Astronaut Anton Shkaplerov spotted wearing a Panerai

On January 19, 2022, NASA TV's live broadcast of a spacewalk outside the International Space Station delivered an unexpected horological moment. Veteran cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov — commander of Expedition 66 — was clearly visible wearing a large-cased tool watch on his wrist over his Orlan spacesuit. Sharp-eyed viewers quickly identified it: not the traditional Omega Speedmaster, not a Soviet-era Poljot, but a Panerai Luminor Submersible PAM00210.

The PAM00210, introduced in the mid-2000s and now discontinued, represents one of Panerai's purest executions of the Submersible concept. The 44mm case is crafted in brushed titanium — a material chosen for its strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance — and the watch carries a water resistance rating of 300 metres. Inside beats the manually wound Panerai calibre OP III, a reliable workhorse movement offering 56 hours of power reserve. The sandwich dial, unidirectional rotating bezel, and crown-locking device are all hallmarks of Panerai's historical ties to the Italian Navy's combat diving units.

From a collector standpoint, the PAM00210 occupies a respected position in the Panerai back catalogue. Its titanium construction keeps it lighter than the more common steel references, and its relative scarcity on the secondary market — it was produced in limited runs — has kept demand steady. Discontinued references from this era of Panerai, before the manufacture movement era fully matured, carry genuine nostalgia among enthusiasts who followed the brand's late-1990s and early-2000s resurgence.

Anton Shkaplerov is no casual watch wearer. A decorated military pilot and three-time ISS resident, he holds over 350 cumulative days in space across multiple missions. His choice of a Panerai over the institutionally sanctioned Speedmaster — the only watch formally qualified by NASA for EVA use — is a quiet but pointed statement of personal preference. The Submersible's rugged architecture apparently performed without issue across a thermal range of nearly 280 degrees Celsius.

On the grey market, the PAM00210 trades modestly but consistently, typically in the range of $4,500 to $6,500 depending on condition and box-and-papers status. Shkaplerov's spacewalk appearance is unlikely to dramatically spike prices, but it adds a genuinely unique footnote to the reference's story — and confirms that Panerai's tool-watch DNA holds up even 400 kilometres above sea level.