The Allure Of Panerai : A Shallow Love Affair ?
I tend to buy a watch based on looks, feel, style and image. All the wrong things possibly . My ancestors where probably the guys who sold their land for shiny beads .
I do look at the specifications and it’s nice to think I could dive 300m and scale the side of a sky scrapper . Truth is a length in the pool is about tops for me and I always take the lift ( elevator for none Brits) so is any of this necassery for me? These things are on the nice to have list, but not the deal breaker. Looks and image are the things that do it for me ( you shallow boy) That doesn’t equate to cost or money .I think image comes from association to things I like or admire and good looks are subjective.
Panerai just ticks the boxes for me. I love the looks. Their different to most watch’s, they look handsome in a eighties action hero way. I also love that connection with Stallone and Arnie. What can I say- I grew up watching these guys and it gives me a tiny connection.
(It reminds me of that old Yorkshire saying : when you are sat in traffic in your car, it’s not whats under the bonnet that counts it’s the look of the rims )
The feel on the wrist is weighty and I know the watch is there. Quality is great and I feel like I bought a good product and have value for my money. I can dress it up or down and I never feel under over dressed with it. Its not over the top for a day at the football, but I feel it holds it’s own at more upmarket restaurants too.
The bonus is it makes me feel like I could get mistaken for Sylvester Stallone (yeah sure- if you mean a 77 year old bloke) and I could definitely take on the bad guys if I had to ( in your dreams mate) - it makes me feel good
Not for everyone I know but veve la difference as they say in Yorkshire
Not been a collector for long - only 2 or 3 years but enjoying it and finding it adictive
Panerai is a bad ass watch. Wear it in good health. The criticism is a bit inflated imo. It’s an easy mark as many either jump on the YouTube “critic” bandwagon or are reflexive contrarians who have disdain for just about everything main stream / popular. The latter is not a virtue and there are quite a few among us. That’s my rant for the day.
Ah, I'm as shallow as a puddle so I prefer brand names too.
Nowt wrong with that if it floats your boat mate 👍🏻
Looks great on you 👌 I'm envious that you have the wrist to pull it off.
I love Panerai and your post is a breath of fresh air to a 72 year git who still shops for shoes from a small orthopaedic maker named Prada and trousers that make sense. Arnie is a fine, fine actor who makes me laugh and recalls my younger years just as a sturdy Panerai watch recalls dear friends who drink espressos with grappa and trips to Firenze. Wanted to convince my best lady friend that marriage to a guy 10 years older than she might not be her best option took her to see Terminator on our first date. She was not fazed took her to an authentic French bistro a month before our planned wedding to attempt one final time to call off the wedding. She wanted a romantic French dinner, I made a reservation at the only bistro on a street that did not serve Chinese cuisine, after all it was Chinatown. A few years before the pandemic, she and I decided we needed to get away, spend a weekend in Paris. The Mrs was shopping, I was bored not enjoying the trip. She pushes me into a Panerai boutique where the stunning sales agent is Chinese speaks perfect Mandarin, I am a slow learner bad with languages but understand the Mrs wants me to pick out a Panerai, which would be my first. She knows my hesitation buying a watch away from home. She adds that I have been grumpy, very bad company a Panerai should cure my dark mood. There was a ceramic submersible for something like 17000 euros just crazy money that I liked a lot. Refused to be bought off so cheaply took the high road,walked out the boutique with my dignity intact. I like to hold a grudge.lol. I love the Mrs for the gesture but a Panerai should not cost anywhere near a 20k cad neighbourhood.
I really like the rugged and unique looks of Panerai. I've seen a few in the wild and they always catch my attention. When this happens I'm compelled to ask the wearer what moved him to buy a Panerai I never do). I would absolutely own one of I collected watches in this price category.
That’s a great watch. There are some issues with Panerai, but I don’t think it’s a hatred towards the brand. For me the biggest problem is lack of models for small wrist, but otherwise I would love to own one 🙂
a Panarai was the first watch that drawn me into the watch world, one looks just like the one you have on your wrist. Too bad my wrist size is just too small for the promise of joy the panarai could bring me. I tell myself all the panarai looks the same and i can’t tell the difference between the panarai models, but that’s probably because i secretly envy those who can pull of a panarai.
I have talked a lot about Panerai… I think you sum it up well, but again, just do you.
Nice Luminor, it’s good to see non-black dialled versions.
I love my Panerai, the 4th that I have owned. It is large and unique looking but also very solidly built. Despite the size and weight it is smooth and comfortable to wear on the wrist.
Nah, you actually the one who does it right.
If you have an intention to use this watch as a professional equipment, yes, specs are super important. But if you just want something nice, something that makes you feel good - no need to rationalise anything, the perception of beauty is subjective and highly irrational.
So for you specs are irrelevant, if you don't like the looks. Specs are irrelevant if you don't like the feel. Nothing shallow about it.
Awesome watch! I'm a desk diving, ice cream tub eating, couch potato who loves to sit around in his pajamas with a 300m WR diver on wrist too! Cheers!
I love brands that have a classic signature look you can immediately tell from a distance without taking the design into the theater of the absurd just for attention. This watch does that perfectly. A classic.
Panerai's are very good at their own heritage, the only downside for most people are their proportions but they started going a bit more conservative on their sizing to reach more people
Hey you like what you like no matter the reason why. As long as it’s good enough for you. If that changes that’s fine as well. It’s why a lot of us refer to it as a journey although I know some collectors don’t like for me to refer to it as much it’s times like this where that word feels fitting
Awesome post! 🤩
Thank you for sharing this with us
Keep up the good work 🙌🏾
🍻
I am suddenly interested in Panerai, a brand I never thought I’d pivot towards! Yours is beautiful! The one on my radar is the Luminor PAM422 ❤️🤙🤞
I’m currently in a love affair with my Radiomir so I get it. That Luminor looks great!