The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hi guys,

Im brand new to the forum and just wanted some advice. Im looking to spend some decent money on my first nice watch. Ive narrowed it down to either and IWC BP or a PAM 312. Ive tried the BP on in person and loved it even though it looked massive on my wrists, which are quite small. I havent seen the 312 in person only in photos.

Can you tell me your opinion on which you think is the better watch as I love both.

Cheers
Dan

Wow, either of those are quite a start if it's your first "decent" watch!

I have a BP myself, and while I love the look and the finish, the timekeeping is frankly crap...... and that's after multiple trips back to IWC both here in the UK and in Switzerland. At it's worst it was gaining 25 secs a day. I'm not the only one to have this problem with the 7 day movement either : it seems to be quite common. That said there are a few people who claim there's has fine timekeeping so it seems you are either lucky or (like me) you get a lemon.

As a result, if I have my time again, I'd definitely have gone for the PAM 312. I've never owned a Panerai myself, but I've tried quite a few on and the 1950's case models are especially nice. Plus you get the added bonus of actually be able to use it to tell the time fairly accurately - something that the IWC seems incapable of doing.

Still if you go for the BP and you get bored with using it as a watch, it's huge amount of gain means you can always just remove the crystal and use it as a fan!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Great couple of watches you're looking at! If you'd asked me a year ago, I would have chosen the BP without hesitation, but I'm a bit wary about the IWC 7-day movement now after reading stories from Driver8 and others about the timekeeping. I don't like being without a watch while it's being fixed, especially when it happens more than once.

So my vote goes for the 312, even though I don't think it's in quite the same league as the IWC. (Disclaimer: I own a 312.)

Ok now that's funny!

I'd go for the 312...ol because it fits me better. If I had larger wrists then I'd already havea BP. If you have smaller wrists, have you considered an IWC Portuguese 5001? It also has an in house 7day movement and the black dial model I gorgeous.

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

Thanks for the responses guys.

Driver - wow thats a shock, one would have thought paying all that money for a watch it would at least keep accurate time...is definitely something for me to consider now.

Mfserge - yeh I also tried on the Portugese the day I checked out the BP...it was a beautiful watch but for some reason the Pilot's line appealed to me more. I also considered the IWC Pilot's Chronograph cause it was a little smaller.

The dilemma im also facing is being from Australia all the prices ive seemed to get are sooo much more than the prices from the rest of the world.....do you guys find this to be the case and should I be looking at purchasing from somewhere o/s?

Ah, well that makes a difference.

If you were getting a BP, my advice would be not to get it here. List prices here for IWC are ludicrously out of step with the rest of the world (BP was the equivalent of USD 20k last time I looked).

Not so with Panerai, their Australian prices are relatively competitive. 312 lists at AUD 7700 including GST.

This might give you some perspective

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25260


If you decide on the BP let me know

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Certified watch nut.

Cheers Otto.

Altair - thanks that was an awesome read. Do you have a BP for sale by the way?