The PRADA Cup | Panerai as Official Timekeeper

The PRADA Cup starts on Friday, January 15 with the three Challengers competing to qualify to race against the America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup Match. Panerai is the official timekeeper to the event. Debbie Hathway talks to Alessandro Ficarelli, product development director for Panerai, ahead of the Prada Cup this weekend.

Passion Personified

 

Typically, a marketer of luxury watches can talk for hours on their favourite subject and Alessandro Ficarelli is no exception. Nothing is more exciting for a specialist watch writer than being on the receiving end of that infectious enthusiasm. After almost two decades with this sought-after, exclusive brand, I wondered what still excites him about it. “It’s more than a job… It’s such a unique brand, and being a proud Italian responsible for the product of an Italian brand is something unique,” says Ficarelli.

As product development director, he participates actively in the brand’s growth and development. “The difference is that every year brings new challenges to present our novelties, always respectful of the DNA and aesthetic codes of the brand,” he says.

The Panerai brand story dates back to its founding in Florence in 1860 as a workshop, shop and school of watchmaking. For decades Panerai supplied the Italian Navy, particularly its specialist diving corps, with precision instruments. Those designs, which included the Luminor and Radiomir, were protected by the Military Secrets Act and launched on the international market only once the brand was acquired by the Richemont Group in 1997.

Exclusive brand

Panerai was one of the first watchmakers to produce left-handed watches, a concept developed to suit the naval commandos who, fastening a depth gauge or compass (also made by Panerai) to their left wrist, needed to wear a watch on their right. “You have to consider that these were handwound watches so it is much better to have the crown closer to hand to facilitate operation, like winding or setting the time. This is a decision based on function, not just design,” says Ficarelli.

Coincidentally, when Ficarelli joined Panerai, the first watch he bought was a Luminor left-handed, handwound. “When I wear it I use it on the other wrist. The only difficulty is that if I want to recharge it, I have to take it off,” he says.

A Luminor person

Ficarelli declares himself “a Luminor person”, although the day of the interview he was wearing a Luminor Due.   He owns numerous Panerai pieces, favouring the automatic watches, and chooses his accessory according to the occasion. Weekend wear usually calls for the Submersible.

In 2019, Panerai clarified their offering by grouping their collections into four lines. Ficarelli describes the Radiomir as being closely associated to historic orders, more for the conservative achiever, while the Submersible is the adrenalin line for the sporty adventurer. Luminor is the sporty, casual line, incorporating the bestselling Luminor Marina, while the Luminor Due 38mm is thinner, dressier; a discreet watch that you can also wear under a shirt sleeve. “Panerai is a masculine brand but (the Luminor Due) is a watch women also like… as do clients with smaller wrists,” he says.

Distinctive Italian design

As 2020 was the Year of the Luminor for Panerai, so 2019 was the Year of the Submersible. That year saw the launch of the Submersible Luna Rossa – 47mm, among others, which coincided with Panerai’s partnership announcement with Prada and Pirelli as sponsors of the 36th America’s Cup Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa.

The piece features the proprietary composite material, Carbotech, in the case and bezel. A product of Panerai’s research and development department, Laboratorio Di Idee, the material is based on carbon fibre, and designed to enhance both aesthetics and performance of the watch. Carbotech has an uneven, matt black appearance, which varies depending on the way it is cut, making each piece unique.

A watch suited to yacht racing

 

The Submersible Luna Rossa – 47mm was the first of the collection to be released in 2019 to commemorate Panerai’s commitment to the America’s Cup to be held in Auckland in March 2021. The Luna Rossa team, led by Max Sirena, wears this timepiece bearing the Luna Rossa logo and America’s Cup profile engraved on the titanium back.

Panerai was also an official partner for the 35th America’s Cup, creating watches for fans of ORACLE TEAM USA and SOFTBANK TEAM JAPAN.

The collection

The current collection has grown to include the Luminor Luna Rossa GMT – 44mm, Luminor Luna Rossa GMT – 42mm, the Luminor Chrono Flyback – 44mm and the Luminor Luna Rossa Regatta – 47mm. To own one of these (and any other new Panerai release, for that matter), collectors must be quick off the mark to register their interest as soon as the pieces are advertised.

On December 3, 2020, for 24 hours only, Panerai made just 20 pieces of the limited edition Luminor Luna Rossa GMT 44mm available to purchase via the website. They sold out within minutes.
Panerai timepieces are notable for their Swiss mechanics, Italian design, avant-garde technology and unwavering dependability. With the input of the team behind Laboratorio Di Idee, buyers can continue to look forward to collectable releases that merge strong, distinctive Italian design with the highest qualitative innovation, each with their own unique story.

What’s more, because Panerai regards the ocean as its natural playground, sustainability is high on the company agenda not just for its products but also its manufacture. “What is super nice is the work we’re doing on sustainability,” says Ficarelli. “We launched this project under the label, Panerai Ecológico. (All the concepts by Laboratorio Di Idee have an Italian name). Our manufacture is green and we are working to have more and more recycled components in our watches. Our challenge is to have a watch that is 100% recycled in the future.”

The format of the Prada Cup

The PRADA Cup consists of 17 racing days starting with a multiple Round Robin format. The three Challengers – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, New York Yacht Club American Magic and INEOS TEAM UK will each face the other teams four times.

The team with the most points at the end of the Round Robins moves directly to the PRADA Cup Final, while the remaining two teams compete head-to-head, in a best of 7 Semi-Final matches from 29th January to 2nd February.

The PRADA Cup Final, between the 13th and the 22nd February, will be a series of thirteen races where the first team to reach seven wins will win the exquisite PRADA Cup trophy. The winner will become the Challenger of the 36th America’s Cup presented by PRADA, racing against the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand.

To win the America’s Cup, first you have to win the PRADA Cup

Two races per day are scheduled for the PRADA Cup, with the race window set between 3:00 PM- 5:00pm NZT. The Final’s races will be raced in the race window between 4:00 PM- 6:00pm NZT.

The racecourse will be a windward-leeward configuration outlined by boundaries with an upwind start. Its length (approximately between 1.1 to 2.2 nm) will depend upon the exact location of the course and the prevailing weather conditions. The permitted wind range is between 6.5 and 21 knots for the Round Robin races and the Semi-finals, and between 6.5 and 23 knots for the PRADA Cup Final.

The race course will be decided on the day by the Race Management and detailed information for on-water spectators will be available on the America’s Cup website.

THE CHALLENGERS

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
Challenger of Record

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is the official Challenger of Record. Patrizio Bertelli, CEO of the PRADA Group, established the team in 1977. This is their sixth attempt to win the America’s Cup. The team is led by two time Cup winner, Skipper and Team Dir. Max Sirena.

 

New York Yacht Club American Magic
Challenger

Formed in October 2017 by Bella Mente Racing, Quantum Racing and the New York Yacht Club, American Magic represents a joint vision to win the America’s Cup.
The team brings together two highly successful racing programs with one of the foremost yacht clubs in the world. The name, American Magic, is a nod to the New York Yacht Club’s storied America’s Cup history; a combination of the boat the trophy is named for, and the first boat to defend it.

 

 

INEOS TEAM UK
Challenger

INEOS TEAM UK was formed in 2018 to bring the America’s Cup home to Britain, and will race for Royal Yacht Squadron Racing, regarded as one of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world. Before relocating to New Zealand, the team was based in Old Portsmouth, and is led and backed by INEOS Founder and Chairman, Jim Ratcliffe. Sir Ben Ainslie, a previous America’s Cup winner (AC34) and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time is the Team Principal and Skipper.

Watch the Prada Cup live on the website or on Youtube.