If you like the classic Bettarini case of the 44mm Luminor and would like to have a Pam with a light maritime flair and blue notes, the Pam 724 is a good choice. It was released in 2016 along with the Luminor 1950 models 727 and 732 and the 725 and 726 chronographs as part of Panerai's sponsorship of the America's Cup sailing regatta. The 724 has been released in two series (S and T) of 200 pieces each. The Gen is equipped with manual Movement P.5000, which should provide eight days of power reserve. As a Rep, it was already released by ZF. But these copies are rare. One of the proud owners is my friend thenut , who provided me with some pictures of his ZF 724 for comparison. This year, HWF has reissued the 724 and brings it to the market for the comparatively low TD price of 288 USD. This is reason enough to take a closer look at this watch.
Dial
The dial of the 724 is a black sandwich dial with white/yellow numerals and indices with green lume. The special feature of this model is the blue "America's Cup" lettering, which harmonizes with the blue second hand. Interestingly, the "pam-typical" rather average AR ensures that the black dial takes on a dark blue tone when exposed to direct light. This completes the maritime character.
HWF has done a good job with the colors. The printing is clean and crispy but compared to the Gen, the lettering seems a tad too thick. These are minor things though. More problematic is the typical HWF problem: The numbers and indices are punched out too thick! This may not be so dramatic in the detailed view. But when you look at the whole watch, it changes the character. This can be seen very well in direct comparison with the ZF, which performs much better here.
The lume is good, both in terms of luminosity and hue.
Hands
The hands are really well made and both the shape and the color are indistinguishable from the Gen without a microscope.
Case
Yes, I'm still "shape-blind" ????For me, the HWF case looks flawless. Even in direct comparison to the HFac 229 and the EL 063c, which are high quality replicas of the Bettarini models, I see no notable differences. Only the lugs are "turned" differently - but this is hardly noticeable when the strap is mounted.
The workmanship of the case is good, if there were not a really annoying thing: On the bottom side, HWF apparently simply "forgot" to thoroughly deburr the edges on my copy. A small spot on the lower edge is as sharp as a razor. This can be repaired with a sanding pad without much trouble. But if you don't notice this quirk, you could end up with a cut. This flaw is certainly not a problem with the entire series. But it shows how sloppy the quality management is at HWF.
Caseback
The caseback is neatly made and - oh wonder! - even correctly labeled. The motif in the center is even milled out and has a clear embossing. It looks great to the naked eye ... but you should rather leave out the magnifying glass or the macro. Because if you take a close look at the milled edges, you get an idea of why the HWF is $288 and the Gen trades for over $8,000. Interestingly, at least on the photos, the caseback of the HWF looks even better than that of the ZF ... but that can be deceptive, of course.
Movement
There is no clone for the P.5000 and in this case, it's not that important anyway, since the watch has a closed back. HWF uses a normal manual A6496 movement without decoration. Of course, it doesn't have eight days of power reserve, but it's a solid workhorse and if something should happen, it can be replaced for little money. That's ok.
Crown and Crownguard
Again my shape blindness takes effect ;-)
It all looks ok to me.
Straps
Since I have my justified reservations against rep straps, I had already asked the strapmaker papaheia to make me a proper strap in the look of the Gen strap. The result is excellent. However, I also have to admit that the HWF strap is not that bad for a rep strap. Of course it is thin and stiff. But it is neatly modeled after the Gen Strap and in terms of quality better than some rep straps from much more expensive reps from VSF or HFac.
Summary
The HWF 724 is one of the better reps from HWF. If HWF would finally get a grip on the too thick cutouts for numerals and indices, this rep would be a really good alternative to the more expensive reps from other manufacturers. If you like the design of the 724, you can buy it without any problems. You get a solid rep for a fair price, which you will have a lot of fun - as long as you do not cut yourself ????
