A Panerai that I actually like...

I saw this Panerai review over at ablogtoread, and thought that the design was pretty nice. It is the "same old PAM case", but the materials used and the design elements (dial, strap, hand color...etc)





Here is a link to the original content --->>> http://ablogtoread.com/panerai/panerai-pam339-radiomir-composite-marina-militare-8-giorni-watch/


Panerai PAM339 Radiomir Composite Marina Militare 8 Giorni Watch


Posted on June 29, 2010
Filed Under Panerai | 3 Comments

Comparing the watch releases of SIHH 2010 and Baselworld 2010, I would have to say that for the most part I was more impressed with the releases at SIHH, and it was a significantly smaller show. Why that is I am not sure, but here is another one of the good things that I spotted. This isn't just another Panerai watch, but rather the PAM339 in a special ceramic case. While it doesn't surprise me to see Panerai going ceramic, it just sort of happened without notice.

Panerai doesn't even call their material ceramic really, but rather "Composite." Why? Not sure, there must be some sneaky marketing decision. One of the reasons likely has to do with the fact that Panerai uses a different type of ceramic. It is very light, and stated to be much harder than standard ceramics. The hardness is a little bit harder that standard zirconia ceramics, and way harder than steel. In terms of weight, Panerai Composite weighs less than titanium, and just a bit more than aluminum. In fact, the material is said to be a ceramic based on aluminum - but much harder. In reality while wearing the watch, the lightness makes itself clear. The watch doesn't feel like it weights much at all, the opposite of the standard Panerai watch feel. At 47mm wide, the PAM339 Radiomir Composite Marina Militare 8 Giorni (8 Day) watch isn't small, and again, it is very light.


In images of the watch the first thing you are likely to notice is the color brown. The watch case, dial, and strap are all brown. They look like aged leather, and the look is pretty good I must admit. The vintage style leather strap is cool and feels high quality with its medium brown tone and contrast stitching. Don't forget the matching brown, Panerai style buckle. According the Panerai, the color of the stitching was meant to match the color of the SuperLumiNova on the watch dial - a little detail that you'd probably need pointed out to you to notice, but the effect works in the watch's aesthetic favor.

Popular these days with ceramic is non glossy finish. The Chanel J12 watches of the world got the industry a bit exhausted with ever shiny ceramic. Plus, it doesn't always look good for men. So these days more and more ceramic is stealthy looking. Panerai calls the finish matte, which it is. The deep brown case in the subtle tone helps keep the 47mm wide size compact looking enough, and the traditional style Panerai case is benefited from the vintage feel of the piece. As high-tech as the watch is, it still feels like a throwback model. Also, the case is water resistant to 100 meters.

The matte brown dial of the watch matches the case. Under the sapphire crustal, the dial is pretty Panerai familiar. inset hour markers in SuperLumiNova lume, and a subsidiary seconds dial at 9 o'clock. The "8 Giorni Brevatto" text on the dial adjacent to the sub-seconds dial is taken directly from some historic Panerai models. Don't forget that in the watch world, 2010 is the unofficial "year of tradition." The dial is nice in brown with the tan colored accents. Attractive, and quite stereotypically Panerai. It won't excite you, but it also won't let you down.


Panerai has placed one of its newer in-house made Calibre P.2002/7 manually wound movements in the watch. Although I would have preferred an automatic or at least a power reserve indicator, the movement does have a power reserve length of about 8 days. That is pretty nice, but without a power reserve indicator, you never know how much power you have in it. So you just end up fidgeting with the crown all the time to wind it. Then again, without even a date, if the movement runs out, resetting it isn't a big deal.

For Panerai collectors the PAM339 will feel like a good investment. It looks really cool, is done in a cool material, has an in-house made movement, and is a limited edition (of 1,000 1,500 pieces). Though the watch does cost about $15,000. If the budget is up your alley, and you want a fresh feeling Panerai with a classic look - this should make for an excellent choice.

The sandwich dial is their trademark...

...see that, and you KNOW it's a PANERAI!

Not many brands have a trait as recognizable!

$15k? Sorry, but I have to ask - For what? Yes it has an in house movement with 8 days of power reserve but it's the same case, same dial, has no date, has no power reserve and comes on a pretty pedestrian strap.

Docrwm wrote:

$15k? Sorry, but I have to ask - For what?

C'mon Doc...

We can ask FOR WHAT on almost ANY watch over $50, all they do is tell time...

