"OFFICINE PANERAI" on a gen and on a rep - not the

[waterpruf]

If you will refer to the pictures above, you will notice that the words "OFFICINE
PANERAI" on a rep is a lot BOLDER (and BLUER?) than a gen's.

Also, the letter "E" in "OFFICINE", and the "I", and the 2nd "A" in PANERAI is
partially obstructed by the case back in the rep.

In the gen, though, you can see all the letters clearly as no letter is ever
covered / obstructed by the case back.

To me, this "flaw" gives the whole watch away as a rep.

Is it just me being anal, or anyone else notice this but does not give shit. :shock:

 

[hooligan]

The text on a CdG H-series and later movement ...

The overall finishing of the movement, the look of the Cote de Geneve, the finish of the Swan neck parts, the finish of the winding gears ... all this stuff as well as the OP blue text will clue one to a non GEN under scrutiny.

I was thinking the same thing, Enzo. If someone looking at it is enough of a WIS to notice the brand engraving being perhaps more covered than it should, would certainly notice the overall finishing of the movement at the same time -- and know it was a rep.

 

[waterpruf]

depends on the case, the model, lots of variance on that. A 111 183 and 217 back case all have different dimensions and thus show more or less of a movement.

Are these cases exactly like a gen? Doubt it. But I have seen this brought up before and often it's an apples and oranges comparison to begin with.

Too anal? Well, how often do you take off your watch and show people the movement? When you do this, do they pull out calipers? It would really depend on the crowd you run with.

The pictures are all of a 111. I believe the first rep picture is from Puretime's 111H, the 2nd is from
Davidsen's ultimate 111, and the third is of a gen 111 I. So in that respect at least, the comparisons
are warranted.

Don't know if this is true with other PANERAI rep models. Anyone have side by side pictures
to show if this is true with other models as well?

To me it's such an "obvious" mistake, and it's just plain bugging me. But that is just me I guess.
Any other soul out there share my grief too? :wink: Maybe I should just stick to solid case backs.

Maybe if we're all given a gen to compare side by side with our reps, then we'd all end up
unhappy too. :roll:

Thanks for the reply Enzo, I understand your point, but I still wish some dealer out there will
read this and correct it in their future offerings.

 

[mumum]

Yikes, I share your feeling. After all my main goal is to get a rep that is as close to the gen as possible cosmetically. Maybe, I will stick to the solid backs first. Thanks for the heads up, it makes a difference to me.

 

[Aquaracer]

Well yeah- The gen is gonna have better type and engraving and whatever.

Have you held a brand new 111H in your hand at the Panerai dealer?? Then have you held a nice 111H from Davidsen or whomever.

They ain't close pal- let me tel ya.

I just acquired a gen 001 for a nice price, and I have a few PAM reps. There is a fit and finish to a genuine panerai that no rep made in China will EVER approach. And how could it??

Is your goal to purchase acurate forgeries for 1/16th the price of the real Mccoy- To sell them on ebay as "genuine" Panerai?? To fool a watchmaker? Of course not- Your goal is to wear a cool looking watch that does not have the "Fossil" or "Accutron" logo on it.

I've worn my Pam rep into the local high end AD, not a Panerai dealer- but they deal lots of $5000+ watches. They held the damned thing in their hands, looked at the movement- Absolutely no idea it was a rep, recessed cannon pin and all. One of the guys there owned a Submersible and claimed to be a "Paneristi"- he was impressed enough to actually write down the model number so he could find one for himself! (He thought he was handling the $4000 gen) Since I've spent close to $20K in that shop- why would they suspect anything less?

I guess you have to decide whether you're gonna lie outright to people when they ask- If you own one gen then everyone asumes all of your reps are real too. Panerai makes SOOO many models that even fellow Panerai owners dismiss any differences as simply variances within the Panerai range. If you're getting out of a Toyota with a rep of a $20,000 watch, well then I think you're busted.

I'm new here- but like most of you I've gotten totally hooked on these replicas- The whole thing is kind of dirty and a lot of fun. Even the regulars fighting with each other is kind of fun. Your rep will NEVER fool someone well versed in a particular brand. once you get over that you'll be much happier.

When I tell people my watch is a "High End Replica" made in a top secret backroom in Switzerland or whatever- it's a much more interesting story than just going into the local AD and putting a new submariner on your credit card.

 

[sexybeast]

depends on the case, the model, lots of variance on that. A 111 183 and 217 back case all have different dimensions and thus show more or less of a movement.

Are these cases exactly like a gen? Doubt it. But I have seen this brought up before and often it's an apples and oranges comparison to begin with.

