Look at the back on this Panerai!

Panerai:

The classic aesthetic of the Radiomir, here in red gold in the 45mm size, is combined with an original and highly sophisticated version of the P.2002 movement, featuring finely skeletonised bridges and barrels which can be seen through the large sapphire crystal on the back. The work of skeletonising reveals the wheelwork, which is the same colour as the red gold of the case, and the circular graining of the plates. It also enables the progressive unwinding of the mainspring to be observed while the watch is running or the opposite when it is being wound. The great attention to detail and the high standard of finish are also demonstrated by the hand-chamfering of the bridges, the gold engravings on the movement and the choice of an inscription in relief, instead of the more traditional engraving, recording the brand and technical details on the bezel of the back.

Panerai PAM 395 Radiomir 8 Days GMT Oro Rosso

SPECIAL EDITION

45mm red gold case, manual wind Panerai P.2002/10

Siluro a Lento Corsa (S.L.C.)

Panerai:

The Panerai Radiomir S.L.C. 3 Days (PAM 425) also has a historic dial of strongly minimalist design, with alternating bar and dot-shaped hour markers.  This version was probably created in the late 1930s to experiment with the sandwich construction of the dial, in which two plates are filled with a layer of luminous material today Super-LumiNova® the luminescence of which emerges through apertures corresponding to the markers cut in the upper plate.   The name of this watch refers to the Siluro a Lento Corsa (S.L.C.), the slow-speed torpedo on which the commandos of the  Royal Italian Navy rode during their heroic underwater missions, equipped with Panerai watches and instruments. A slow-speed torpedo is drawn in relief on the dial and the inscription S.L.C. is engraved on the flange at 12 oclock.

Panerai Radiomir S.L.C. (PAM 425)

47mm polished steel case, manual-wind Panerai P.3000

Water resistance: 100 metres

Crystal: Sapphire 2.8mm

The Panerai Radiomir California 3 Days (PAM 424) has the dial which was almost certainly the first one fitted to the Radiomir case, very original with its alternation of markers, Arabic figures and Roman numerals.   The design of the dial is enhanced by the OP logo, the inscription CALIFORNIA engraved on the flange at 12 oclock and the little date window at 3 oclock.

Panerai Radiomir California (PAM 424)

47mm steel case, manual-wind Panerai P.3000, “OP” logo

Crystal: Sapphire 2.8mm

Panerai goes ceramic with the Panerai Tuttonero aka PAM 438.  With a Luminor 1950 case and the classic Panerai bracelet in ceramics, Tuttonero is made entirely of matte black ceramic.  A leather strap model is also available (PAM 441).

Panerai PAM 438 Tuttonero

44mm ceramic case, ceramic bracelet, automatic mechanical Panerai P.9001/B

Functions: hour, minute, small seconds and second time zone

Water resistance: 300 metres

Platinum, White Gold, Rose Gold…

Panerai is set to offer a limited edition box set for 3 of its most exclusive Radiomir watches, the PAM 373, PAM 376, and PAM 379.  A total of eleven sets will be made, each presented in a special edition, numbered (0 to 10) collectors box with papers and three extra Plexiglas crystals.  Each of the Radiomirs has a 47mm case housing the hand-wound Panerai P.3000 movement.  The Radiomir Special Edition Sets will be sold only in Officine Panerai boutiques in Italy, France, the United States, the Middle East, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.  Price will be around $85,000.

Panerai Radiomir Special Edition Box Set

Radiomir 3 Days Platino (PAM00373) – platinum

3 Days Radiomir Oro Bianco (PAM00376) – white gold

Radiomir 3 Days Oro Rosa  (PAM00379) – rose gold

www.panerai.com

With SIHH right around the corner (Geneva, January 2012), it is time to the the 2012 pre-releases started.  In keeping with recent trends, Panerai is again first out of the gates with one of its 2012 pieces, the PAM 422, aka the Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days.  According to Panerai, the PAM 422 is inspired by a rare model of the 1940s that represents an intermediate stage in the transformation from the Radiomir to the Luminor case.  Interestingly, this watch is (visually) just a few tweaks away from last year’s PAM 372 (which is, comparatively, sans power reserve and small seconds), but the Paneristi seem a bit divided on whether or not it is fair to compare these two watches — I’m not a Panerai historian so I’ll stay out of the debate.  Rest assured, there will be plenty of Panerai Fanboys who will love this one…

