The OP Logo was born at the beginning of years �80, designed by an Architectural Office of Florence and, in the first drafts, had a rounded form; Eng. Zei (CEO of Offcine Panerai since 1972 until 1999) did not like this Logo, so as it was designed.
Then, Eng. Dino Zei, together with the Officine Panerai Technical Department responsible, had the idea for this definitive version (here described) adding the two stylised arrows.
The OP Logo has been sold to Cartier, at that time Vendome group on 1997, with the watches- torches-compassess and depth-gauges brand, the patents, the original drawings and all the watches store.
Since 1997 the old Officine Panerai changed its name into Panerai Sistemi SpA. On 1999 the Panerai Sistemi has been sold to Calzoni of Bologna, that absorbed all its industrial and productive activities. At present (2004) Panerai Sistemi is a brand of Calzoni Srl, utilized for all ex-Panerai products.
Cartier, now Richemont group, has never utilized the OP Logo until the end of the 2003 when it appears on the special edition for collectors of the Luminor Marina 44mm (PAM 195), on the dial and on the case-back and, subsequently, on the crowns of the new Radiomir 45mm 8 Days (PAM 190 and 197) and Black Seal (PAM 183) models, more another limited edition of the Luminor and L. Marina models, alls introduced during the 2004.
By Eng. Mario Paci
