At first, I didn’t like 087. Joshua wrote to me that it is superb replication and due to this recommendation - I ordered. The wait begun. The watch was growing on me - all these speculations, photos etc… But it really kicked me when I got the package yesterday - what a watch!
Observations:
- the dial. That blue monster with non flat, grainy paint, patina-yellow indexes. Looks very masculine. The shiny edges of indexes (as for F-series) do look great!
- I don’t think there is a problem with brushing of case set. Maybe only the backside areas of case (excluding caseback) could be brushed with a bit higher quality.
- sapphire with polished internal edges of date loupe - H-factory quality standard
- the CP is polished and despite weird look on photos - is on par with minute hand’s surface.
- the CG looks even better than the one on gen photos The internal corners of CG are not rounded, probably done by precise vertical milling tool. Evidently higher quality of manufacturing than Panerai’s own for this model… pity, it is not as per gen but I like it like that (lower quality of machining always drives me a bit mad).
- crown - as per gen photos
- CG lever shape looks ok when comparing with gen photos. Non wobbly - apparently o-ring installed.
- bezel - I think it is executed perfectly - I couldn’t find differences when comparing with gen photos.
- the pearl - it looks like luminova material with additional layer of clear coat / transparent resin on the top. Fine by me
- that strange, unexpected lizard skin strap - matches the watch great way. It is not black but rather gray-blue. Quality - fine by me. Better than regular „where is the trashcan?†strap quality for sure. Keeper. Nicely executed buckle.
- caseback engravings - shallow. The font, placement etc - do look correct, just too shallow.
Bottom line - this it THE sub from Panerai. It oozes more masculine aura than 243. PAM 571 with such gritty dial would be the killer, too. The moment you get the watch, start to observe the dial, the side look, the play of bezel vs sapphire vs dial/hands - this is just amazing. To me all these Panerai „experiments†with 47mm Pam subs do look like less impressive design attempts than this one.
After some cleaning, servicing and maybe some modding for those who like to upgrade this watch - this is mega replication to own. Quality vs price is outstanding, especially with this nice lizard skin strap.
Photos:
Early morning light:
Movement is regular bare-bone A7750 with chrono module removed:
O-rings are probably not-dry, some visible dirt (easy to remove):
After small regulation it seems to be OK while mediocre amplitude suggests movement service soon:
The crown o-ring looks oiled:
Some more details - internal CG surfaces:
The outer beauty:
THE CG STORY:
When I read a lot on other threads about the way CG inner corners are chamfered or not - it all suggest that gen CG was done likely by broaching more than milling. When You take a look at this rep CG photo, you will see that the „gap†has rounded internal walls:
It is OK by design, since the crown has its edges in a „shadow†of CG:
When you carefully look at gen CG photos, you’ll see internal edges are curves, too (which indicated the same way as rep):
So how come CG comes in shape from sharp corners:
…to these rounded ones?
The answer is „Panerai are cheap bastardsâ€
The CG internal shape is made mainly in two steps: square gap and then rounded walls:
The first area can be made using just milling while second area - rounded walls - is precisely CNC milled using flat end milling tool, like this:
The tool for this operation looks like on this drawing:
The sharp edges of this tool are the first one to be worn off, so the tool becomes more like this:
..thus entry point becomes more rounded - hence rounded corners. So the right answer is that Panerai overused the flat end milling tool to the point it requires replacement or sharpening - and all gen CG’s produced with that „rounded†tool are having rounded corners. So H-factory did a great job keeping their tools sharpened all the time
Observations:
- the dial. That blue monster with non flat, grainy paint, patina-yellow indexes. Looks very masculine. The shiny edges of indexes (as for F-series) do look great!
- I don’t think there is a problem with brushing of case set. Maybe only the backside areas of case (excluding caseback) could be brushed with a bit higher quality.
- sapphire with polished internal edges of date loupe - H-factory quality standard
- the CP is polished and despite weird look on photos - is on par with minute hand’s surface.
- the CG looks even better than the one on gen photos
The internal corners of CG are not rounded, probably done by precise vertical milling tool. Evidently higher quality of manufacturing than Panerai’s own for this model… pity, it is not as per gen but I like it like that (lower quality of machining always drives me a bit mad).- crown - as per gen photos
- CG lever shape looks ok when comparing with gen photos. Non wobbly - apparently o-ring installed.
- bezel - I think it is executed perfectly - I couldn’t find differences when comparing with gen photos.
- the pearl - it looks like luminova material with additional layer of clear coat / transparent resin on the top. Fine by me
- that strange, unexpected lizard skin strap - matches the watch great way. It is not black but rather gray-blue. Quality - fine by me. Better than regular „where is the trashcan?†strap quality for sure. Keeper. Nicely executed buckle.
- caseback engravings - shallow. The font, placement etc - do look correct, just too shallow.
Bottom line - this it THE sub from Panerai. It oozes more masculine aura than 243. PAM 571 with such gritty dial would be the killer, too. The moment you get the watch, start to observe the dial, the side look, the play of bezel vs sapphire vs dial/hands - this is just amazing. To me all these Panerai „experiments†with 47mm Pam subs do look like less impressive design attempts than this one.
After some cleaning, servicing and maybe some modding for those who like to upgrade this watch - this is mega replication to own. Quality vs price is outstanding, especially with this nice lizard skin strap.
Photos:
Early morning light:
Movement is regular bare-bone A7750 with chrono module removed:
O-rings are probably not-dry, some visible dirt (easy to remove):
After small regulation it seems to be OK while mediocre amplitude suggests movement service soon:
The crown o-ring looks oiled:
Some more details - internal CG surfaces:
The outer beauty:
THE CG STORY:
When I read a lot on other threads about the way CG inner corners are chamfered or not - it all suggest that gen CG was done likely by broaching more than milling. When You take a look at this rep CG photo, you will see that the „gap†has rounded internal walls:
It is OK by design, since the crown has its edges in a „shadow†of CG:
When you carefully look at gen CG photos, you’ll see internal edges are curves, too (which indicated the same way as rep):
So how come CG comes in shape from sharp corners:
…to these rounded ones?
The answer is „Panerai are cheap bastardsâ€
The CG internal shape is made mainly in two steps: square gap and then rounded walls:
The first area can be made using just milling while second area - rounded walls - is precisely CNC milled using flat end milling tool, like this:
The tool for this operation looks like on this drawing:
The sharp edges of this tool are the first one to be worn off, so the tool becomes more like this:
..thus entry point becomes more rounded - hence rounded corners. So the right answer is that Panerai overused the flat end milling tool to the point it requires replacement or sharpening - and all gen CG’s produced with that „rounded†tool are having rounded corners. So H-factory did a great job keeping their tools sharpened all the time
