Post by carl on Aug 4, 2018 0:41:55 GMT -6
Basel 2017 saw the introduction of the PAM 720 and PAM 721, both which retain the characteristics of the 1930s original models better than any other new editions I have seen. Right down to case size, sandwich dial, blued hands and plexiglass crystal. The 721, which has the "Anonimo" (anonymous - no text) dial, quickly became super popular and much publicized. And the 720 seemed to receive very little publicity. The 721 dial was made for the "Kampfschwimmer", the German combat swimmer, while the 720 was for the Italian Navy Commandos, who operated the manned torpedoes.
Anyway, I did tons of research before settling on the 720. As well, the 721 is not available. If it was, I really don't know which I would choose, but I suspect it would still be the 720. When I finally made up my mind to go for this model, the last one was sold at the local boutique. Mille Grazie! to Alnaz Farhadi, manager of the Vancouver Panerai Boutique, who took the trouble to source one for me!
There are many sources for information about the history of these models, one of the best being Horobox. Here is a much better comparison of these models than I could ever do:
www.horobox.com/en/news-detail/panerai-radiomir-3-days-acciaio-pam00720-pam00721
You don't see many photos or reports of either this watch or the excellent presentation that accompanies it. So I took some photos of the presentation box and all the goodies that come in it:
Beautiful pear wood box, but this one is larger than normal, and note the key hole:
When you first open the box, the Special Model Certificate is on the top:
After lifting out the top tray, which holds only the watch, this beautiful book is revealed. I found the title translates to "The 10th Assault Vehicle Flotila (1940-1945 ). Unfortunately, only in Italian but it is full of some fantastic historical photos. The book, as far as I know, has never been translated into English. Nevertheless, it is a keepsake:
Under the book, a compartment containing the warranty book and a case with an extra plexiglass crystal:
Here is a comparison shot of the PAM 721 and 720, courtesy of Horobox. The only differences are the dial and leather strap. Both leather straps are Radiomir Ponte Vecchio:
True to the original, the case is 47mm with wire lugs. The original lugs could not be removed, so the strap had to be sewn on. These lugs are not quite as easy to remove as the Luminor. The screw down crown and the winding mechanism are a treat to use. Just some random shots of the watch:
Beautiful distortion caused by the crystal:
The hand wound 3 day movement. Oddly, there seem to be two versions of this movement. This one has four bridges:
My PAM 424 has three bridges. Other than aesthetics, I haven't been able to find a reason for the difference:
There is so much history behind this watch, and I have left out tons of info to be sure. That is mostly due to my poor memory. i find myself constantly referring to various sources to remind myself of the history and dates of these watches. Getting this watch has truly been a fascinating and enlightening experience. And I doubt it can get any better than this.
Cheers,
Carl
Anyway, I did tons of research before settling on the 720. As well, the 721 is not available. If it was, I really don't know which I would choose, but I suspect it would still be the 720. When I finally made up my mind to go for this model, the last one was sold at the local boutique. Mille Grazie! to Alnaz Farhadi, manager of the Vancouver Panerai Boutique, who took the trouble to source one for me!
There are many sources for information about the history of these models, one of the best being Horobox. Here is a much better comparison of these models than I could ever do:
www.horobox.com/en/news-detail/panerai-radiomir-3-days-acciaio-pam00720-pam00721
You don't see many photos or reports of either this watch or the excellent presentation that accompanies it. So I took some photos of the presentation box and all the goodies that come in it:
Beautiful pear wood box, but this one is larger than normal, and note the key hole:
When you first open the box, the Special Model Certificate is on the top:
After lifting out the top tray, which holds only the watch, this beautiful book is revealed. I found the title translates to "The 10th Assault Vehicle Flotila (1940-1945 ). Unfortunately, only in Italian but it is full of some fantastic historical photos. The book, as far as I know, has never been translated into English. Nevertheless, it is a keepsake:
Under the book, a compartment containing the warranty book and a case with an extra plexiglass crystal:
Here is a comparison shot of the PAM 721 and 720, courtesy of Horobox. The only differences are the dial and leather strap. Both leather straps are Radiomir Ponte Vecchio:
True to the original, the case is 47mm with wire lugs. The original lugs could not be removed, so the strap had to be sewn on. These lugs are not quite as easy to remove as the Luminor. The screw down crown and the winding mechanism are a treat to use. Just some random shots of the watch:
Beautiful distortion caused by the crystal:
The hand wound 3 day movement. Oddly, there seem to be two versions of this movement. This one has four bridges:
My PAM 424 has three bridges. Other than aesthetics, I haven't been able to find a reason for the difference:
There is so much history behind this watch, and I have left out tons of info to be sure. That is mostly due to my poor memory. i find myself constantly referring to various sources to remind myself of the history and dates of these watches. Getting this watch has truly been a fascinating and enlightening experience. And I doubt it can get any better than this.
Cheers,
Carl
