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Panerai Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech

There is probably no brand on the planet with more robust credentials than Panerai when it comes to aquatic adventure — credentials built upon since the 1940s, when it became supplier to Italian navy commandos. (The naval connection has dictated the brand’s aesthetic from the start: compare the ultra-rare Panerai Radiomir Type A that once belonged to Rear Admiral Amedeo Vesco, which fetched €226,000 at French auction house Artcurial earlier this year, to the brand’s contemporary output.)

Now, though, Panerai is going one stage further by inviting its superfans to not only experience aquatic adventures vicariously, by knowing the history of what they’re wearing on their wrists, but personally, for three new watches introduced at this year’s SIHH invited those who snapped up limited-edition versions to experience the extraordinary allure of intrepid experiences.

There was the new 47mm Submersible Chrono Guillaume Néry Edition, featuring Néry’s signature and details of his incredible final record — a depth of 126 metres, achieved with a single breath — on the case-back and another neat touch in the form of the textured dial resembling a shark’s skin. The 15 plucky purchasers of the special edition of that timepiece will go on a free-diving trip with Néry in his spiritual home of Moorea, French Polynesia.

Meanwhile, the 19 owners of the limited-edition version of the Submersible Mike Horn edition (whose strap, made from recycled plastic, demonstrates Panerai’s respect