If you’ve ever satisfied a genuine Panerai supporter – or even a paneristi, since they generally enjoy being known – then you know they are some of the most fervent enthusiasts out there. Even by deluxe watch criteria it’s a phenomenon that is certainly tough to explain heavily came to collector fulfill-ups arise frequently (especially in the US) and entire online residential areas have popped up committed entirely to speaking about all things Panerai.
What is perhaps most surprising – properly, for me at least – is the fact that inspite of the brand’s relatively brief historical past many of its watches have attained cult position amongst hobbyists. This really is partly attributable to the fact that the emblem adopted the approach early on of discharging several ‘Special Edition’ parts annually that might have minimal generation operates, therefore improving their desirability among the committed. One particular case in point may be the Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM 127 replica watch, more commonly acknowledged amongst lovers as being the “Fiddy”.
Revealed in 2002 on the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, the unique model PAM 127 had been a strike with paneristi right from the get go, the numerous on-line message boards lights track of compliment from around the globe for your new, nostalgia-inducing timekeeper. Tracing its lineage completely back to a Panerai watch layout from 1950 – hence the brand – the PAM 127 embodies every thing Panerai has become identified and adored for namely outsized circumstances, clean dials and a particular elegant yet tough cosmetic.
Ironically even though, the first incarnation has never been actually generated commercial. In reality no watches produced by the original Panerai company at this time had been, instead they created just for armed forces use, especially the Noble Italian Navy, hence the key reason why these people were so much larger and, dare I believe that, coarser compared to much more well known solutions of times. The reason behind this can be quite simple up until the first 1990’s Panerai in the present develop being a business watch company failed to can be found.
The Luminor Case
I won’t enter into all the information here of Panerai’s storied earlier (although if you are searching for studying far more I would advise this amazing submit on Jake’s Rolex Community) however be adequate to state that this specific design is important as it represented the development of the Luminor case in 1950, finishing the advancement from the Radiomir case produced and processed through the business from the 1940’s.
Arguably the more recognizable of these two modern-working day Panerai case styles, the Luminor was clearly developed with divers in your mind. While the Secondly Community Warfare had now finished, the Florentine business ongoing the specialized study started at the outset of the war if it was making plunging watches for individuals the Italian Navy, culminating in the growth of the Luminor. This new case was characterized by the crown-guarding fill, with strengthened wire lugs created from a similar prevent of steel as the case, a pillow-shaped case like its precursor the Radiomir 1940 plus a toned, larger bezel.
Interestingly though, the half-moon crown guard mechanism developed in conjunction with Rolex which is now synonymous with the Luminor case actually first made its appearance on a Radiomir case in around 1946 (on the Ref 6152/1), although it seems it didn’t become standard issue until the introduction of the Luminor case in 1950. The reasoning for the crown guard was fairly simple; according to the aforementioned article on Jake’s Rolex World, all the Rolex made Panerai watches were manually wound and thus the waterproof crown gasket would wear out quickly over time. A solution was needed and so together the two companies came up with this design enhancement, which presumably was quite effective as it has been included in every Luminor case since.
The Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM 127 Special Edition
All this is very fascinating of course but I’m sure right about now you’re probably thinking “when is he going to talk about the actual watch?” Well, the answer to that question is now. Although I wouldn’t go as far as to call the PAM 127 a ‘grail watch’ (although I’m sure there are plenty of collectors out there who would love to have one in the vault) it is undoubtedly a very cool timepiece and one that stays very true to the heritage it is intended to honour. Put another way, this watch more or less exudes the brand DNA that has cultivated such a passionate following; clean lines, masculine design and of course in-your-face, impossible-to-ignore size (all 47mm of it). In fact pieces like this are why so many people credit Panerai with really kicking off the ‘over-sized’ watch trend, which has now become so mainstream it can’t even be referred to as a trend anymore.
Not everyone is convinced, of course; “they’re just so plain looking though” is the comment I hear most often from my non-watch nerd friends when talking about Panerai watches in general and yet there is just something about that sandwich dial, the exaggerated curve of the sapphire crystal, the ever practical security lever lock on the crown, it’s just so practical and yet so stylish all at the same time. Like a good Italian suit this is a watch that was made to be worn and also to make you look damn good at the same time. It sounds silly but when you strap the PAM 127 on you just feel cooler.
Of course if you do need more excitement simply turn the watch over for a birds-eye view of the heavily branded Cal. OP XI, a modified ETA movement that Panerai has stamped its mark all over. I wouldn’t go so far as to describe it as being pretty but it certainly takes the same bold approach the watchmaker has become known for.
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