Here comes my short review of Kuvarsit rep of PAM 505; I got it from Joshua/PC, as usual.
On 2012/10/10 Panerai introduced two new Radiomir Composit models, both 47 mm large Radiomirs: Composite 3-Days PAM00504 and the Composite Black Seal 3-Days Automatic PAM00505.
Here’s what Panerai published about the process: “The ceramization process of aluminium leading to the synthesis of Panerai Composite is not similar to any other techniques currently in use in the watch-making industry. In traditional coating processes in fact, layers of ceramic dust are applied onto metal and only the topmost surface of the case is involved in the process itself.
With Panerai Composite, the aluminium cases are immersed in a chemical bath where, thanks to a conductive liquid and to the electricity which generates extremely high temperatures (up to 10,000°C), the metal undergoes an electrochemical process that profoundly modifies its structure while still allowing it to remain faithful to the original geometry. The result of this process depends on many factors, including the solution used, the immersion times, the material and the shape of the piece being worked on.
Before being mounted on a Panerai watch, each case undergoes finishing and is put through a series of tests that certify its aesthetic and technical qualities. The result is a material that is extremely homogeneous, solid, of matt appearance and soft to the touch.â€
How does Panerai Composite reality stand against the expectations? Some quotes will help find out:
It reacts with many things like plastics, skin etc:
"... all our Pam comes with the protective cover but NONE for the Composite 504 & 505. Their (Panerai's) explanation - the cover may leave a "mark" on the composite coating... That's what they say !!!"
"I owned a PAM 505. After two months a discoloration appeared at the 12 o'clock position. "
Someone stated:
"If this really is "just" hard-anodized alumin(i)um then the color will not likely hold and the pitting is probably caused by poor sealing. Most (but not all) anodizing processes open up micro-pores, which then need to be properly sealed or will sometimes fade and could pit or corrode."
Those "micro-pores to be sealed" rang a bell in my mind, since I read somewhere, that Panerai tries to remove stains of discoloration and then PROTECT the surface with special wax. Micro-pores to be sealed by wax? That's the reason, I suppose.
Surely, if the layer of composite on aluminum is not sealed - the aluminum reacts to sweat.
Suddenly I am happy that the rep has old-good DLC'ed stainless steel. Or just PVD… It got me thinking - I remember reading something on RepGeek about rep 'composite' attempts. I found it then and it was about PAM 386:
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=156413
A quote from kroexist: "This coating has nothing to do with the DLC coating. The 386 composite ceramic coating is impossible to be done by any of the coatings known to date, not even close. The color that they did on the rep version of this watch, and Rolli is absolutely correct, is dark purplish/aubergine color.... I don't really see a reason for the producers of the 386 rep to put such a statement out that the coating used for this rep is DLC which is a total BS. It is pretty obvious what they did with the watch case finish and color and will drafted down as a process as soon as I sit in front of a computer... Unfortunately this particular rep will remain in the history as a turn of in dark purple rather then the ult 386 as what we all hoped it to be!!"
Later in the thread kroexist tried to achieve the same result and explained how. Fortunately, Kuvarsit version of 'composite' coating of PAM 505 is MUCH MUCH better, yet purple hue is barely visible. In most situations with artificial light it will be difficult to detect that but with natural light - it is (barely) visible. Kroexist denied the DLC nature of coating in case of PAM 386; Kuvarsit states their rep of PAM 505 is DLC'ed. Who knows… I don't. When I removed lug screws to loctite them - the internal threading seems to be yellow… MAYBE it is not stainless steel but some yellow colored metal to further break purple hue?
What else… movement - wow… very nice. Smooth winding, a bit noisy rotor but it is not bad. I like it like that, alive. Superlumed, indeed. Strap: of surprisingly good quality - I will not replace it until it break. Crown - perfect. Overall feel - as ALE used to say - gen-like!
