brightest thing in my watch box. Full stop. At 3 a.m. on a flight deck the dial on a Luminor glows like a little moon, and with a GMT hand on top, that's a big point in its favor.
Now the rest of it. A 44 mm cushion case, 15.85 mm thick, with the famous crown guard bridge. On 24 mm leather it's a lot. 300 meters of water resistance, so it's tough. The P.9010/GMT has 72 hours of reserve and the local hour hand can be set on its own, which makes it practical for travel.
The crown guard is clever and protects the crown well, but flipping the lever every time I want to change time zones is one extra step I don't love on a GMT.
At 9,600 to 10,500 dollars, it's in Rolex territory. If you love Panerai, this is a great one. If you just want a GMT, the GMT-Master II is easier to live with.