The replica Panerai Luminor Submersible Automatic Acciaio, with its limited-edition blue dial, is most absolutely a handsome and capable dive watch. However, as the first Panerai to be provided exclusively online, it is representative of some pressing current issues and how the watch industry is, very slowly, adapting to change.
Panerai has the platform for selling online already, but the fake Panerai Luminor Submersible Automatic Acciaio “E-Commerce Micro-Edition,” limited to 100 pieces, cannot be bought in stores – and that is a first for the Panerai replica. Time and again, we have talked the systemic problems of the watch industry here, especially in relation to sales and distribution, and the watch industry’s failure to accept, use, and adapt to the modern reality of online purchasing. This means in terms of media and advertising as well as moving toward direct online sales rather than depending solely on third-party retailers. The current outdated wholesale distribution model along with an inventory glut has allowed the gray market to not only undercut luxury watch pricing but also undermine the all-important commodity that is consumer trust. You can find many articles on these and related subjects.
Therefore, while the Panerai Luminor Submersible Automatic Acciaio “E-Commerce Micro-Edition” watch might look like one degree in the 90-degree turn that is necessary for the industry, it is at least in the right direction. And it is in the company of other signs that more brands are eventually waking up. The convenience, competitiveness, and comfort of the online buying experience for customers makes the transition to a proper online presence necessary for any watch brand that wants to survive. 
Behind a solid caseback, the Panerai Luminor Submersible replica watch is powered by the “exclusive” caliber OP XXX, a COSC-certified automatic movement beating at 4Hz (28,800bph) with 50 hours of power reserve. It gives the time with sub-seconds at 9 o’clock and the date at 3 o’clock which has a “cyclops” magnifier over it on the sapphire crystal. Skeletonized hour and minute hands are familiar for Luminor Submersible watches, and Super-LumiNova, even for the seconds hand and its indices, is sufficient for a dive watch. It comes on a black caoutchouc (natural rubber) strap as well as with an additional canvas strap and strap-changing tool.
While it seems like merely a cautious experiment at this stage, this “E-Commerce Micro-Edition” watch is hopefully a sign of a greater overall transition for the watch industry that we have been advocating for a long time. It is a step in the right direction, but a lot more aggressive action is still needed.