The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I mean, aside from the movement, what is so special about them? Most models also look the same. I just dont get it. Is there something I am missing here?

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"Don't Touch The Watch." - Patrick Bateman

To each their own...

Panarai has its roots in the Italian Navy and they certainly have a unique look (some say a gymnasium wall clock). They have carved out their own niche in the market with limited numbers and serious craftsmanship. They have a lot of followers and very dedicated owners with a right knit community.

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

I just posted the same question in another thread. I don't get it at all....and that piece of metal that covers the crown??? What is that????? I am not a fan at all.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

I just cant understand why most of their models looks almost exactly the same. Same case, bezle, almost the same face. And its introduced as an entirely different model. WTF is that about?!?!?!

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"Don't Touch The Watch." - Patrick Bateman

And can the faces be anymore basic??? Come on!! I heard their fan base/owners are a very tight community...probably to give each other support for wasting 8k.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

Hey, if you don't like them, nobody here's going to try to make you.

I didn't get them either, until I wore one. Mine still feels special every time I wear it, at least as much as anything else in my collection. I'm not sure I can really explain why it appeals to me, it just does.

Lets just say they have a very clever marketing dept. One model can essentially become a dozen since they eliminate or add a feature and give it a new model name and make it limited. You can have 10 models that look the same, but one has a date, one has a cyclops, one is an auto, one is a manual, one is a sandwich dial, one has a PR indicator etc. If you want a specific set of features, chances are its gonna be one that everybody else wants, which means youll be paying a lot of money since they are all fairly scarce. I really dont get it either, but ill admit ive almost fallen for the hype on more than one occasion. There are actually some very unique pieces, especially from their manufacture line, but they are priced accordingly.

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-RJ

Go try them on and you'll see. That's how I was convinced to sell my Chronomat and buy my 112 and I don't regret that decision at all.

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Justin
Please contact me via PM for the contact details for Govberg Jewelers
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You call it a waste I and probably 99.99999999999% of people on this forum call spending money on any brand of watch a good thing if it makes u feel "like a million bucks on the inside" and it doesn't put your personal finances in a pinch.

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SA-Baton White Dial/ProII
Tissot Le Locle

I have tried one on. My bro-in-law has one. It just doesnt do it for me like a ling does. Even his rolex day date feels and looks much better to me. For me, at least breitling, rolex, and other brands, distinguish their different model and/or series. To me 90% of panerai's i couldnt tell the difference. Where as I can call the model of a breitling, omega, or rolex on the wrist of a guy walking past me in a nanosecond.

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"Don't Touch The Watch." - Patrick Bateman

AND after shelling out a big hunk of dough, most of them you gotta wind!

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UN Maxi Marine Ti
B01, BEB
SOH
Aerospace Ti
Chrono SO
Omega 300 Master Co-Axial Chro
Omega PO Chrono.
AP ROO Diver
Titan Black Rolex DSOD Honeycomb Dial

Its all about perspective. Spending anything over 300 on a watch is not practical, but we do so anyway because we enjoy the product.

Same deal with Panerai, I too hated the brand at first then I saw them in person and read about the history, fell in love with the design, and now I went from wondering why any one would spend 3K on a PAM to owning six models, including a 20K Chrono Monopulsante.

They are definately a "either you get it or you dont" brand but for those who do it is a passionate hobby, the manual wind aspect is in refrence to historical models and is as such a feature that attracts those who are passionate about the history as much as the watches themselves. Also, I have always like manual wind watches as it is an extra level of interaction with teh watch and will often manually wind even my automatics

That "little bit of metal" is the crown protector, a registered device developed early on by Panerai so that the navy soldiers who used the watches in WWII would not damage the crown under rough conditions as it is the weakest point in a watch.

The simplicity of the dials is what attracts many people as well, me included. I enjoy complex dials as well but a nice clean dial can be just as beutifull to me and in many cases, less is more.

I have added a picture I took recentely of four Panerai watches, do any two of those look alike? not to me! The most similar are the 233 and 311 in the middle and one is a chrono and Titanium/Steel while the other is a GMT in all steel, also different case dimensions, very different watches to me.

All in all Panerai is one of those brands that you either get or you dont, if you do not see what the fuss is acout you should be glad, you saved yourself tens of thousands in potential purchases

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Certified watch nut.

Personally I love them, unfortunately I'm a cheap bastard. I think a Panerai on a black leather band is one of the classiest looking watches there is. As for the simplicity of the face, I prefer that to to face of the Navitimer which in my opinion is way to busy, Don't get me wrong, I think they're great watches and I understand why they're like that, but just don't like it personally.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

Sorry but I don't get that comment at all. If you ask any non-WIS what they think about spending anything more than a few pounds or dollars on ANY watch you'll be met with a look of incredulity. And a lot of people (even some WIS folk) sometimes question the wisdom of spending big money on a watch like a Breitling that essentially runs an ETA movement found in many lower-end brands. Panerais are simply something you "get" (and therefore like), or you don't. Ultimately a Panerai dial is only markedly different to the dial of something like a Steelfish by it's lack of painted tick marks! That's all. And plain dials have been around a lot longer than the chronograph.

As has already been said the crown guard is a historic device and actually serves a purpose - to protect the crown, so in that respect it's an excellent design.

But irrespective of this, like any watch you either like them or you don't - there's nothing more mysterious about them than that.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

They don't do anything for me, and I have tried them on on several different occasions.

I'll join in the friendly ribbing of our PAM loving brethren on here, but I have a lot of respect for them as a brand. They have some very high quality movements and the strap change arrangement provides much more flexibility than just about any other brand.

I do find that they all have a very similar look, but that likely means that if the look is for you then you will find multiple pieces that appeal to you.

There is a snobbish element to some of the Paneristi, but then you could say the same about most brands, overall the community seems very strong.

Not a brand that I can ever see myself owning, but certainly a brand to be respected.