Panerai PAM 422 Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days

Limited Edition 2,000 pieces

47mm polished steel case, 3mm Plexiglas crystal, natural leather strap (untreated)

“Sandwich dial”

Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator on the back, seconds reset

hand-wound mechanical Panerai P.3001 movement (manufacture) with 3 day power reserve

The strap is pure and natural leather, without any additional lacquer finishing, closed with the classic Panerai brushed-steel buckle

SIHH 2012

For the newbies out there, SIHH is one of the two most important watch shows of the year during which the world’s most prestigious brands unveil their latest and greatest watches (and I bring it all to you — first — here at Perpetuelle.com).

Well, well, well — isn’t this interesting!?!  On the Official Ferrari Online Store you can now buy your very own Officine Panerai for Ferrari watch!!!  This is amusing to me because it was just last March that Panerai and Ferrari ended their relationship (so now it is Ferrari hocking the watches, not Panerai) — in fact at this same time I wrote an article “Panerai and Ferrari Part Ways; Watch Values Plummet, Opportunity Knocks? ” wondering aloud what this meant for the future value of the “Panerai for Ferrari” watches.  I noted that as of March  2010 a “Panerai Ferrari Granturismo Rattrapane (FER 005)” could be had for under $5,000 — less than half of what it is now available for on Ferrari.com.

Ferrari Granturismo Offered at $4,995 on March 8, 2010 (private dealer)

So the question is — have these watches dramatically increased in value, or is this a sucker’s deal?  Look’s like Ferrari has “priced them proudly” because just a little bit of googling and I found the FER 005 still offered at around $5,000.  There is still a side of me that says that these watches may one day be highly collectible, but to see them for sale now on Ferrari.com is amusing to say the least!  Penny for your thoughts?  Leave a comment below!

Ferrari Granturismo Offered at $10,742 on October 2011 (Ferrair.com)

The Top 10 Most Interesting Watches In the Scott Rothstein Watch Auction…

If I’ve ever been early to a story, this would be the one — I first wrote about the pathetic ponzi perp Scott Rothstein on December 29, 2009 (see: Another Possible Ponzi Perpetrator’s Watches Heading to the Auction Block).   Naturally, it was an enormous Franck Muller wall clock (see it here) which first brought the story to my attention, but little did I know that this was just the tip of a wristwatch-iceberg, perhaps the largest ever to be seized by Federal authorities in connection with such a crime.  Today’s update on the story is to highlight some of the more intriguing timepieces I found in Scott Rothstein’s 262 piece watch collection that is to be auctioned on July 13, 2011.  I hope you enjoy the “Top 10 Most Interesting Watches in the Scott Rothstein Watch Auction”, straight ahead.

At the time of my initial article, Rothstein had plead “not guilty” to perpetrating a $1.2 billion Ponzi fraud, but now he is a convicted criminal facing 50 years of hard time.  I haven’t the least bit of sympathy for someone like Rothstein — the man lived a King’s life with ill-gained money, owning more luxuries than many can even dream of.   Yachts, cars, fancy houses, watches, perhaps even a politician or two (he was friends with former Florida Governor Charlie Crist) — Rothstein seemingly had it all.  And then it came all crashing down — like all Ponzi schemes eventually do (just ask Bernie Madoff and his Monoblocco Rolex)!

Scott Rothstein Showing Off Some of His 250+ Luxury Watches

Many of Rothstein’s possessions were sold at auction on January 23, 2010 — including the aforementioned Franck Muller wall clock.   However, Rothstein’s previously seized watch collection (250+ luxury watches, many worth tens of thousands of dollars apiece) has been held by the United States Treasury Department — until now.   This Wednesday, July 13, 2011, Rothstein’s watches will be sold to the highest bidder at auction.

