A special subset of my tritium dial interest is reserved for the "Silver Arrow" Panerai Power Rerserve watches. The reps of this watch are powered with the identical gen movement: The ETA 2892-A2 fitted with a Swiss Soprod 9040 power reserve module. The "Silver Arrow" sits on top of the Soprod and indicates how many hours remain on the mainspring. The fact that the reps use the same movement as the gens is a huge draw for me.
DSN Sells 6 different versions of this watch, all with their good and bad points, but, almost 10 years ago there was a maker called Honpo that made an EXTREMELY nice version of the silver arrow Panerais. A modder named Ziggy would mod the Honpo versions of this watch adding gen Panerai PVD, aged tritium lume, bold date wheel, gen crown, and corrected cyclops. The result was the original Panerai super rep LONG before H-factory and Noob.
I planed to pursue my own 28a build with custom PVD, gen crown, gen hand stack, and relumed dial... Until, I decided that the Ziggy modded Honpo that came up for sale was too much to resist. This watch originally sold on RWG 3 years ago.
Original sales thread here: http://www.rwgforum.net/topic/128950-soldfs-panerai-28a-highly-modded/
*Recommended Reading* Master w0lf describes what's so special about these highly modded Honpo PAM028As:
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=171415&page=2&p=1890187&viewfull=1#post1890187
Starting with the Gen comparison:
GEN
HONPO:
At first glance the comparison is stunning, there are differences, like the second hand bubble placement and the low crossbar A's but aside from that... not much, case shape, CG, lume, printing, font... All spot on incredible.
And the dial....SERIOUSLY!!! Check out Zigs lume work! The sheen is correct to gen, but the lume has more texture than gen. That is the only difference. PLUS, here's a really cool detail. Look at the 0 on the power reserve meter. It is actually black ink printed on top of a white background. This is an amazing gen detail that I have never seen before holding the watch.
One thing I want to you to note when looking at all of these pictures, is the different shades that the gen PVD throws off depending on the light and angle. It varies from black to light gray. There is nothing from Noob, H Factory, KW or DSN that compares to it. I have had them all. The gen finish is really something special that shimmers and changes color.
The case quality is outstanding. I really feel like I'm holding a gen Panerai when I handle this watch.
The CG body is spot on with chamfered inner corners and slightly recessed CG pin.
The crown is gen, so game over, nothing to say there
***Update*** Originally this beauty didn't have a tube. Back in 2006 when this watch was made, no modders were making custom tubes. They would just pop out the stock tube and leave it alone because the hole was big enough to fit the neck of a gen crown. I'm not a big form over function guy.... I want BOTH!!! Making this watch waterproof was a personal mission. What's the point of owning a rep that's worth as much as a good used Speedmaster, if you can't get it wet??? That would never due.
Let's sketch a gen spec tube (poorly):
-Sketch was sent of to Master NeckyZips for some machine work.
-I blackened the tube using the linseed oil method
-I enlarged the hole to 3.5mm
-JB weld epoxy in place
-And VIOLA... An expensive watch that is now expensive and waterproof....LOL
(Excuse the silicone grease)
Lug shape is spot on to gen.
Here's the comparison to DSN, notice the difference in color: DSN is gray, no question. The lug shape and bezel shape of the DSN looks great and are a nice improvement from his previous case shapes, but has a hard time competing next to the Honpo, when you get into the fine points of shape.
No "lug ripple"
And when you turn it over it gets even better, the accuracy of this caseback is every bit on par with Noob
The inside even has the inner ring to brace the movement, just like the gen.
and of course the movement....WOW (despite OFFICINE spelling issue )
I'm digging this watch. It's a keeper!
I hope to own the gen silver arrows some day, but maybe now, I at least don't need to chase the 28A
Wrist shot time... Mounted to a Dirk 1994 Cognac.
I hope you enjoyed the pics.
DSN Sells 6 different versions of this watch, all with their good and bad points, but, almost 10 years ago there was a maker called Honpo that made an EXTREMELY nice version of the silver arrow Panerais. A modder named Ziggy would mod the Honpo versions of this watch adding gen Panerai PVD, aged tritium lume, bold date wheel, gen crown, and corrected cyclops. The result was the original Panerai super rep LONG before H-factory and Noob.
I planed to pursue my own 28a build with custom PVD, gen crown, gen hand stack, and relumed dial... Until, I decided that the Ziggy modded Honpo that came up for sale was too much to resist. This watch originally sold on RWG 3 years ago.
Original sales thread here: http://www.rwgforum.net/topic/128950-soldfs-panerai-28a-highly-modded/
*Recommended Reading* Master w0lf describes what's so special about these highly modded Honpo PAM028As:
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=171415&page=2&p=1890187&viewfull=1#post1890187
Starting with the Gen comparison:
GEN
HONPO:
At first glance the comparison is stunning, there are differences, like the second hand bubble placement and the low crossbar A's but aside from that... not much, case shape, CG, lume, printing, font... All spot on incredible.
And the dial....SERIOUSLY!!! Check out Zigs lume work! The sheen is correct to gen, but the lume has more texture than gen. That is the only difference. PLUS, here's a really cool detail. Look at the 0 on the power reserve meter. It is actually black ink printed on top of a white background. This is an amazing gen detail that I have never seen before holding the watch.
One thing I want to you to note when looking at all of these pictures, is the different shades that the gen PVD throws off depending on the light and angle. It varies from black to light gray. There is nothing from Noob, H Factory, KW or DSN that compares to it. I have had them all. The gen finish is really something special that shimmers and changes color.
The case quality is outstanding. I really feel like I'm holding a gen Panerai when I handle this watch.
The CG body is spot on with chamfered inner corners and slightly recessed CG pin.
The crown is gen, so game over, nothing to say there
***Update*** Originally this beauty didn't have a tube. Back in 2006 when this watch was made, no modders were making custom tubes. They would just pop out the stock tube and leave it alone because the hole was big enough to fit the neck of a gen crown. I'm not a big form over function guy.... I want BOTH!!! Making this watch waterproof was a personal mission. What's the point of owning a rep that's worth as much as a good used Speedmaster, if you can't get it wet??? That would never due.
Let's sketch a gen spec tube (poorly):
-Sketch was sent of to Master NeckyZips for some machine work.
-I blackened the tube using the linseed oil method
-I enlarged the hole to 3.5mm
-JB weld epoxy in place
-And VIOLA... An expensive watch that is now expensive and waterproof....LOL
(Excuse the silicone grease)
Lug shape is spot on to gen.
Here's the comparison to DSN, notice the difference in color: DSN is gray, no question. The lug shape and bezel shape of the DSN looks great and are a nice improvement from his previous case shapes, but has a hard time competing next to the Honpo, when you get into the fine points of shape.
No "lug ripple"
And when you turn it over it gets even better, the accuracy of this caseback is every bit on par with Noob
The inside even has the inner ring to brace the movement, just like the gen.
and of course the movement....WOW (despite OFFICINE spelling issue
)
I'm digging this watch. It's a keeper!
I hope to own the gen silver arrows some day, but maybe now, I at least don't need to chase the 28A
Wrist shot time... Mounted to a Dirk 1994 Cognac.
I hope you enjoyed the pics.
