Panerai are a little late to the green party – and I don’t mean they’re signed up for the upcoming December elections. After nearly a year of military-inspired Submersibles, the Italian diving legend has finally come around to dressing the chunky piece of watch in its perfect uniform of khaki in the Submersible Verde Militare.

No matter how much Panerai themselves insist the new watch ‘challenges convention by successfully experimenting unexplored aesthetic dimensions’, this is simply a green dial on their latest, chunky diver. It’s their first green dial on a Submersible, but that’s really all that’s changed here.

That’s not to say it’s not a welcome change of course; the Militare has been crying out for this colour palette and it looks perfect in green. On a matching rubber strap, the only thing that could hammer home its identity harder would be a touch of camouflage. That would be on my wishlist to Santa.

The 42mm stainless steel beast is powered by the same P.900 calibre automatic movement as others in the collection, a solid piece of watchmaking designed in-house at Neuchâtel. It’s protected by 300m water resistance which, while not the highest around, is professional standard. Any more is just so much needless fluff.

As ever I’m on the line as to whether a new dial constitutes a new release, but green suits the Submersible Militare to a tee. Indeed, it probably should have launched in this colourway. Still, better late than never.

Price & Specs:

Model Name: Panerai Submersible Verde Militare

Ref: PAM01055

Case/Dial: 42mm diameter x 14.37mm thickness, stainless steel, green dial

Water Resistance: 300m (30 bar)

Movement: Caliber P.900, automatic

Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)

Power reserve: 72h (3 days)

Functions: Hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds, date

Strap: Military green rubber strap, plus additional water-resistant cloth strap

Price: £7,500, limited to 500 pieces, exclusively available at Panerai’s e-commerce page.

More details at panerai.com