Panerai’s Submersible Navy SEALs PAM01738 Is Built for Hard Use

Panerai is at its most convincing when it leans into the instrument-watch side of its character.

The Submersible Navy SEALs PAM01738 does exactly that, pairing the brand’s familiar Italian design language with a specification that’s meant to be used rather than admired from a safe distance.

It’s a large, serious dive watch with a 500-metre rating, a matt black ceramic bezel and a dial designed for quick reading in poor visibility.

At a glance

A Navy SEALs Submersible with proper tool-watch intent

The PAM01738 sits within Panerai’s Navy SEALs Collection, a line that began in 2022 through the brand’s collaboration with the US Navy SEALs.

That connection gives the watch its visual identity, but the more interesting story is how directly the watch speaks to the idea of practical toughness.

Panerai’s testing regime includes shocks up to 5000g and 19,000 bezel rotations, details that matter because this isn’t a delicate watch dressed up in tactical styling.

The result is a Submersible that feels comfortable with scuffs, water, pressure and the kind of daily abuse that many luxury watches are quietly protected from.

The dial puts legibility ahead of decoration

The shaded anthracite dial has a grained matt surface that helps cut glare, giving the display the directness expected from a professional dive watch.

Panerai has widened the indexes by 20 percent versus standard models, creating more room for luminous material.

The brand also increases the total lume area by 45 percent, using Super-LumiNova X2 for a display that separates key information by colour.

The indexes, hour hand and small seconds indication glow green, while the minute hand and the bezel pip at 12 o’clock glow blue.

That split is functional, especially underwater, where the minute hand and bezel marker are the most important elements for monitoring elapsed time.

At 9 o’clock, the small seconds display carries a discreet crosshair motif, while the seconds hand is edged in yellow for a sharper military cue.

The wording at 6 o’clock includes the 500-metre water-resistance rating and the Navy SEALs name, but the dial still avoids feeling cluttered.

A 44mm steel case with ceramic where it counts

The case measures 44mm across and keeps the cushion-shaped form and crown-protection bridge that make a Panerai immediately recognisable.

It’s made from stainless steel with a vertically brushed finish, a choice that suits the watch’s utilitarian purpose and gives the case a more restrained surface than high polish would.

The crown is dressed in black rubber, adding another functional texture to the build.

The unidirectional rotating bezel is steel with a matt black ceramic insert, a practical choice for a part of the watch that’s expected to take knocks and friction.

Panerai has also increased the caseback thickness to help manage deepwater pressure, and the rear carries an engraving of the Navy SEALs eagle insignia.

The watch is supplied with two straps, one in black rubber and one in grey canvas.

Panerai’s interchangeable strap system allows both to be swapped without tools, which fits the watch’s practical brief better than a more formal strap arrangement would.

The Calibre P.980 keeps the specification purposeful

Inside is Panerai’s automatic Calibre P.980, made at the brand’s manufacturing facility in Neuchâtel.

The movement measures 4.2mm thick and is composed of 177 components, including 23 jewels.

It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and uses a traversing balance bridge, which is anchored on both sides to support stability.

The movement is powered by a single barrel and delivers a three-day power reserve.

It also offers hacking seconds, allowing the wearer to stop the seconds hand for precise time-setting.

Details & Specifications

The PAM01738 won’t be the quietest watch in a collection, and that’s part of the point.

It’s for the Panerai wearer who wants the brand’s bold shape with a credible dive-watch build, strong low-light readability and enough physical resilience to make babying it feel unnecessary.