Scott Rothstein in a white suit, hat and matching grin

(pictured with his then wife to-be, Kim, and former Florida Governor Charlie Crist)

Would you trust your money to a man who dresses like this?

Source: http://www.page2live.com/2009/11/16/whos-scott-rothstein-oh-that-guy

The July 13 auction will feature Rothestein’s absurdly huge collection of some of the world’s finest watches.  Yes, he owned many of the well known status symbols:  Patek Philippe, Rolex, Breguet, Piaget, Hublot, Roger Dubuis, and Panerai (but curiously, no Omega).  But like a spoiled kid in a candy store, Rothstein also scooped up many rarely seen watches made by smaller, independent watchmakers such as Richard Mille (2), Harry Winston (2), Urwerk (2), Pierre Kunz (several),  Daniel Roth (several), Gerald Genta (several), and others.

I combed through each of the 262 lots to be auctioned and came up with a list of the Top 10 Most Interesting Watches in the auction:

“The Top 10 Most Interesting Watches In the Scott Rothstein Watch Auction“

(in no particular order)

Lot 21, Harry Winston Ocean Dual Time (White Gold)

Lot 25, Pierre Kunz “Insanity” (Titanium)

Lot 72, Urwerk UR-103 (White Gold)

Lot 110, Richard Mille RM011 “Felipe Massa” (Titanium and Gold)

Lot 77, Azimuth MR. ROBOTO

Lot 102, Piaget Tourbillon Relatif (White gold)

Lot 104, Daniel Roth,Limited Edition 2/15

Lot 111, Audemars Piguet, Case Engraved “Especially Made for Arnold Schwarzenegger” (Titanium)

Lot 165, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore “Survivor”

Lot 208, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore “SHAQ”

See them all at http://www.treasury.gov/auctions/treasury/gp/ftl_watches.html.

Any comments?  Feel free to weigh in!

Caught My Eye…

The work on this Panerai Luminor Submersible 1,000 meter diver (PAM 187) is done by Black-Out Concept, which was founded in 2007 by Fabrice Letellier, a man with a passion for all things black, or so it seems.  Long-time Perpetuelle loyalists may recall that I first wrote about Black-Out Concept back in July 2009 in a comparison with another black-watch modder (Bamford), however I have not revisited the company since, mostly because they don’t really churn out “new” product and unless you are in the market for something like this there’s not a whole lot to keep up with.  A lot of folks don’t like these blacked-out watches, but my view is that if it looks good and you feel good in it, then wear it.  I admit to liking the stealth/tactical look of some watches after being blacked-out, with this PAM 187 being a good example of that.  By the way, Black-Out Concept does more than just watches — click thru to the Black-Out Concept website for some very cool looking blacked-out sportscars...

Black-Out Concept Panerai Luminor Submersible

Black-Out Concept Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

This Luminor Submersible (PAM 371) is another favorite of mine from the 2011 Panerai lineup.  It will be available for purchase later this year for price of $11,600.  While the price seems a bit high, it is comparable to other exciting new Panerai models such as the PAM 382 “Bronze” (which can be had for a slightly lower price), and I think that the PAM 371 is a solid choice if you are looking for a more contemporary Panerai dive watch.  The PAM 371 features a 47mm brushed titanium case, an automatic-wind movement (the Panerai P.9001),  and the requisite dive-watch functions such as a unidirectional rotating bezel, luminous bezel dot, rubber strap, and 300 meter water resistance.  For my tastes, I really like matte-blue dial color against the titanium case — it looks great and would perfectly fit my daily desk-diving activities.

Panerai Luminor Submersible PAM 371

Photo: Martin Wilmsen

As seen above and immediately below, the PAM 371′s aesthetic is nicely captured by noted Panerai photographer Martin Wilmsen (brought to my attention by my watch friend Frank Geelen/Monochrome) with his Nikon D700+Nikkor 105mm — you can see a many more great PAM pics if you click through to his Panerai Wristwatch Blog.

Photo: Martin Wilmsen

Photos: Panerai

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