For wildlife photographer and guide Marlon du Toit, Panerai’s appeal has always gone beyond watchmaking. “I’ve been a fan of Panerai for a long time,” he says. “A big part of that is the culture and heritage the brand carries with it. It’s rooted in exploration, adventure, and a very strong sense of self-belief.”
That connection feels especially relevant in the environments where he works – whether photographing wildlife in the African bush or enduring Arctic conditions in sub-zero temperatures.
“When you’re out in nature, whether it’s minus 25 degrees in the Arctic or extreme heat in Africa, you need confidence in yourself. You’re spending weeks in those environments, with people depending on you. The watch represents that same resilience. It’s strong, bold, and built to be tested.”
He draws a direct parallel between his own work and Panerai’s naval origins. “The Navy guys push these watches to their limits, and in my own way, I get to do the same – heat, humidity, sand, wind. The watch is with me all the time. The moment you put it on, there’s a certain energy to it. It’s almost like suiting up.”
One of his favourite pieces is the Panerai Luminor Equation of Time, which he often wears.
“It’s a complex movement, but still this big, bold watch that Panerai is known for. Photography is painting with light, so I’m always looking for moments where I can place the watch naturally within the landscape.”
Into the Wild at Thornybush
For this shoot, Marlon worked alongside renowned international photographer Garreth Barclay, tracking two male lions through the mud at Thornybush Game Lodge. “A lion and a Panerai go pretty well together,” he says. “There’s nothing more African than a lion and its footprint in the mud.”
His favourite moments to shoot are at dawn and dusk, just before golden hour. “That’s when the mood really comes alive. You see it in the animal’s eyes and in the golden glow on the coat. The atmosphere becomes incredibly cinematic.”
The iconic Land Rover Defender was the game-viewing vehicle of choice, which Marlon says felt perfectly at home in the conditions. “We drove it in the rain, mud, and rough terrain. Seeing rain hit that clear roof while you’re surrounded by wilderness is an incredible feeling. The Defender is one of the most recognisable vehicles in the world, but what I love is that it makes you feel part of nature rather than separate from it.”
For Marlon, Thornybush was the ideal setting for the shoot with the new Panerai PAM01731 and PAM01735. “I travel all over Africa, and there’s still nothing quite like the Greater Kruger.
Beyond the Watch: Panerai’s Heritage, Innovation, and Identity
In a separate conversation with YourLuxury Africa, Panerai Chief Marketing Officer Alessandro Ficarelli reflected on the brand’s commitment to heritage, innovation, and experiential luxury.
YLA: For many collectors, the interest in Panerai begins with a handful of loaded words – Pre-Vendôme, Black Seal, Egiziano, Bronzo. How do you honour those references without letting Panerai become a brand that speaks only to insiders?
Alessandro: Much of this year’s collection references the historic 6152-1 from the 1960s – what we now call the Luminor, though at the time it was simply the reference with the crown-protecting bridge. These are foundational Panerai designs, and our objective is to keep innovating while remaining faithful to our identity.
Panerai began by producing instruments and watches for the Italian Navy. Size, functionality and clarity of design were essential. Legibility drove everything: the large dials, the luminescence, the purity of the design language.
The references you mention – the Egiziano, the GPF 2/56, the Mare Nostrum – are instantly recognisable. Today, even if you removed the logo from the dial, the watch would still be unmistakably Panerai.
YLA: How do you ensure Panerai’s storytelling remains lived rather than merely explained?
Alessandro: For us, heritage must remain at the centre of the brand. Ours is not an invented marketing story. It is an authentic history. Panerai’s story is deeply connected to Italy and the Italian Navy. As an Italian, I’m very proud to represent a brand with those roots. If we continue to honour our identity and stay true to our foundations, we have already done at least half our job.
Innovation with Purpose
YLA: Is understatement a philosophical choice for Panerai in a market that often rewards excess?
Alessandro: If you look back to the last century, Giuseppe Panerai was already a visionary – from the invention of the crown-protecting bridge to the development of luminescent materials and the engineering of the cases to enhance durability and solidity.
Later came the Laboratorio di Idee – the “Laboratory of Ideas” – and that innovative spirit remains central to the brand today. In 2005, we introduced our first in-house calibre and have continued expanding our movements since then. This year, we are presenting a Luminor with a 31-day power reserve.
What makes Panerai distinctive is the combination of Italian design and Swiss watchmaking, and our approach to materials. Materials differentiate us. Bronze, for example, is closely associated with the marine world and became one of our signatures.
We developed Carbotech because clients wanted something lighter and higher-performance, and this year we are introducing forged titanium and new corrosion-resistant materials. These watches were born to be used underwater, so every material innovation must deliver a real benefit to the wearer. For us, innovation is never innovation for its own sake. It must always respect the brand’s identity.
Beyond the Product
YLA: The Panerai Xperiences programme suggests that the brand is as much about shared memory as it is about objects. Can shared experiences become as important to brand equity as iconic references or calibres?
Alessandro: Panerai is an emotional brand, and experiential marketing has become an essential part of how we express that. We launched the Xperiences programme in 2019, and it has been an extraordinary success. These experiences deepen the connection between the brand and our clients, and each one reflects a different side of the brand. Some are military-focused, others are more adrenaline-driven, while some are rooted in history.
The next experience, Viaggi Nel Tempo (“Journey Through Time”) in September, traces Panerai history from Florence through Tuscany and Liguria, where clients will dive using the original Vasca Panerai created in 1966 and train alongside military specialists.
What I love is that clients often book the next experience before even knowing what watch will be associated with it. That tells you everything. It means the connection has moved beyond the product itself. People arrive as strangers and leave as part of the same community. That is the real power of the Panerai experience.
IMAGES: GARRETH BARCLAY; SUPPLIED
