While I was making my way down to the mail box today I passed a young US Marine who was wearing a Panerai. I was wearing my 164, so after checking the mail and while passing him again I said, "Hey, nice Panerai... which one is it?" He replied that he was not entirely sure, but he thought it was called a Luminor Marina.
I took a quick glance at it and my eyes almost bugged out of my head... The entire top of the CG, part of the crown, and part of the bezel were ground down like if it had been ground down with an industrial grinding wheel.
I then said, "UM, I bet there is a great story behind that..." and he laughed. Upon returning from his last deployment from Afghanistan, and his final deployment with the USMC (now a civilian as of September 1) he bought two toys. A Ducati and a Panerai. On the third day that he owned the Ducati he was cut off on the 5 freeway at 75mph and laid it down. He figures the watch got ground down while he was "reaching for something to grab" as he slid down the freeway.
He suffered some road rash, the bike was still rideable and the Panerai was taken back to the AD for service. It required a new dial, new hands, new crystal, a new stem and a complete service. Total cost $1400. He was absolutely adament that the case, CG and crown not be replaced as he wants it as a reminder of what happened and how lucky he was.
The bike was sold within a few weeks of getting it repaired also.
I am getting together with him this weekend, and we he is going to let me take some pics of the watch. It is a Panerai 111 ( I think it is a J series, but he said he would bring the papers for me to take pics of also...) so I will find out for sure.
I took a quick glance at it and my eyes almost bugged out of my head... The entire top of the CG, part of the crown, and part of the bezel were ground down like if it had been ground down with an industrial grinding wheel.
I then said, "UM, I bet there is a great story behind that..." and he laughed. Upon returning from his last deployment from Afghanistan, and his final deployment with the USMC (now a civilian as of September 1) he bought two toys. A Ducati and a Panerai. On the third day that he owned the Ducati he was cut off on the 5 freeway at 75mph and laid it down. He figures the watch got ground down while he was "reaching for something to grab" as he slid down the freeway.
He suffered some road rash, the bike was still rideable and the Panerai was taken back to the AD for service. It required a new dial, new hands, new crystal, a new stem and a complete service. Total cost $1400. He was absolutely adament that the case, CG and crown not be replaced as he wants it as a reminder of what happened and how lucky he was.
The bike was sold within a few weeks of getting it repaired also.
I am getting together with him this weekend, and we he is going to let me take some pics of the watch. It is a Panerai 111 ( I think it is a J series, but he said he would bring the papers for me to take pics of also...) so I will find out for sure.
