An upgrade to the unconventional proposition that is a gold dive watch.

I should think that you, the MR PORTER reader, need no introduction to the basic appeal of gold. Being used to denote the highest achievements in any field, for example: Olympic medals, Academy Awards, Nobel Prizes and so on. We speak of golden ages, aim to achieve the gold standard, idolise – or envy – the golden boy, and praise the noble among us for their hearts of gold. It also has a special place in watches, of course. As well as being a traditional gift for long-serving retirees, the glint of a gold watch remains the surest sign of personal success and achievement. Not for nothing did the Rolex Day-Date in yellow gold become known as the watch of presidents.

It will also not be news to you that gold, being a soft, easily workable metal, is extremely popular for the creation of fine dress watches. Elegant, thin designs that will be worn only when the situation arises and there’s no chance of bringing your precious timepiece in harm’s way.

Times and tastes change, however, and versatility is the name of the game today. Why, with modern science and technology at our disposal, shouldn’t we have watches that can deliver both flash and fortitude? Hence, in recent years, watch companies have sought to give gold an injection of stamina and muscle – to take this fancy dan and toughen it up a bit, in crude terms (much as, perhaps, a dazzling young footballing talent will be match-hardened over a couple of seasons).

Hublot was one of the first, producing the predictably modest-sounding Magic Gold alloy, a scratch-proof gold that necessarily appears a little duller as a result. In 2019, IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN introduced its first models cased in Armor Gold, a tougher take on 5N red gold – with more expected to follow. (Several other brands also have their own proprietary blends of rose gold – Hublot has King Gold, Omega Sedna Gold and Rolex Everose – all of which claim a richer, longer-lasting hue than the standard blend of gold, copper and silver.) Meanwhile, the honey gold limited editions at A. Lange & Söhne are prized for their colour and rarity, but less well-known is that the alloy is also tougher than 18-carat gold.

And now it is Panerai’s turn. The Florentine watchmaker is no stranger to experimenting in the materials science lab – we’ve had Carbotech and BMG-Tech cases in the past few years, each delivering a new flavour of Luminor with not only unique material properties but a very distinct up-close experience (check out our video featuring the Luminor PAM01661 Carbotech here). Now we can introduce the Luminor Goldtech, a 44mm blue-dialled watch that at first glance completely resembles the Luminor we know and love.

Its case, bezel, crown-guard and pin buckle are made from a new blend of red gold, created to deliver both an intensity of colour and improved resistance to the elements – thanks to a higher-than-usual percentage of copper (24 per cent) and instead of silver or other metals, a dose of platinum (0.4 per cent) in the mix. As a subtle nod to the special nature of the gold, the case and bezel have been given contrasting finishes – finely brushed and flawlessly polished, respectively. A nautical theme emerges – think Admiral’s dress uniform rather than frogman commando unit – with the juxtaposition of the blue dial and blue leather strap.

Materials: Goldtech rose gold and alligator leather

Width: 44mm

Height: 13.4mm

Water-resistance: 50m

Power reserve: 72 hours

Price: £20,600