First Panerai, dilemma...

[Fredrik]

I have been thinking of getting a Panerai for a while now and I hope to pull the trigger before christmas. I want a base model with only hour and minute hands, preferably titanium but steel is also fine. I also want a sandwich dial and max 44mm, this is the problem.

I have looked into the 560 and 562, only the Q series has a sandwich dial. I have looked at used 176, 112 and 000s too.

My options so far:

I have looked into getting a new 562 from Jomashop with a sandwich dial(they claim the one they have for sale has it). The used 176:es I have look at so far were too expensive or too polished. I started noticing that polishing can not be unseen when you spot it and I think I need an unworn/unpolished specimen.

Questions:

Have I missed a model that looks like the ones above(max budget about 5k USD, the 172 is out...)?

I don't mind buying it from the US, they are so cheap there that the 25-30% customs + VAT still makes it worth it. But how reliable is Jomashop, can I trust them that they did not just look at the stock image when they said the 562 had a sandwich dial?

Maybe I just need to wait for the perfect watch to pop up, but I am getting a bit impatient...

[nick c]

How about the 000?


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[rootbeer7]

I had the same dilemma until I saw the 390. No sandwich, but 44mm and manual wind and bang on the buck. Also limited to 2000 only. Which ever way you go, you can't go wrong.

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by rootbeer7

I had the same dilemma until I saw the 390. No sandwich, but 44mm and manual wind and bang on the buck. Also limited to 2000 only. Which ever way you go, you can't go wrong.

Thank you, yes, I have seen that one. One thing I really like about the 562 is the tobacco dial which the 390 also have as far as I remember.

Maybe I should just wait patiently and grab the first that meets my criteria that isn't visibly polished... Right now I do not want to be without the sandwich dial, it is basically only the material that I am willing to compromise with.

[tigerdog]

How about a PAM 112? Can't get much more basic and classic as that....

My 112 on a Nubuck Croc and a Rob Montana ammo -

[Cru Jones]

116?

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

116?

Oh, yet another one that I missed.

There is actually a 176 for sale in the forum now in the US, I'll have to do some calculations and see what the price will be for me after customs and VAT...

[stockae92]

i used to be a die hard sandwich dial fan, 000 changed my mind on it. The number and lume pops more and i like that. Don't get me wrong, sandwich dial is still great and i still like it. i am just saying don't skip a model because its not a sandwich dial. :)

and when in doubt, always go for the ones that discontinued if you can have a fine example. the idea is that you can almost always buy an "in production" model, but not the case for discontinued model.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by nick c

How about the 000?


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That looks beauty Nick

[nick c]

Originally Posted by brandrea

That looks beauty Nick

Thank you! Brother

[ajas]

000 or 112 is hard to beat.
Here among two more complicated brothers

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[Jay (Eire)]

The PAM 55, probably the most sought after Ti PAM in the mid to late 2000's. Tobacco dial. If I remember correctly it has a solid case back unlike the 116.

I think you chat to the seller of the 176 on the other forum. Watch looks pretty good.

I owned both the 176 and 177 back in the day (painted dials, pre-sandwich) and loved them. Actually my first three PAMs were all Ti (25, 177, 176, all long gone) and I definitely prefer the dullness of the Ti on a watch that large.

As someone else suggested the 390 is very appealing too. Dial and hand combination is fantastic but you need to be OK with the whole faux patina thing.

[1st amg]

000, I used to have one and loved the simplicity. I also had a thing for the Panerai symbol on the face.

[Fredrik]

Thank you all, it is nice to get some perspective and other views.

I do prefer the look of the brushed titanium over shiny steel, I do have a problem with faux patina, I am not particularly fond of a Panerai logo on the face and I would prefer a sandwich dial.

The 562 has a tobacco dial, this is not a must, but it does look good with the titanium. But the 562 also has the 8 days printing on the dial...

Oh, I had missed the 55, so now the list of 44mm Ti base Luminors is 55, 116, 176, 562? I have tried the 562 at a dealer(without sandwich dial) and I really like the lightness of it and it looks really good.

[ecdc]

I have a 61 -- Ti Luminor Marina, non-sandwich dial, from 2001. Big fan of the Ti. It is lightweight, looks great, and is easy to re-brush when it gets scratched up. I prefer the non-sandwich dial, as it looks more tool-like. I wore it for 10 years straight and it was superb in all respects. Good luck looking for what you want -- hold out for exactly your dream watch. It's worth the hunt.

[rootbeer7]

I thought I'd throw in a picture of my 390

[Fredrik]

Well, I ended up buying the 176 for sale here and elsewhere. I just got it back from the service center. I requested a gasket change and pressure test, but they said that everything was in great condition and did no work at all(free of charge too). The movement is also in excellent shape and runs spot on.

I have ordered a Panerai orange rubber strap for it, here is how it looks now.

Doh, I just noticed the smudges on the glass, I am used to plexi...

[nick c]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

Well, I ended up buying the 176 for sale here and elsewhere. I just got it back from the service center. I requested a gasket change and pressure test, but they said that everything was in great condition and did no work at all(free of charge too). The movement is also in excellent shape and runs spot on.

I have ordered a Panerai orange rubber strap for it, here is how it looks now.

Doh, I just noticed the smudges on the glass, I am used to plexi...

Great choice! Congratulations

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by nick c

Great choice! Congratulations

Thank you!

I really like the lightness and matte color of the titanium. It is also nice to have lume that actually works. I only have vintage watches otherwise and they do not glow anymore...

The Panerai I will use mostly for vacations and wet situations and occasionally for some variation.