Luxury watch brands sponsoring sporting events that one fit into a more upper-class lifestyle makes a certain sort of sense. ?I mean, if youve got the coin to spend on, say, the training, equipment, and the like for things like equestrian sports or sailing, well, youre probably not going to be kicking around with your high school calculator watch on your wrist, now are you? ?There are several high-end brands that likely come to mind when youre thinking of sailing, but one that has never come to my mind would be Panerai. ?Well, theyre aiming to change that for us with their just-announced?Panerai Luna Rossa Challenger Submersible PAM 1039.SpecificationsBrand: ?PaneraiModel:?Luna Rossa Challenger Submersible PAM 1039Dimensions: 47mmWater Resistance: 30 bar (300m)Case Material: carbon fiber with titanium casebackCrystal/Lens: SapphireMovement: automatic, P.9010/GMT, in-house.Frequency: 28,800 mphPower Reserve: 72 hoursStrap/Bracelet: black?caoutchouc strap with titanium bucklePrice Availability: AnalysisFrankly, given the storied history of the brand (spare me the pitchforks, please) and their ties to the Italian Navy, a watch from them headed for the water should work, right? ?I mean, its got Submersible right in the name! ?Then again, if youre in the water in a boat race, youve done something wrong. ?Should you dip below the waves, though, the Panerai?Luna Rossa Challenger Submersible PAM 1039 should hold up just fine.Now, in all things racing, you want to have things as light as possible. This perhaps doesnt extend to the watches the crew has one, but why not? ?If this Panerai was executed in steel (as were used to), the 47mm case could hardly be considered a lightweight. ?You change that material over to carbon fiber the exact same stuff that the hull of the boat Panerai is sponsoring is made out of then youve got a different story (also the same material were seeing on some other new watches). ?Its light, its tough, and it wont corrode in salt water. ?Good start, right? ?Add in a dial thats made up of bits of the sail on the Luna Rossa AC75, and youve got something that thematically fits right in with the boat literally.ConclusionYou know me Im a sucker for a GMT, and I liked how Panerai executed on it, so I started off liking this watch. ?Flip side of the coin, Im not really into sailing, nor have I been a fan of watches that are predominantly blacked-out in tone. ?That all said, I do find myself liking the?Panerai?Luna Rossa Challenger Submersible PAM 1039, even if the case is oversized. ?While large, carbon fiber does lighten things up, and makes for a unique feel on the wrist. ?The sail treatment on the dial also lightens things up a bit sort of how some brands will age a dial while giving some interesting texture. ?Theres also no denying how the hands and indices pop out against the dial. ?I certainly cant claim to be a Panerista, but this is one that is immediately identifiable as being from the brand, while simultaneously (if stealthily) showing support for their Americas Cup team. Follow our pre-, post-, and live SIHH 2019 coverage here and on social media. [...]