Physically, Panerais are big, macho watches. So it made sense to see television star Mario Lopez sporting his Officine Panerai Luminor Marina Automatic Acciaio at the Big Knockout Boxing 3 event in Las Vegas.
In a way, with his dimples and teen heartthrob past, Lopez doesn’t seem like a Panerai guy. To his credit, The Extra host is not afraid to make his Automatic Acciaio work for him (a quick search shows him wearing it on the job interviewing other celebrities, hanging out with his kids and attending red carpets such as the BKB bout last weekend). And the way Lopez matched this iconic dive watch with a simple pair of chinos and a t-shirt made us realize that the true strength of the Marina is in its simplicity.
Officine Panerai Luminor Marina Automatic Acciaio
First of all, the face of this underwater watch is incredibly uncluttered—no bezels, chapters or colors—just a clean black dial with graphic Luminor Arabic numerals. The watch is also hardwearing, housed in a stainless steel Luminor case with a sapphire crystal. And although this is a big 44mm chunk of metal, the Bauhaus-like design makes it look lighter (which in turn, makes it a much more versatile watch than other divers).
The functions are also minimal: just the hours, minutes, a small seconds and a date powered by a 21 jewel OP III caliber movement. Still, this chronometer is COSC certified. It’s also water-resistant to 300 meters and has a 42-hour power reserve.
There is plenty of opulence to be found in the Automatic Acciaio. You can geek out over the hypoallergenic AISI 316L 1.4435 stainless steel case, coo over the Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges or simply admire the richness of the alligator leather strap (it uses the rectangular scales from the central part of the hide).
Just as Lopez has moved away from being typecast as a Saved By The Bell sex symbol, the effortless elegance of the Panerai Luminor Marina Automatic Acciaio helps it transcend the stereotype of being just a status symbol.