Now to media, starting with gen:
As I checked briefly before, the dial is perfect while hands are too fat and there is a minor problem with date font (a bit smaller that gen):
The rest:
And video:
Pam505 - YouTube
On 2012/10/10 Panerai introduced two new Radiomir Composit models, both 47 mm large Radiomirs: Composite 3-Days PAM00504 and the Composite Black Seal 3-Days Automatic PAM00505.
Here’s what Panerai published about the process: “The ceramization process of aluminium leading to the synthesis of Panerai Composite is not similar to any other techniques currently in use in the watch-making industry. In traditional coating processes in fact, layers of ceramic dust are applied onto metal and only the topmost surface of the case is involved in the process itself.
With Panerai Composite, the aluminium cases are immersed in a chemical bath where, thanks to a conductive liquid and to the electricity which generates extremely high temperatures (up to 10,000°C), the metal undergoes an electrochemical process that profoundly modifies its structure while still allowing it to remain faithful to the original geometry. The result of this process depends on many factors, including the solution used, the immersion times, the material and the shape of the piece being worked on.
Before being mounted on a Panerai watch, each case undergoes finishing and is put through a series of tests that certify its aesthetic and technical qualities. The result is a material that is extremely homogeneous, solid, of matt appearance and soft to the touch.â€
How does Panerai Composite reality stand against the expectations? Some quotes will help find out:
It reacts with many things like plastics, skin etc:
"... all our Pam comes with the protective cover but NONE for the Composite 504 & 505. Their (Panerai's) explanation - the cover may leave a "mark" on the composite coating... That's what they say !!!"
"I owned a PAM 505. After two months a discoloration appeared at the 12 o'clock position. "
Someone stated:
"If this really is "just" hard-anodized alumin(i)um then the color will not likely hold and the pitting is probably caused by poor sealing. Most (but not all) anodizing processes open up micro-pores, which then need to be properly sealed or will sometimes fade and could pit or corrode."
Those "micro-pores to be sealed" rang a bell in my mind, since I read somewhere, that Panerai tries to remove stains of discoloration and then PROTECT the surface with special wax. Micro-pores to be sealed by wax? That's the reason, I suppose.
Surely, if the layer of composite on aluminum is not sealed - the aluminum reacts to sweat.
Suddenly I am happy that the rep has old-good DLC'ed stainless steel. Or just PVD… It got me thinking - I remember reading something on RepGeek about rep 'composite' attempts. I found it then and it was about PAM 386:
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=156413
A quote from kroexist: "This coating has nothing to do with the DLC coating. The 386 composite ceramic coating is impossible to be done by any of the coatings known to date, not even close. The color that they did on the rep version of this watch, and Rolli is absolutely correct, is dark purplish/aubergine color.... I don't really see a reason for the producers of the 386 rep to put such a statement out that the coating used for this rep is DLC which is a total BS. It is pretty obvious what they did with the watch case finish and color and will drafted down as a process as soon as I sit in front of a computer... Unfortunately this particular rep will remain in the history as a turn of in dark purple rather then the ult 386 as what we all hoped it to be!!"
Later in the thread kroexist tried to achieve the same result and explained how. Fortunately, Kuvarsit version of 'composite' coating of PAM 505 is MUCH MUCH better, yet purple hue is barely visible. In most situations with artificial light it will be difficult to detect that but with natural light - it is (barely) visible. Kroexist denied the DLC nature of coating in case of PAM 386; Kuvarsit states their rep of PAM 505 is DLC'ed. Who knows… I don't. When I removed lug screws to loctite them - the internal threading seems to be yellow… MAYBE it is not stainless steel but some yellow colored metal to further break purple hue?
What else… movement - wow… very nice. Smooth winding, a bit noisy rotor but it is not bad. I like it like that, alive. Superlumed, indeed. Strap: of surprisingly good quality - I will not replace it until it break. Crown - perfect. Overall feel - as ALE used to say - gen-like!
Now to media, starting with gen:
As I checked briefly before, the dial is perfect while hands are too fat and there is a minor problem with date font (a bit smaller that gen):
The rest:
And video:
Pam505 - YouTube
