I will go against the grain and caution against the 372. It wears huge (and I regularly wear 127, 569, 984, 448) because of the domed crystal, massive spartan dial and the fact that it does not hug the wrist as well as most 47mm Pams due to its slightly more flared side profile on the lugs. The movement is not the most reliable IN TERMS OF CONSISTENT TIME KEEPING, has a power reserve of 3 days instead of 8 despite paying an in-house premium and service cost is around $1200-$1400 AUD with approximately 6 months round trip between drop off and pick up from the AD. Looks wise, sure it is the epitome of a "Panerai DNA" for what that's worth. Since you said budget is not a criteria, 127 is a better option - 217 possibly even better still as destro 47mm models wear better on the LEFT wrist than regular models.
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Bang for your buck
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Thanks for your comments... I agree the 127/217 both look and feel a bit more streamlined than the 372, and perhaps the 6497 movement is overall a more practical and robust design in the long run the the p.3000 or 8 days. But perhaps for that budget a 44mm T 001 or similar would be a smarter option.
I owned the noob 372 - and loved it - but the dome crystal/brushed case of the 127 takes it to the next level.
The 587 will fit on the wrist similar to the 372 correct?
I would say the 127 will still trump a 001 T dial or others post V. thats because its a special edition and arguably more highly sought after. It will always command a premium and because they released it in 2005 only it will only become even more desirable.
a few pics of a couple of my franken T dials
I think this is a typo, you meant: in 2002, and 12 OOR after, in a period not known for certain, but somewhere I read that supposedly in 2005, although there is no evidence for this.
587 is a Radiomir 1940 case , so no CG for starters but the lugs are also a bit flatter . Depending on the shape of your wrist (mine is 195mm with a flat top), less curved backs sit better. It is also a limited edition Marine Militare and will trump any standard T dial in the long run as will the 127 or 217. But to be perfectly honest, no Panerai is the best choice in terms of bang for buck if you are looking at it as a potential financial investment. Also remember if you end up going for a T dial to either have it serviced by a competent local watchsmith or get it in writing from Richemont AD that the dial will not be touched or they will replace the dial and hands with a service L dial anyway.
a few pics of a couple of my franken T dials
These look insanely nice. Thanks for sharing.
Starting to lean towards one of my original ideas and go with the 390. I think 44mm may be best for my 16cm wrist for day to day use, although the 127/217 and 368 blew me away.
Thanks for your input, and well noted regarding the T dials.
Financial investment... so you think it is basically a lottery regarding whether or not a Panerai will hold its value 10-20 years from now?
Investment value aside, I would like to wear a model with tons of Panerai DNA, so am currently leaning towards the 390. But still considering a 44mm T model, 372, 587, 127, and perhaps the 368. superspark69 made a strong case as to why to buy a 6497 movement.
So far the 390 seems to check off most of the boxes - creamy sausage dial, hand wound, sword hands, special edition, no second hand, 44mm, tobacco dial, plus the fact that I owned the noob and loved it.
You've almost made up your mind, so it's time to close the next grain of doubt: If you had a noob PAM390 (It's really good), how sure are you that GEN PAM390 will give you great subjective impressions?
Again, objectively, gen will always be made a little better + differences in dial sausage, difference in lume shades, hands, perhaps dial, all this is in favor of gen. Some people enjoy simply knowing that a watch is original without even having the personal ability to distinguish it from a rep, but what about that in your case?
By no means am I saying that GEN390 = REP390, but where do you get the justification for spending money on it?
Again, objectively, gen will always be made a little better + differences in dial sausage, difference in lume shades, hands, perhaps dial, all this is in favor of gen. Some people enjoy simply knowing that a watch is original without even having the personal ability to distinguish it from a rep, but what about that in your case?
By no means am I saying that GEN390 = REP390, but where do you get the justification for spending money on it?
I currently hold the belief that the rep world is a bridge to the gen world, and feel it has come time to contribute to Panerai for all of their amazing intellectual and design efforts. I have worn many many amazing reps, mostly Panerai reps, and so it is a matter of honour at this point to go gen. But to each his own!
Also, every rep I have owned have had flaws that annoyed me, and the noob 390 was no exception.
Regardless, I am still considering.
Maybe I buy a 44mm and a 47mm, so neither will be lonely.
At the end of the day gen is gen and the satisfaction you will get from knowing it’s the real deal will be worth it. That’s also the difference between frankens and stock, that little bit of knowledge that what you have on your wrist is that bit closer to the real deal.
390 is a great choice for Panerai DNA. Having said that, I had a gen 390 and sold it. While it is absolutely true that gen is gen, the difference between a gen 390 and a stock Noob 390 really wasn't anything fantastic. A Noob 390 plus Marlin treatment to the movement finished off with a gen strap and buckle will be almost indistinguishable from a gen 390 in terns of how it looks and feels. You will still know it is a rep but you will also save 90% of gen cost. If you are going to buy a gen, don't get a model with a super rep counterpart - that would definitely not be bang for buck.
Now , in terms of value - limited editions go up in value initially but when the hysteria wears down in 10-20 years, they often lose a significant chunk of the increase and usually trade around initial RRP so you wouldn't be losing money as such but nor would you make much either. Standard models typically will cost 30% of initial outlay not long after you buy it and may continue to drop albeit not a great deal more. Panerais are not a good investment (says the guy with 11 Pams registered with Pam Guard!!!). Buy the model you will love to wear , if it goes up or holds its value then great.
Thanks for the cost breakdown... and I now agree with you - it makes a lot of sense to buy a model that does not have a super rep equivalent.
The saga continues.