Please tell me about Panerai

[gaopa]

Only since becoming a member of this forum have I heard of a Panerai. Please tell me what is the big deal about them? I much prefer the Rolex, but perhaps I am missing something. TIA, Bill P.

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by gaopa

Only since becoming a member of this forum have I heard of a Panerai. Please tell me what is the big deal about them? I much prefer the Rolex, but perhaps I am missing something. TIA, Bill P.

Hey, Bill, Panerai (PAMs to aficionados) is a relatively new brand (within the last 50-60 years). It started out as an Italian Navy watch. The fascination is that most models are large - in the 44 + mm range and the face is relatively simple. Many models also have the crown guard which adds to the size of the watch.

The price range is relatively affordable ($2.5K - 5K range, generally).

Others can weigh in with more info. I'm not a big fan of them, but others are real die hards about them.

[jimbo1221]

They like to not keep proper time, usually about 5 minutes fast at this end of each day.

[gaopa]

Ummm.... thanks for the info. So they don't keep good time....they are Italian....perhaps they are made by FIAT? ;~) Cheers, Bill P.

[jimbo1221]

Originally Posted by gaopa

Ummm.... thanks for the info. So they don't keep good time....they are Italian....perhaps they are made by FIAT? ;~) Cheers, Bill P.

From a few friends and associates that do own them, they all have the same general consensus.

Now Panerai used to make compasses, maybe they should have used their great engineering in designing a watch that could keep decent time. Now even when letting this watch sit in a winder, with others in comparison: Rolex Date Sub and a Rolex GMTII, the only watch that is off, is the Panerai.

[miner]

Originally Posted by gaopa

Ummm.... thanks for the info. So they don't keep good time....they are Italian....perhaps they are made by FIAT? ;~) Cheers, Bill P.

Hmmmm, I have two Pams, a 112 and a 164. Both keep very good time. The movements are in fact swiss made (modified eta in the 112 and Valjoux in the 164) and you'll find those movements in a number of other top end watches.

Have a look here for more info:
www.paneristi.com

[jimbo1221]

Originally Posted by miner

Hmmmm, I have two Pams, a 112 and a 164. Both keep very good time. The movements are in fact swiss made (modified eta in the 112 and Valjoux in the 164) and you'll find those movements in a number of other top end watches.

Have a look here for more info:
www.paneristi.com

You haven't had an issue of them being fast?

My friend has sent his in 3 times, and they continue to send it back and it continues to do the same thing. I don't know what could be the issue, but it is like this on two different friends' PAMs.

[C.J.]

Originally Posted by gaopa

Ummm.... thanks for the info. So they don't keep good time....they are Italian....perhaps they are made by FIAT? ;~) Cheers, Bill P.

I know several people with Panerai's and not one has ever complained about accuracy

[reechaard]

I had a Panerai 113, but sold it to raise funds for my LV. It was a nice watch, but in my Panerai ownership phase I learned that I preferred bracelets over straps.

[dman]

Originally Posted by gaopa

Only since becoming a member of this forum have I heard of a Panerai. Please tell me what is the big deal about them? I much prefer the Rolex, but perhaps I am missing something. TIA, Bill P.

Not missing anything. Some like em, some hate em, some make judgements without knowing anything about em.

I personally sold off numerous Rolex to collect Panerai watches. They make me happy and I like the fact that I don't see many or any in the wild since they only make around 35K watches a year.

The first line in my sig explains what many Paneristi think about the brand.

And for the time keeping, most come with the same BS marketing tool known as the COSC certificate. But I stopped counting seconds on my watches long ago, life is too short. Too short to worry about seconds and too short to worry about why someone likes something that I don't.

[David1971]

Originally Posted by jimbo1221

They like to not keep proper time, usually about 5 minutes fast at this end of each day.

Most PAMs are chronometers (-4 to +6 sec/day)

[JF23]

Originally Posted by dman

...life is too short. Too short to worry about seconds and too short to worry about why someone likes something that I don't.

Well said

[walds11]

Everyone hit on a lot of good points. I could go on and on. Check out paneristi.com and Timezone OP.

[diss]

Originally Posted by Rockrolex

The price range is relatively affordable ($2.5K - 5K range, generally).

Where do you find them at that price? A quick search on the bay would suggest a price around 7K. I know very little about Panerais, but liking large watches they could be quite interesting to me.

[widespreadpanic]

Originally Posted by gaopa

Ummm.... thanks for the info. So they don't keep good time....they are Italian....perhaps they are made by FIAT? ;~) Cheers, Bill P.

Interesting that you mention FIAT. There is an interview in the September Motor Trend mag with Luca Di Montezemolo, the Chairman of FIAT. He wears a Rollie. Pepsi GMT Master.

[Jeff]

no accuracy issues with my 164. My non-date sub gains/looses more seconds a week then my Panerai, that 5min fast per day statement is crazy. I have an 8 inch wrist so larger watches just fit me better. I am hooked on Panerai's now and will probably not buy another Rolex for quite some time.

[murfice]

I had a PAM 24 Sub.........it was a nice watch, accurate; however the bezel kept rotating and it would have taken at least two months to repair with no quarantees that it would be any better. There bezel is not like rolex, which uses a metal spring; Panerai uses plastic.

I became frustrated with the watch, sold it and purchased another rolex (SD).

[ADISMO]

they're Italian so they gesture with their hands quite a bit when they communicate

[gaopa]

Thanks for all of the information on the Panerai. Cheers, Bill P.

[chris_nor_cal]

Damn, I really want a Panerai