Panerai opens new boutique in Beijing at Wangfu Central

Watchmaker Officine Panerai has opened a boutique in Beijing’s Wangfu Central (WFC) at the Wangfujing shopping area.

Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola collaborated with the company on the 56sqm boutique. Her work with the brand dates back to 2011, and she also designed the Bond Street store just launched in London as well as the 840sqm mega-booth at this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva.

Inspired by the main characteristic themes of Panerai, such as its Florentine origins, its link to the nautical world and Italian heritage, Urquiola has used veined Italian marble “calacatta luccicoso”, burnished brass, bronze and a special “reeded” glass, undulating and transparent, as clear reference to the world of the sea.

A large wall clock welcomes visitors to the boutique, recalling one of the most iconic Panerai dials: that of Luminor Marina, with the characteristic small seconds counter at 9 o’clock and numbers and dial particularly bright.

Officine Panerai now has 10 boutiques in China and 75 worldwide.