While Watches and Wonders will officially open at 5pm today Hong Kong time, Panerai has already chosen to release news of something quite extraordinary that is bound to excite Panerai fans worldwide!

In some sense, having the release of their wonderful new in-house calibre in the Asian version of SIHH (Salon International De La Haute Horlogerie) does speak of the importance of these markets to the brands of the Richemont Group. Whatever the reasons for this, let’s have a closer look at what the new P4000 movement is all about.

The headline feature of this new movement will strike you when you look at it through the sapphire caseback of the two Radiomir 1940 pieces that it will be available in. There, you will find a view unlike any other that you would have seen before in any Panerai movement. In this automatic movement, you will find a micro-rotor!

Now micro-rotors are wonderful as they allow the combination of the best features of a manual winding watch (where you can see the whole movement) and the typical automatic watch (with the convenience of not having to wind it everyday, but with a big rotor that covers up half the movement at any one time).

Many brands who have micro-rotors in their movements typically chose their dressier watches to house them. Panerai has gone down a somewhat similar path, given that in some ways, despite the unquestioned military heritage of the Radiomir 1940, it does have a much dressier vibe than the Luminor.

Other details of the P4000 are that it contains a 3 day power reserve (from 2 spring barrels connected in series) is 31mm in diameter and 3.95mm thick. That last detail of its thickness of 3.95mm comes thanks to the micro-rotor mounted off centre within the movement, without requiring more space for the typically large centrally mounted rotor.

The two versions of the Radiomir 1940 that will have the new P4000 movement come in stainless steel (Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Acciaio- PAM00572) and rose gold (Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Oro Rosso- PAM00573).

In keeping with the decidedly different feel of the two case materials that the P4000 will come in, stainless steel cased watches will have bridges with a horizontally brushed finish, blue engraving and an oscillating weight of tungsten alloy, with relief decoration on the matte surface. Gold cased watches however will be more luxuriously appointed, with bridges having a circular brushed finish and gilded engraving, with a 22K gold rotor with clous de Paris hobnail finish and polished decorations in relief on the brushed surface.

These are certainly a pair of very special watches, and we’ll bring you a hands on look at these them when we get a chance to at the Panerai booth at Watches and Wonders!