Panerai Luminor 1950

The flagship, the most recognizable Panerai, and the silhouette most people picture when they think of the brand. The defining feature is the patented crown-protecting bridge: a semi-circular guard with a locking lever that clamps the crown against the case, developed for the Italian Navy and patented in the mid-1950s. Add the cushion case, sandwich dial, and oversized presence, and you have the Panerai template. The range is huge and runs hand-wound and automatic, with the Luminor Marina as the archetype. Recent models have pushed water resistance as high as 500m. If you want the quintessential Panerai, you start here.