Have you bought a gen PAM after being in the dark side?

[lmmo]

Hi!

I always loved Panerai designs. However, my first experience so far with the brand has been with reps. I have Gens from other brands, I can afford a Gen Panerai, but when I go to a boutique to try a few pieces, I can never make my mind. The Luminor feel very close to the reps, the 372 or 422 look a bit too large for my 6 3/4" (17cm) wrist. Some of the more exclusive options (they had a nice PAM533) are very expensive for what they are.

So what is your experience in this regard?

And if you're buying a brand new Panerai, which model would that be?

Cheers!

 

[jerome0204]

I had 2: 112g and 104e sold them both. I have now a Franken 001, an Ennebi Fondale (my favorite watch ever) and a rep 000. If I was going to get another Gen PAM l would go for a 233. But that's me...I'm sure you'll get various opinion here...

 

[Polebear]

I loved my gen 111, but could not live with the fact that this had a superrep en people were continuously asking me if it was real..
Miss it sometimes though, but bought a nice replacement

 

[lmmo]

I loved my gen 111, but could not live with the fact that this had a superrep en people were continuously asking me if it was real..
Miss it sometimes though, but bought a nice replacement

Which replacement did you buy?

 

[fama67]

Aside few reps I love wearing my Panerai Ferrari Fer 010 Rattrapante Chronograph

 

[mech500]

No way! I'm not stupid.

 

[WalkerDH]

I'm considering to buy one.. But it will be either a 233 or 572. Something still far away from being repped.


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[imajedi]

Yep, I bought the 289 -

 

[Pamtastic]

 

[lmmo]

I had 2: 112g and 104e sold them both. I have now a Franken 001, an Ennebi Fondale (my favorite watch ever) and a rep 000. If I was going to get another Gen PAM l would go for a 233. But that's me...I'm sure you'll get various opinion here...

Thanks! It seems that the boutique actually received a 233. Looks closer to the 533, but with a hand-wound movement, which I prefer.
I need to go and check it out. Good tip!

 

[lmmo]

Yep, I bought the 289 -

Apart the metal (gold vs. steel), I believe it's very close to the 233.

How thick is it? Usually the 44mm Luminor 1950 don't wear nicely on my wrist as they tend to be quite tall.

However, these have manual movements, so I believe they are thinner.

 

[Dinkis]

233. All things


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[Knifemaker]

While some Pam Reps are indeed getting very very good, I can look across the room at several of each on my dresser, with dials facing me, and easily see the differences.
The dials just "POP" compared to the Rep's. A lot of this is no doubt due to the poor optical quality of the rep crystals.

Contrary to popular myth on the forums, this is NOT due to the differences in the AR but rather that quality of the actual crystals themselves.

Lets face it. A top quality Sapphire Crystal, for the most part, cost more than our complete rep. It's just the way it is!

Our Reps may very well "look" like a Gen to the untrained eye, but they are NOT Gens. We worry about the tiniest of tells, while the first thing the eye sees when looking at the actual dial, is the Crystal. Though consciously, we tend to not think about it. A HUGE Tell!!! ;-)

And this is one very obvious way a true collector can tell a rep from across the room. Not the often stated 2-3 feet. Or at arm's length.

Knife

 

[jerome0204]

You're welcome mate! If you end up buying it, please post pics here. The 233 has all the features of a classic PAM: 8 days manual movement, 1950 case, doomed crystal, little seconds at 9, sandwich dial etc...only it's 44mm not 47 but for most people it is actually a positive.

 

[Polebear]

Which replacement did you buy?

Pepsi 16710[emoji4] , had to add some savings but no regrets

 

[d4m.test]

Pepsi 16710[emoji4] , had to add some savings but no regrets

Wonderful choice of replacement Way to go gen...

 

[lmmo]

Pepsi 16710[emoji4] , had to add some savings but no regrets

Nice one!

 

[Swaggerdad88]

While some Pam Reps are indeed getting very very good, I can look across the room at several of each on my dresser, with dials facing me, and easily see the differences.
The dials just "POP" compared to the Rep's. A lot of this is no doubt due to the poor optical quality of the rep crystals.

Contrary to popular myth on the forums, this is NOT due to the differences in the AR but rather that quality of the actual crystals themselves.

Lets face it. A top quality Sapphire Crystal, for the most part, cost more than our complete rep. It's just the way it is!

Our Reps may very well "look" like a Gen to the untrained eye, but they are NOT Gens. We worry about the tiniest of tells, while the first thing the eye sees when looking at the actual dial, is the Crystal. Though consciously, we tend to not think about it. A HUGE Tell!!! ;-)

And this is one very obvious way a true collector can tell a rep from across the room. Not the often stated 2-3 feet. Or at arm's length.

Knife

im going to respectfully disagree here. I have several super Frankens some with genuine crystals some with custom AR crystals, one with a Big Matt C3 crystal. The big Matt is dead on to genuine in optical clarity. Genuine crystals in panerais varied from year to year. A through B series had zero AR. C had two variants, a purple AR and a Green AR. D through G had the purple bluish AR. H introduced the clear AR. And there's been many variants of the clear in terms of bevel and thickness. I think with the right parts you can achieve genuine quality on reps. Where I would say the tells are in the dials and hands. Still I have not seen one Pam dial in rep
ce remotely close to genuine in quality and detail. From the softened cutouts to the slight sheen around the indices and cutouts, genuine dials just simply cannot be beat.

 

[Chev85]

My love affair with Panerai started with a rep 112. Loved it but decided I wanted a 1950's case so purchased a gen pre owned 312.

Unfortunately was far too tall for my 6.5" wrist. While in the process of selling that I purchased a rep 512. Loved it immediately so purchased the gen. After comparing them side by side I realised that they were too similar and that the rep was 'good enough' to keep so got rid of the gen.

Currently waiting to try on a 1312 (latest version of the 312 with thinner case and new thinner movement) when my AD receive one, or a 233. From personal experience I have found the pam reps to be the best replicated watch, for the base versions anyway.


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[Swaggerdad88]

As good as the reps are, with genuine you always have resale value. Though with Panerai resale value is dropping hard. The brand has sold out to the bulk buyers and the market is saturated. Used prices have fallen 25-30% the last year and it's going to get worse. The only models holding any real resale are the older ones like the 001, 28, 201 etc. all the mass produced models are tanking fast. You could buy a brand new 001C in 2000 for $2300. New. That would sell today for $3500-3900 in mint condition. Buy an 005 from the AD for $6300 and it's worth $3450 tomorrow. That's poor brand management from OP. Bonati sold his soul for shareholders and bonus checks and lost a near cult following in the process.


That said, rep resale is awful. As soon as they release an updated better model the one you paid top money for is worth shit. Remember the bronzo? They were $500 the day the first half ass model dropped. Now you can scoop one up in clearance for $200-250. V2 V3 V5674998. It's all marketing hype to make more money for the factory. There will never be an end.