INTRINSIC value varies per person...

Docrwm wrote:

...a pretty pedestrian strap.

Haha, my original post, which I deleted was "...nice strap... ahhh, never mind, can't even say that."

The whole kit looks like it's been buried in dirt for several years. Eh, I guess I just don't understand this one.

porschefan wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

...a pretty pedestrian strap.

Haha, my original post, which I deleted was "...nice strap... ahhh, never mind, can't even say that."

The whole kit looks like it's been buried in dirt for several years. Eh, I guess I just don't understand this one.

If this one is worth $15k then you got a SCREAMING DEAL Alan on yours. How is this one ~3-4x better than yours? Same case, same dial (different color maybe but big wup), same hands, 8 day movement - ok, but with no way to know where you are in that 8 day cycle because it has neither a date nor a power meter. No, its a jumped up $4-5k Panerai that someone will pay too much for because they can.

Docrwm wrote:

porschefan wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

...a pretty pedestrian strap.

Haha, my original post, which I deleted was "...nice strap... ahhh, never mind, can't even say that."

The whole kit looks like it's been buried in dirt for several years. Eh, I guess I just don't understand this one.

If this one is worth $15k then you got a SCREAMING DEAL Alan on yours. How is this one ~3-4x better than yours? Same case, same dial (different color maybe but big wup), same hands, 8 day movement - ok, but with no way to know where you are in that 8 day cycle because it has neither a date nor a power meter. No, its a jumped up $4-5k Panerai that someone will pay too much for because they can.

BINGO...


...and that's NOT a bad thing.

i think it's a fake! 89 bucks!!!

Anomaly wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

porschefan wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

...a pretty pedestrian strap.

Haha, my original post, which I deleted was "...nice strap... ahhh, never mind, can't even say that."

The whole kit looks like it's been buried in dirt for several years. Eh, I guess I just don't understand this one.

If this one is worth $15k then you got a SCREAMING DEAL Alan on yours. How is this one ~3-4x better than yours? Same case, same dial (different color maybe but big wup), same hands, 8 day movement - ok, but with no way to know where you are in that 8 day cycle because it has neither a date nor a power meter. No, its a jumped up $4-5k Panerai that someone will pay too much for because they can.

BINGO...


...and that's NOT a bad thing.

There was a guy I went to school with from 7th through 12th grade. We had lockers next to each other for 6 years. We took classes, gym, sports, parties, etc. all the usual stuff. Went to the same college and saw each other around but not as much. Knew him reasonably well. Went our separate ways after college. He became an Artist. Sold a BUNCH of his work to corporations. Made a huge amount of money. Funny thing, every time I saw a picture of him standing with the CEO or whomever from the Corporation that bought his "art" he had the precise sneaky "I got away with it" smile on his face that I came to know when we were kids together. Spoke with him once a couple of years ago and pointed that out to him and he laughed hard and said that only I and his mother had noticed. He agreed that the "art" he was selling was complete BS but he is now retired and independently wealthy.

Abraham Lincoln had it right.

of course Rado comes to mind when mentioning ceramic casings. I like the looks of this Pam339 but could not handle the size on my small wrist. 2010 the unofficial year of Tradition? hmmm interesting comment...
From that point, I like it...simplicity and handwinding idea....but the price tag? It is a strange economic phenomenon that when the world's economies are suffering, the price of high end goods gets higher!!! Seiko is doing this too, by the way...
Back in the 80s the same thing happened...in the bar business with the price of booze....I never forgot it...a guy comes up to my bar and orders 2 shooter of Grand Marnier. I tell him the price just went up ....and he says ..oh well, then doubt them! He and his girlfriend shot back both each! hahaha! That was the times of the expression...'Gor for IT'......

The color of the finish on this Panerai is FANTASTIC !
Seems like it's made of a super cool material as well !!! It's
also great how the numbers seem to have an almost tan
look to them, which mirrors the threads in the strap !
..REALLY NICE one Mark !

Very nice indeed but I could never drop that much coin on a watch! The Rolex DSSD or Omega Ploprof are about the max I would spend on a timepiece.

Stan

I like it more than a lot of the Panerai watches you see. Don't really care for any watch high polished so that is a nice change over a lot of their lineup . To me, their hands and dial work often appears too blocky (cheap looking) for the price tag. Probably should have stuck with nice strap though.

I think it's cool how we all like different things...

...one must admit, see a sandwich dial, you know what it is (or what it's copying).