News Central

LONDON, AUGUST 2013 - In honour of one of its core principles, design, Officine Panerai announces its partnership with the London Design Festival as the headline supporter of the 2013 London Design Medal, to be awarded in London on 18th September 2013.

OFFICINE PANERAI CELEBRATES DESIGN

BY PARTNERING WITH THE LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2013

Now in its seventh year as part of the London Design Festival 2013, the London Design Medal has become one of the most important events in the global design calendar and is considered one of British design's most coveted accolades. This year, with Officine Panerai as the headline supporter, the medal will be renamed the Panerai London Design Medal and will be awarded to an individual who has both distinguished themselves within the industry and demonstrated consistent design excellence over a number of years. Previous winners, who have made an immense contribution to the design world and London, include Zaha Hadid, Marc Newson, Paul Smith and Thomas Heatherwick.

Together with innovation, history and passion, design completes the four pillars that make up Officine Panerai. Partnering with a pivotal design event like the London Design Festival 2013 celebrates the foundations and history that epitomise the Officine Panerai brand as well as compliments the exclusive design that makes each Officine Panerai watch individual.

The London Design Festival, now in its eleventh year, takes place between 14th -22nd September 2013 and will involve more than 250 partners and over 300 events celebrating the best in design. The Festival also delivers its own varied programme of commissioned projects with highlights at St Paul's Cathedral and at its hub venue, the Victoria and Albert Museum, with a further number of site-specific installations.

Officine Panerai

Founded in Florence in 1860 as a workshop, shop and school of watch-making, for many decades Officine Panerai supplied the Italian Navy in general, and its specialist diving corps in particular, with precision instruments. The designs developed by Panerai in that time, including the Luminor and Radiomir, were covered by the Military Secrets Act for many years and were launched on the international market only after the brand was acquired by the Richemont Group in 1997. Today Officine Panerai develops and crafts its movements and watches at its Neuchâtel manufacture. The latter are a seamless melding of Italian design flair and history with Swiss horological expertise. Panerai watches are sold across the world through an exclusive network of distributors and Panerai boutiques.

London Design Festival

The London Design Festival is a key constituent of London's Autumn creative season, alongside London Fashion Week, Frieze Art Fair and the London Film Festival. Established in 2003 its role is to celebrate and promote London as the world's design capital and gateway to the to the International design community.