Too anal? Well, how often do you take off your watch and show people the movement? When you do this, do they pull out calipers? It would really depend on the crowd you run with.

yea and what ever you do don't show it to the guys on replica-watch.info!
:roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[crick]

just my two cent research contribution

picture of a gen.

Some reps come quite close to finishing - never 100% smooth though, but damn close that I'm quite surprised.

Unless you're the kind of guy that goes to watch collector shows and hangs out with WIS's all day, no one will really care or know.

Most of the time... no one will really care

Most of the time... poeple wont even know what a panerai is? Only YOU do!

 

[waterpruf]

OFFICINE PANERAI ENGRAVING ON THE BRIDGE

If you want to make a REP look closest to a GEN, then remove the movt from the equation. Stick to closed back reps, this holds true to no matter what the brand being rep'd.

I agree, but clear case backs are really nice to look at.

By the way, does anyone know if this is a hard thing to fix? I mean, how hard
is it to get the correct font and spacing of the OFFICINE PANERAI on that damn
bridge? Can't any dealer / manufacturer correct it economically? Will it take
$$$$$ to do so? Just asking... no disrespect meant to anybody

 

[rawbarZ7]

@aquaracer - well said.

RB

 

[waterpruf]

They ain't close pal- let me tel ya.

You don't say.

I'm new here- but like most of you I've gotten totally hooked on these replicas- The whole thing is kind of dirty and a lot of fun. Even the regulars fighting with each other is kind of fun. Your rep will NEVER fool someone well versed in a particular brand. once you get over that you'll be much happier.

We all abor under the illusion that our reps are meant to fool other people, but ultimately
we're just out to fool ourselves. And I guess that's the hardest part of all..... we just can't
fool ourselves. We'll keep finding new "defects", new things to nitpick on.... and so on
and so forth. AHHHHHH..... the anguish of rep ownership. :lol:

 

[waterpruf]

Yikes, I share your feeling. After all my main goal is to get a rep that is as close to the gen as possible cosmetically. Maybe, I will stick to the solid backs first. Thanks for the heads up, it makes a difference to me.

Glad to be of help????!!!!! Guess all pretensions of rep greatnes just disintegrates when one
actually sets a rep next to a gen. So moral of the story: stop putting a gen under the microscope
if one want to lead a happy life in rep-landia. :wink:

 

[waterpruf]

Most of the time... poeple wont even know what a panerai is? Only YOU do!

And like I said back there, that's the hardest part --- to fool oneself. Once you know how a rep
is SUPPOSED to look like, you just can't accept anything less. Agree? Or maybe that's just me. 8)

 

[rawbarZ7]

I got a few reps just to see the fit and if I would like them before I dropped more cash on a gen. You can't compare finish - you'll only be disappointed (well, Davidsens are pretty nice!) Plus, I hadn't worn a watch in a very long time so the first few months was just to get all the knocks out - I trashed a few poor reps just not remembering they were there and what little disregard I had for the stuff on my wrists.

Now, as I have tried on more and more and gotten comfortable with certain sizes and shapes - I think I am nearer to narrowing my gen search down and getting a couple. I know the ones I gravitate towards and the ones that stand the test of time (at least in my eyes). And if you get one gently used - much of the depreciation has been accounted for and with normal wear shouldn't lose that much more value.

That is the rep experience for me. Finding the right fit. Took a few reps to narrow it down - but I get closer every day. And then I will stop looking at the "wrong" parts of a rep and start enjoying the "rightness" of a gen (whichever ones they may be).

RB

 

[supermanx]

Re: OFFICINE PANERAI ENGRAVING ON THE BRIDGE

By the way, does anyone know if this is a hard thing to fix? I mean, how hard
is it to get the correct font and spacing of the OFFICINE PANERAI on that damn
bridge? Can't any dealer / manufacturer correct it economically? Will it take
$$$$$ to do so? Just asking... no disrespect meant to anybody

Most of the manufacturers care only enough that its passable facsimile... 99% of the reps they sell don't go to the wis types we find here. And for that matter even the wis types still buy the watch defects and all. On the grand scheme of things they will not sell that many more reps because they correct the font on the back of the watch.

 

[Aquaracer]

We all belabor under the illusion that are reps are meant to fool other people, but ultimately
we're just out to fool ourselves. And I guess that's the hardest part of all..... we just can't
fool ourselves. We'll keep finding new "defects", new things to nitpick on.... and so on
and so forth. AHHHHHH..... the anguish of rep ownership. :lol:

I'm not trying to fool myself- Yeah I guess I'm trying to fool other people- but I'm well past the show off stage with this kind of crap- Used to wear those Canal Street Omega copies for years- they'd fall apart while sitting in a meeting!

