ON THE WATER
Cowes Classic week
The Panerai British Classic Week will take
place at Cowes from July 7 to 14.
There will be a five-race series, plus
Giovanni Panerai, founder of the family
business, opened the first watchmakers
a race around the Island following the
shop in Florence. The Orlogeria, opened
original clockwise course of the first
in 1900, can still be found on the Piazza
America’s Cup. In addition to the exciting
San Giovanni.
racing, there will be whole host of social
Soon after this, the Royal Italian Navy
events held in the sailing clubs of Cowes,
employed Panerai to provide them with
including the prestigious Royal Yacht
precision instruments during the First
Squadron.
World War, beginning the Panerai’s
The regatta, which is part of the Panerai
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Panerai was founded in 1860 when
reputation for creating extremely reliable
Classic Yachts Challenge, has been
and accurate time pieces. The products
held every year since the America’s Cup
delivered included luminous devices
Jubilee was held in Cowes in 2001. Entry
for sighting naval guns at night, giving
numbers for the regatta have steadily risen
Panerai’s signature watch styles, the
each year, with over 70 boats entered in
Luminor and Radiomir, their names today.
2011.
The watches themselves were created
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