Which Panerai Luminor base?

[Kaplan]

I'm thinking about geting a Panerai and I much prefer the Luminor base models.

Currently I'm leaning towards the PAM 00176 (I'm only looking at current models, to be bought new.)

What are your thoughts on sandwich vs painted dials? (From the catalogue it looks like the Luminor base Logo - PAM 00000 - has a painted dial...)

What about polished steel vs brushed titanium?

Does someone have an idea about the future of these watches? Will they within the foreseeable future be made with in-house movements? Any reason why you would wait for this? Or does it seem like a better idea to buy before this happens, as OP historically haven't used their own movements and since they'll propably be a fair deal more expensive if/when they do?

 

[gdl203]

My order of preference: 55, 116, 176, 219, 000

 

[micbain]

What about the radiomir

Courtesy of gdl203
http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.p...93&postcount=2

 

[Jacksdad]

I consider myself a risti, and for a Panerai Newb I think you are headed in the right direction. A historic is where it's at, and I think the perfect place to start is with a logo. Pam O if you don't care about a second hand, or my personal preference the 05 with a painted dial and second hand.

It certainly looks like they are making a push to in-house movements, but I would not wait for it to happen. In the Panerai world I think the general consensus is newer does not = better. Once an item is discontinued the more desirable it becomes, and the speculation begins.

 

[Kaplan]

Originally Posted by gdl203

My order of preference: 55, 116, 176, 219, 000
What is the differenec between the 55 and 116? Newer movement? (OP I to OP X?)

My first thought was actually to get one with a brown dial, but since I'm looking to buy new, I don't think these will be an option...

Originally Posted by micbain

What about the radiomir
The watch you link to is very nice, but I'm set on a Luminor.

 

[East Oakland]

IMO, the Luminor Base with no sub seconds is the only Lumior worth getting. The Lumior is essentially a reproduction of a historic manual wind watch with no display for seconds, so the automatic version and the versions with sub seconds seem pretty silly to me. Also, to keep it in sync with the historical models, I think stainless is the way to go. For the same reason, I think the display back that you often see on this watch is kind of lame.

The current $5800 price is a little hard to swallow, though. I was looking at one of these in 2001, when they retailed for $1850. Decided against it, and am kicking myself now.

At the time, that Panerai was using the venerable Unitas 6498 movement (now produced by ETA, like everything else), which is actually a pocket watch movement. I imagine they are still using the same movement. Most of the big manual-wind watches out there use it. The ones in the Panerai are nicely finished, and they cut away parts of the movement so that it doesn't have the same utilitarian look of the base movement and is less recognizable. The only manual wind watch on my wish list (the Tourby big pilot) uses the same movement.

I don't know why they would want to make their own movement. I haven't been keeping up with Panerai much in recent years (because I think they are overpriced), so don't know what they are thinking. While the Unitas movement is a fairly cheap, basic movement, it's pretty bulletproof, so I'm not sure changing movements would really be an improvement from a pragmatic, actually needing to know what time it is, perspective.

 

[East Oakland]

A pic with the movement.

 

[anon]

I love wearing titanium. I think the 00176 is a good choice.

I've never seen Panerai watches before.. pretty funky crown..guard..thing

 

[Kaplan]

Originally Posted by Jacksdad

I consider myself a risti, and for a Panerai Newb I think you are headed in the right direction. A historic is where it's at, and I think the perfect place to start is with a logo. Pam O if you don't care about a second hand, or my personal preference the 05 with a painted dial and second hand.
I prefer it without the seconds hand. Regarding the perfect place to 'start', I'm not planning on going full Paneristi and get a whole collection of these - I'm fully counting on 1 being enough to satiate my needs

Originally Posted by East Oakland

Also, to keep it in sync with the historical models, I think stainless is the way to go. For the same reason, I think the display back that you often see on this watch is kind of lame.
This was what I was looking for with the 'steel vs titanium' question. Thing is I don't really like polished steel (and I have a brushed steel watch), so I thought that the titanium finish would be more interesting.

I don't really want the display back, but if I wan't a titanium model there's no way around it... (What are the odds that they'll make a titanium base logo next year?)

What are peoples thoughts on sandwich vs painted dials?

 

[zippyh]

Originally Posted by Kaplan

I'm thinking about geting a Panerai and I much prefer the Luminor base models.

Currently I'm leaning towards the PAM 00176 (I'm only looking at current models, to be bought new.)

What are your thoughts on sandwich vs painted dials? (From the catalogue it looks like the Luminor base Logo - PAM 00000 - has a painted dial...)

What about polished steel vs brushed titanium?

Does someone have an idea about the future of these watches? Will they within the foreseeable future be made with in-house movements? Any reason why you would wait for this? Or does it seem like a better idea to buy before this happens, as OP historically haven't used their own movements and since they'll propably be a fair deal more expensive if/when they do?

The logo models (000 and 005) have painted dails.

I own three Base models.
The lefty 219, which I'm wearing right now, a 000, and also an older Titanium brown dial.
Of those, I wear the 219 the most.

I'd be somewhat surprised if they went to in-house movements for those models.
Prices would go from merely overpriced to hellishly overpriced.

You'll drive yourself crazy trying to guess what a company is going to do in the future or what the prices will be. If you like it, just get it now.

 

[Tort007]

I agree with Jacksdad with regard to newbs in the Pam world...luminor base is probably the way to start. Perhaps 112 or 176. I myself began with a 111, and never looked back. Be careful, the Pam world can be very addictive. Good luck with your search..
Tort

 

[East Oakland]

Originally Posted by Kaplan

I don't really want the display back, but if I wan't a titanium model there's no way around it... (What are the odds that they'll make a titanium base logo next year?)

What are peoples thoughts on sandwich vs painted dials?

You may find some more knowledgeable folks somewhere like here:

http://www.paneraisource.com/forum/

 

[btinl]

55, 176G, 000, 112 for luminors

249, 232, 210 for radiomirs

 

[Tort007]

...and sandwich over sausage dials, anyday (at least for me)

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Kaplan

What is the differenec between the 55 and 116? Newer movement? (OP I to OP X?)
Small differences but mostly steel back.