I like the look of these watches- And part of the look is the damned logo and all of the correct trimmings, so I've come to terms with the "Replica" thing. Once you own a handful of expensive gens and alternate them with reps on a daily basis you start to really question the value of the gens- yes they are build out of far better materials, and are overall really precisely assmebled and finished- but it's not like I'm going to hand my Tag Carrera down to my son when I'm done with it...

As much as I find the fit, finish and overall "vibe" of my Gen Panerai 001 blows away the reps- The reps are pretty damned good, and I am having a hard time justifying the cost fo the real Pam- since it's so damned plain. But at least when I wear the monster around and someone comments I can say it's a real Panerai. In fact I'm having Davidsen whip me up a couple of cool vintage repros- so i can truthfully say "It's a reproduction of the original Military Panerai" -

More than anything I find the only people who would even know what exactly to look for are other rep fanatics (You guys) or pawn shop owners- AD salespeople DO NOT know- I've now been in a half dozen Tourneau's across the country with my reps on and nobody even suspects, even when they hold the damned things in their hands. I tried on a 42mm PO with my 45mm PO sitting on the counter- same deal with the PAM 001 I bought- I took my 111 rep off, placed it on the counter- tried on the 111- the saleslady picked up the 111 and told me it was a beautiful watch! A brought my 45mm PO to an old time watch repair guy who probably had not ever seen a modern Omega in his little shop (Lots of battery changes) and he didn't for a second spot it as a rep- even when he opened it up and it did not have the Coaxial movement inside!

And why does no one suspect- because NO ONE CARES- When I was a college student wearing a fake Rolex EVERYONE assumed I was wearing a fake Rolex. Now that I'm successful and have a decent car and a decent home no one would suspect, nor care.

Since I'm not looking to create a "Forgery" I don't really see what the point is to make these perfect-perfect. Maybe the Rolex guys find it an interesting hobby, but I'm not looking to become a watchmaker- it's like stamp collecting for me. I'd rather have more different and interesting reps- The prefect rep for me is $300 copy of a $3000 watch. Wear it till it's boring, move on to the next one. A $200 copy of a $35,000 watch is kind of silly- don't you think? Strains credulity.

 

[skcheng]

Replica Perfection....NOT!!

All of your points are well taken here. I'm new to the boards also, but my objectives and goals are a little different. I've only owned gens in the past. Rolex, Audemars Piquet, etc.. I've always loved watches. But next to collecting cars, there isn't a more expensive hobby than high-end watches. Sure I've owned a Canal Street special here and there, but they were always crap watches that stopped ticking after a few months. So what.....it only cost $20.

Now I find the "replica fanatic" and I'm already becoming one. Why not spend $40 and get correct lume. Another $20 for the correct diameter crown?? It's like having options for a nicer car?? And if the movement is hand tweaked and runs perfectly and someone takes the time to assemble a waterproof case, all the better. Now I have a watch that I'm proud to wear, tells great time, and looks really nice.

It's much easier to own 3 reps, and pocket the extra $3K saved for movie tickets and tv dinners!! And I have a real job and I drive a nice car. Heck, why not own a few GENs and a few REPs. This is all about having fun anyway.

I would gladly pay someone $50 for the correct "OFFICINE PANERAI" stamping in smaller, black letter that are offset to the left. And if more people wanted this change, then it would happen. But there are too many people here who insist on open back watches, yet then claim that they don't care that the movement looks absolutely wrong?? But that's okay.....it's just another part of the hobby.

Right now, I'm totally obsessed with getting the correct hands, lume, movement, crown, AR coat etc... For me that's fun. For others, buying the cheapest rep might be the ticket. Buy hey, that's why forums like this one exist!!!

Chalk me up as one member who would love to see an exact dupe on that much used 6497 Panerai movement. When it's made (Swiss preferably), I'll be right there in line to purchase one

 

[crick]

Most of the time... poeple wont even know what a panerai is? Only YOU do!

And like I said back there, that's the hardest part --- to fool oneself. Once you know how a rep
is SUPPOSED to look like, you just can't accept anything less. Agree? Or maybe that's just me. 8)

****SIIIIGGHHH***

i aggree

i've fallen victim to that many a time before

 

[skcheng]

Whatcha think??

What do you guys think about this movement. Swiss 6497 with the correct "dagger"



and:

 

[erdoc]

Re: Whatcha think??

What do you guys think about this movement. Swiss 6497 with the correct "dagger"



and:

NICE!

What's it going into?

 

[skcheng]

177H. And Sir Vacuum is taking care of the rest of my OCD needs. Lume, SS crown, and whatever else he says I need :lol: