The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I have the opportunity to buy, though a trusted private dealer, an NOS Panerai PAM 48, black face, black leather band with deployment, plus blond leather band, boxes and papers, plus 2-year warranty tossed in by the AD, for approximately 38 percent off present-day retail. Aside from the fact that I wasn't exactly planning the outlay, it all appears to me a tremendous deal. I am struck by the timeless and clean look it has, and again the deal, but my question to the Panerai owners past and present is whether you still love the look over time. Have or did you become bored with it?

Right now I have some variety: A two-tone 40 mm Chronomat with gold bezel, pearl face, a Rolex GMT stainless, a Ulysse Nardin Dual Time silver textured face on blue leather, a two-tone Omega constellation Double Eagle Perpetual with gold face, an old Chronospace with blue face, and a three-register white face D. Freemont chronograph that has filled my void for a Navitimer, so far. (Once I take the time to figure out photobucket, I'll be happy to put them on Gallery) I am missing a watch over 42mm which is what I was looking for when I walked in to see the dealer. The Panerai is also under 42 but has the thickness that I think might keep me happy (not quite 7 3/4 wrist). So my second question is, did those of you who bought 40 or 44 mm models labor over which size? Do you have opinions about the 40 or 44? I've been long-winded enough. I would really appreciate your thoughts or experiences as I will need to decide on this tomorrow (I have it on hold 'till then)

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

I'm certainly not tired of the look yet, they still look timeless and clean to me. They seem to get that reaction from non-watch-people too.

As for that particular model, 38% off is a fantastic deal for a Panerai, NOS or not, BUT we are talking about a 40mm model. The demand for them is nowhere near what it is for the 44mm+ models, and consequently they don't hold their value as well. Last time I looked (which was admittedly a while ago), Panerai sale forums were full of people who had bought a 40mm model and were looking to trade up to a 44.

The 40mm fits some people much better so it is a good option for them, but it doesn't sound like that is you. If 44 is what you were looking for, I think you should hold out for it.

How old? That models been around for a long time so it could be pretty new or pretty old. Find out the year letter. Im with Otto though, 38% off very good, even though its a 40mm painted dial.

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-RJ

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PAM359, Omega PO Big Size, 1951 Omega Seamaster, Rolex Sea Dweller

Thanks for the replies so far. As to one question, the one I'm looking at is a 2008 model. I asked a friend in the office to bring in their 44mm model. It is a white face model and a titanium, but at least I'll get the size idea. One thing I really do like about even the 40mm model is the heft it seems to have, even over my Chronomat and my GMT.

Another thing that keeps flying around in the back of my mind is that the 40 will just fit under the sleeve of my dress shirt. With the black leather strap, it looks really sharp with a suit. Though I don't really need the versatility, in some respects it's a better look with a suit than my GMT. On one hand, I have looked at larger watches before, but something always made me stop. On the other, I can see the Panerai as a super-versatile watch, but is that really what it's for? I have been searching the web and see what you mean by people looking to trade 40 for 44. Sorry, full watch fever, rambling a bit now. All thoughts remain welcome, but perhaps the key will be trying on the 44 tomorrow.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

Try it on and pick the one you like more. Not the one that seems like it will work. Buy the one that WILL work out.

BTW, Panerai owners throw sticks at you if they see you on the street with a 40mm. joke, of course...or is it....???

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-RJ

Good advice from RJ.

Scott, I agree with you that a 40mm model on a black strap would work really well with a suit. The question is, would you rather have a 44? Don't talk yourself into a 40 if that's the case.

For what it's worth, I wear a suit every day and I'm becoming more and more conservative about which watches I choose to wear at work, but I still wear my 44mm Panerai with a suit at least once or twice a week (black strap though, not brown).

Yup, unless you have a lady to give it too eventually (40mm is perfect on a lady's wrist), don't buy just because it's cheap. 40mm is like a stepchild in the Panerai world. You'll have a hell of a time unloading it when you want to move up to a 44mm or 47mm (or 60mm... ).

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a few Pams...

So, here's where the morning has me. I went to bed thinking I would likely be better off waiting for a 44. I woke up this morning, looked in my winder (I forgot to tell you I am "puppy dogging" the watch overnight--the dealer and I have known each other a long time) and saw the 40 in there. To my eyes, it was, along with my UN Dual Time, the most elegant watch in there. The two-tone Chronomat is a stunner, but it also tells you in full voice. The GMT frankly looks a bit lost to me at the moment. Anyway, I come to the office, and here is my co-worker with a Luminor Marina 44, white face, saddle band. Huge size difference. I am wearing it this morning on one wrist, the 40 on the other. I am sure the white makes it look larger but it absolutely dwarfs anything else I have. Not sure what to think about that. You could tuck it under a sleeve, but it is a conscious exercise. I don't see wearing this except with short sleeves. On one hand, a larger watch is what I started looking for, but for me it's really big. I am now contemplating whether my first big watch should be a less expensive "starter" , maybe something like a Hamilton Below Zero.

