Panerai's watches were born with saltwater in their veins. Designed for Italian Navy frogmen on the eve of WWII, Panerai's rugged Radiomir not only timed their secret underwater missions and detonations, but its luminous radioactive radium-based paste lit up the murky depths. Panerai has always cultivated strong ties to all things nautical, including the purchase of the Eilean, a beautiful 1936 Bermudian ketch that was lovingly restored to her former glory. The latest Radiomir 8 Giorni Eilean (ref. PAM01643) is a limited edition of 30 pieces and features bronze recovered from the famous ketch and a very appealing surprise in the box. As part of the brand's ‘Experiences Program’, the watch comes with an invitation to explore the cultural riches of Sicily, including a cruise on board the Eilean.As any collector knows, a watch with a good story is always more collectable, and the history of the Radiomir, the first professional underwater military watch, is action-packed. But what if you could also include an unforgettable experience to mark your purchase? In 2019, Panerai came up with a clever marketing strategy that provides for full immersion experiences with the sale of limited editions. Along with the watch, Panerai offers its clients a full-on experience that can involve anything from combat training with the Marina Militare and dog sledding across the North Pole with Mike Horn to less strenuous activities like those accompanying the new Radiomir 8 Giorni Eilean.EILEAN AT HOMO FABER – MICHELANGELO FOUNDATION – 14/30 SETTEMBRE 2018 VENICEUnderscoring the Italian roots of the brands, the 30 new owners of the watch will be invited to Sicily to soak up the island’s historical, cultural and natural wonders. Starting in Taormina, the itinerary includes a helicopter ride and a hike up Mount Etna and, naturally, a cruise on board Panerai's historic ketch (a two-masted sailing vessel with a triangular mainsail on the main mast and a smaller triangular sail on the shorter mizzen mast) along with other undisclosed surprises. Ad - Scroll to continue with article The 45mm cushion-shaped stainless steel case of the Radiomir 8 Giorni Eilean PAM01643?features bronze details from material recovered from the Eilean during the yacht's extensive renovation. The recovered bronze, composed of copper with 8% tin, is used to craft the bezel, crown and medallion on the caseback engraved with Eilean and the year 1936 in relief (the same year that prototypes of what would become the Radiomir were issued to Italian frogmen commandos). To enhance the vintage appeal of the watch, the 100m water-resistant case has a rugged, burnished finish (brunito) achieved with a PVD treatment followed by hand-brushing. The left steel case flank features an Eilean 1936 engraving with the dragon emblem found on the vessel's hull, and the dark brown leather strap is hot-stamped with 1936, commemorating her maiden voyage.Panerai's classic sandwich dial has a warm, grainy beige gradient finish, recalling the colour of the Eilean’s sails. The cut-out hour markers, Arabic numerals at 12 and 6, and the running seconds counter at 9 o'clock allow the beige Super-LumiNova on the lower plate to shine through,? matching the SLN on the hour and minute hands.Panerai's manual-winding calibre P.5000 with a formidable 8-day power reserve powers the Radiomir. With most of the 113 components sandwiched between two plates, the 4.5mm thick movement is shock-proof and robust. However, the large 10mm balance wheel, supported by a traversing bridge, can be regulated without disassembly.The Radiomir 8 Giorni Eilean Experience Edition PAM01643, a limited edition of 30 pieces, retails for EUR 49,000, including the Sicilian experience. For more details, please visit Panerai.com.