Porthole pushes the parameters #1…
If you are a Porthole fan (and who wouldn’t be, he’s soooo dreamy ❤) you may recall my New Years message.
My desire for all of you, whatever you wear and however you “watch”, is just to stray a little outside your comfort zone. Try on a brand or size that you do not usually consider. Pop into an AD you never step foot in. Have a look into a vintage piece, even if you fail to succumb to the patina or the radium burn. Talk to a microbrand. Buy a kit.
Who would I be if I didn’t follow my own advice? Then again, I’m flakey as all hell sometimes.
I recently decided to pick up a Panerai homage, and bear with me…
… this covers a lot of don’ts or no-go areas for me, but there is a method to the madness.
Homage - I don’t often do homage. It’s not because I’m a snob, I just don’t really dabble in the markets where I’m often confronted with an homage as an option. I do have a Pagani Design Tiffany Oyster, but I also like the watch, so there is that. I have never bought an homage because it’s a genuine homage purchase for research or otherwise, I’d go all in or not. How do I feel about wearing it? Conflicted. Not going to lie, it’s odd. It’s a good one, from a distance it’s convincing, but there is a large amount of imposter syndrome here and I don’t like it. Not a flex either, it’s just not right wearing this, it’s like turning up to a posh wedding in a Fiat Cinquecento wearing a Kappa tracksuit.
Panerai - why? I like Panerai. I like Panerai a lot. I do try them on every now and then, but you can’t really test drive them. I don’t know anyone who owns one, and to be honest, most people I know also want one. This will be useful for one or two reasons: (a) how would it be to wear on the regular, and (b) how would it be for others in my group if we see a Panerai on the regular. Over the next few weeks this poor thing is going to be worn by at least 5 others, and we’re going to put it through its paces.
Critique - I do love me a Panerai, and although I do take the piss a lot about the size, and wear sub-34mm on the daily, I can pull this off. I am genuinely gifted with the perfect wrist size; I was made in a laboratory from barbed wire and spite for one reason, and one reason only, to wear the f**k out of a watch. However, crown protection is an unknown quantity. My Cartier crowns demand blood, my Corum Bubble crown demands sacrifice, how does this monstrosity fare? Honestly, a bit more comfortable than expected, but I’d potentially need to go for a lefty if I commit, it’s not the most practical. Then again, I could get used to the righty over time, and only time will tell. Other things need considering - do I like the sandwich dial, do I like the sub-second position, the thickness of the case and strap... yes, but it takes some getting use to when compared to my usual fare. I’ve been obsessing over my Smiths A408, and my 30mm ATP, this is seriously a level above in terms of what I can pair it with. No suits for me (blue or otherwise).
Quality - I paid sweet f.a. I’ve seen these things go for a couple of hundred pounds, and this was substantially less because Uncle ‘Triggered don’t pay full price bruv. It has a ST36 hand wound movement, it’s 316L, exhibition case back, and mine came with 4 (4!) Zuludiver straps. I love a bargain. But… what I said for Pagani Design still applies, how do some of these brands get the quality at such a low price, I don’t understand. This is Parnis, apparently, but there is no branding. It’s shocking.
Anyway - I left the resort, on a reconnaissance trip, and I come away with some knowledge that informs my (and some of my friends) next purchases, unsullied by anyone else’s bs.
You would do well to follow 😉
You have woken me from a particularly good dream…
I approach homages similarly I think? I have two sub homages that I built myself. Not because I'm a snob either, but just because I wanted something specific and it wasn't readily available. I would totally buy a Steinhardt, but I am on the fence about fauxtina and honestly if I ever got a Rolex I think it would be a vintage sub in any case.
I also recently got and am awaiting the arrival of a Square Montauk from Long Island watches. That was an impulse buy I'll be honest. But I had been looking for a good Fifty Fathoms homage for a while. I tried making my Orient diver into one but it didn't work as I wanted because of the polished framing on the numbers and markers. But this Squale was near perfect, I'll do a post when I get it.
In any case, cool to see others stepping into the wild as well. I like your mantra.
I hadn't seen your New Year post to be honest but I've started the year off in a similar vein by buying a Citizen Fugu. To me the vast majority of their offerings are to big, the designs too busy & at the same time boring & uninspired. However whilst going into town for nothing more than a haircut I decided to take a look in H Samuel & came away with the watch below. Normally I wouldn't have considered a black Ion plated watch with a left hand crown, but somehow it really appeals, as did the 40% discount! A change is as good as a rest as they say, cheers
I approach homages similarly I think? I have two sub homages that I built myself. Not because I'm a snob either, but just because I wanted something specific and it wasn't readily available. I would totally buy a Steinhardt, but I am on the fence about fauxtina and honestly if I ever got a Rolex I think it would be a vintage sub in any case.
I also recently got and am awaiting the arrival of a Square Montauk from Long Island watches. That was an impulse buy I'll be honest. But I had been looking for a good Fifty Fathoms homage for a while. I tried making my Orient diver into one but it didn't work as I wanted because of the polished framing on the numbers and markers. But this Squale was near perfect, I'll do a post when I get it.
In any case, cool to see others stepping into the wild as well. I like your mantra.
I have Rolex covered, I have my own and a couple of “smaller” brands inspired by them (but unique enough). I have a lovely Benrus Ultrasteel Quartz from the early 80s that’s just beautifully beaten (and Benrus aren’t a brand to dismiss, their history is long and impressive in itself), and the Maharishi/WMT Cali Bubbleback I’ve used as a head/heart argument always turns heads.
It’s not normal for me to do this… as I say I’m vintage and I’m all in for more substantial purchases. Panerai are very large, so the danger is buying something and after 1 or 2 weeks just not wearing it because it’s too much of a toll physically. The crown protection is substantial, so I have a much better idea how this wears on the daily. You would not necessarily get this insight within a couple of AD visits, and I’m not an official reviewer so no review copies here. The official Panerai movement is an unknown quantity now… that is something that would be the final hurdle to clear, but in terms of physical wear and style, I’m definitely much more informed than the average bear.
I’m a pragmatist, as well as everyone’s now favourite buzzword, a potential deinfluencer. I do believe that everyone should go outside their comfort zone every now and then, if nothing else just to reinforce belief or to appreciate the other side of the fence. The grass isn’t necessarily greener, it may even be another type, but it’s still grass. We all like grass in this analogy, like a goat or a sheep.
I hadn't seen your New Year post to be honest but I've started the year off in a similar vein by buying a Citizen Fugu. To me the vast majority of their offerings are to big, the designs too busy & at the same time boring & uninspired. However whilst going into town for nothing more than a haircut I decided to take a look in H Samuel & came away with the watch below. Normally I wouldn't have considered a black Ion plated watch with a left hand crown, but somehow it really appeals, as did the 40% discount! A change is as good as a rest as they say, cheers
To be fair I had to dilute the New Year’s message a few times, and the algorithm saw it drop off the radar beneath 7000 SOTC posts, it wasn’t exactly popular viewing.
I think you perfectly encapsulate the point, the Fugu is something you never would have considered and given the right stimulus it’s all of a sudden triggered a newfound appreciation, and questioned what it is exactly that you like about a watch. I was the same with sub-dials and cut-off numerals, but a lonely little 1936 Vertex that needed a repair triggered that particular love affair. My watch guy got me into Smiths, mainly because he used to work for them, and it just opened up a large swathe of British watchmaking that I just failed to appreciate.
I hope you have pleasant dives with the Citizen.
I have Rolex covered, I have my own and a couple of “smaller” brands inspired by them (but unique enough). I have a lovely Benrus Ultrasteel Quartz from the early 80s that’s just beautifully beaten (and Benrus aren’t a brand to dismiss, their history is long and impressive in itself), and the Maharishi/WMT Cali Bubbleback I’ve used as a head/heart argument always turns heads.
It’s not normal for me to do this… as I say I’m vintage and I’m all in for more substantial purchases. Panerai are very large, so the danger is buying something and after 1 or 2 weeks just not wearing it because it’s too much of a toll physically. The crown protection is substantial, so I have a much better idea how this wears on the daily. You would not necessarily get this insight within a couple of AD visits, and I’m not an official reviewer so no review copies here. The official Panerai movement is an unknown quantity now… that is something that would be the final hurdle to clear, but in terms of physical wear and style, I’m definitely much more informed than the average bear.
I’m a pragmatist, as well as everyone’s now favourite buzzword, a potential deinfluencer. I do believe that everyone should go outside their comfort zone every now and then, if nothing else just to reinforce belief or to appreciate the other side of the fence. The grass isn’t necessarily greener, it may even be another type, but it’s still grass. We all like grass in this analogy, like a goat or a sheep.
This is exactly why I build watches. To really try them on and take them through paces. And honestly, my pragmatic side also kicks in many times and I end up not wanting something else. My lusting for a Rolex Explorer stopped when I got a Vaer. I no longer wanted a OP after I built my own. And even with the vintage Sub, which I still have not given up on, I just don't feel as inclined as I used to.
Panerai makes a bomb white dial 40mm model that you can wear 100%. There are some others now that are offered in the smaller size, so you don't have to make due with the standard 44mm versions.
I went through several Panerai models before I settled on the one I wanted, then got rid of the others. Like Rolex, Panerai doesn't really change that much that they go out of style.
I'll just leave this here:
https://www.paneraisource.com
Panerai makes a bomb white dial 40mm model that you can wear 100%. There are some others now that are offered in the smaller size, so you don't have to make due with the standard 44mm versions.
I went through several Panerai models before I settled on the one I wanted, then got rid of the others. Like Rolex, Panerai doesn't really change that much that they go out of style.
I'll just leave this here:
https://www.paneraisource.com
I am quite partial to the Luna Rossa, but I think my absolute favourite might be the Radiomir based upon the Egyptian Navy Divers, or the Eilean… It’s tough.
I agree… they are pretty timeless. I’m not sure about 40mm, if you go Panerai, you go for the big boys.
I like Panerai. Big, but not clowishly big like RM
So… first test drive within the group. Contracts manager at work has been wearing it all morning, and he wears it on his right wrist. He’s on board. I think he’s on the Panerai website and Goldsmiths… what have I done 😂
It seems to me that I’m seeing Panerai everywhere now. Waitress at dim sum today with MIL was wearing a Luminor 8 Day. Saw one on the tube during the week (again a Luminor, crown guard sticking out under the sleeve). It’s a sign.