Resale does concern me a bit. The Panerai folks are 44 maniacs, and they seem to own several. They sound like true devotees, almost too much so. Some Omega folks can be that way, too. It really doesn't bother me that they might look down their noses at a 40, but the resale issue is cause for concern. We'll see what wearing both this morning does. I have a lot of my collection in a box in my car, and later today I'm going down to my dealer friend and we're going to spread 'em out, look at what I do have, don't have, and work through this.

I would like to add one note here. I came over here because a co-worker was looking for a watch, to check out the site. He became acquainted with Sharkman and eventually bought Bronco Sport's Chronomat. (If you're out there, Bronco, he is VERY happy) This is a really nice forum community, interested and respectful of brands beyond Breitling. As work goes, I come and go, but unless you don't already know, you have a good thing going.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

Scott,

I recently bought a PAM 312 and although its 44mm, it also has the 1950's style case and so it wears a lot larger than typical 44mm watches. I think several things need to be taken into account. First off, IMO, 7.5" or larger wrist looks best for the newer models (1950's case) and this one definitely sits taller on the wrist. I seldom wear long sleave shirts (unless going out for dinner) and the 312 wouldnt disappear under a sleave as easy as the 111 (for example).

Personally I wouldn't let the "trend" sway you. If the 40mm model suits your wrist and you like the deal, get it. You can always upgrade or add to the collection later. If I found a PVD 40mm PAM for a steal of a price, I don't think I would hesitate. I like 44mm sized watches but 4mm isnt that much. The main difference would be overall case size, including lugs and the thickness of the watch.

I am super glad that my Chronomat Evo is finally getting worn and loved (on the wrist, instead of the safe!).

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

We all need a little closure now and then, so here's mine.

As I mentioned above, I put all my non-two-tone watches in a box and went to my long-time unaffiliated watch dealer. I wore the PAM 48 that I was "puppy dogging" and I also brought a 44 mm white faced model, also a Luminor. We spread everything out and went over what I had, didn't have, needed, and wanted. I came to the conclusion that for my tastes, the 44 just seemed too big. The 44 is so much larger than even my two 42 mm watches. For me, for now, simply too much. But was the 40 too little? At that size, you don't have the same strap versatility that people love Panerai for unless you go the 44. The differnce for me ws that Panerai really wasn't on my radar until I walked in yesterday. That Pam 48 on black croc deployment really hit me as a dress watch, rather than a sports or casual watch. But if I went ahead with that, I had too much black. My GMT, my first nice watch, had a black bezel. My D. Freemont has a black leather deployment clasp and large black subdials. My Bathys is black as well, but I use it as strictly a sports watch. We looked at a lot of options, including a Silver faced IWC chrono that still was no larger than the Rolex and the DF. At that point, my watch guy glanced at what he was wearing that day, a vintage GMT, and we decided the solution for my Rolex was the Pepsi Bezel. For the DF, we ordered a saddle colored strap with the racing style holes like Breitling uses in its rubber straps, with black stitching. That made everything fall into place. Yes, I bought the Panerai.



Here are the other ones I took down (I'll try eventually to put everything in the gallery)


If the pictures don't work I'll try again, but I did follow the instructions in the Gallery section to set up Photobucket.

I know it's NOS, but it has been a long time since I bought a new watch. I still have issues with the extra cost, but every now and again... Anyway, I hope my day-and-a-half journey to a new watch was not too exasperating, and maybe even interesting to follow. Everybody has their own thing (for example, I'm just not a Super Avenger guy, and probably won't ever be) and in some respects I have gone completely bass-ackwards, making a Panerai my dress watch and converting my GMT to more of a sports watch. But for me, this was the right thing, and a very good day.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

Congratulations Scott, it looks great, and it certainly sounds like you put a lot of thought into it.

Great idea getting the Pepsi bezel too, I would love a Pepsi GMT. Is that a 16750?

It's a 16700, circa 2000. I'll tell you, though, the watch my dealer was wearing was really something. It was truly vintage, with the narrowing (and stretching--never saw that on an old Oyster) band to a small clasp, cheap feeling bracelet frankly, but an acrylic crystal with a thicker bezel. The face had almost old-gold lettering on it, and while the lume was I'm sure far gone and an inferior substance for its day, the dots were bigger, a bit like on the newer models. I was a really cool old watch, and one that my dealer bought for himself.

Now I can't wait for that buck strap to come in. Feels like I got three new watches!

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless