Dear members,
It has always been my opinion that Officine Panerai is not a watchmaking company but a just fashion house like DKNY, Dior, ...etc.
Panerai watches are all more about looks + aesthetics. Panerai lovers' obsession with the leather straps and the multitude of companies making straps for these watches partly support this view. When the watches do not come with see-through casebacks, I have seen photos of the movement underneath being not just undecorated, but downright raw and rough. This is evidence that the company is more concerned about cosmetics than the actual performance of the watches themselves (considering the movement is the heart of a watch). Companies like Stowa and Steinhart (or even Sea-Gull) have more self-respect than these Italians.
Considering their sizes, they look awkward as dress watches. Whilst some models have rotating bezel for diving, the majority don't - hence although these watches are claimed to be rated to 300m, they are practically useless as diving watches. In fact, it is not entirely clear which genre these watches belong to, except that they function as strong fashion statements for young people who want to appear bold and confident.
Their sale strategy (with countless special editions) shows they are not in the business of making good watches, but are here to play with human emotions and lust for exclusivity.
Let the discussion begin!!!
A few points:
-10/11 years ago, a lot of purists and WIS made the same comment that Panerai as a brand is just a fashion brand (though I was quite certain it was lumped together with Cartier and not DKNY) and it will just be a fad that will eventually die a slow death. The arguement is that OP just "rehashed" ETA ebauches and clothed them in some fancy case. Since then OP went on to have their own inhouse movement p.2002 and went on to expand the line which now includes complications like the equation of time and tourby as well. Have you also seen the level of mechanical and horological complications achieved by the Jupiterium? Do a google search and do tell me if Stowa and Steinhart which in your views are much better have exhibited capabilities remotely close to OP (by the way, OP is Officine Panerai)
OP has also invested in R&D for new case materials like the panerai composite. OP has also made sigificant investment in their manufacture facilities which will be expanded significantly. From my numerous conversations with OP, the aim is to go full inhouse and reduce dependency on third parties including ETA/Valjoux. Yes, some I noted highlighted the fact that the inhouse movement are based on JLC movement- but my counter to that is : a) why reinvent the wheel when you can share what you have within the Richemont group b) although the basis of the design might be originally JLC's but the finished movements including the complications are exclusively panerai. These in my views signifies a significant paradigm shift in OP's manufacturing approach and offering to its customers from one of what you term "fashion watches" to haute horologie.
Made up history? The pre-Vendome panerai has existed continously as a company (in the watch related business and military precision instrument) since 1860 and despite being purchased by the Vendome group in 1997, remains a watch making company at heart. Granted that pre 1993 (when OP began selling their watches to the civilian market), not much is known about the company, it is because their only client was the marina militare (with a few exception like the egiziano which was manufactured for the Egyptian army and the Israeli Defence Force). The company experimented with watches for military application- does that not qualify as history? is it made up like those of B&R, Stowa, steinhart (the modern incarnations of course)? I dont think so. there are various documents from the military in the OP and Ferretti's archives which proves this. Honestly, with the exception of VC and maybe a few others, there are very few watchmaking company which has continously been producing haute horologie pieces since its inception. Even the venerable Lange that we all know and love is a re-incarnation of of its original self. History is just a facet of fine watchmaking but not necessarily a be all end all- ask Franck Muller, Urwerk, MB&F and Richard Mille for instance.
As far as being ugly watches which is impossible to be used formally, I beg to differ. I am in the financial industry and in every other meeting, there will be a guy wearing a suit & a PAM sitting next to a guy in a suit wearing a Breguet- none look out of place. Ugly or not its subjective- some people think the legacy machine of MB&F is ugly..I think they should be in the Louvre. I love the dial of my 339 for instance but even among ristis, there are others who dont. Just for the record- I dont like the look of Stowa or Steinhart- they look cheap but before you crucify me, that's my opinion and like a b**thole, everyone has one.
I've collected Panerais for a number of years now and to be honest, I've never lost money on any piece that I traded. In some instances, its increased several times over (google PAM 360, PAM 195). Worst deal I ever did- I got back what I paid for. Tell me one "fashion" brand where this is the case? Ok, name me haute horologie names where this is the case- it'll be very few I'm sure. Would this be the case if the brand is a total rip off? Could the many thousands collectors be as dumb as potrayed..jumping on the bandwagon without knowing the history etc?
As for playing with exclusivity and all looking the same, Take the AP ROO for example..same story? But ask anybody and nobody would equate AP as a fashion-playing with emotion-I'm so cool coz I have the Legacy watch right?
Every year the naysayer said that OP is going down as a fad fashion watch. So far, for the last decade or so, I've seen them proven wrong time and time again. OP is moving in the right direction and if pieces like the Astronomie (Equation of time, PAM 365) or PAM 350 (Le Scienziato) still does not illustrate OP's capable of manufacturing haute horologie pieces and is brand less worthy than a STOWA (
?!!) then I dont know what will.......
I guess its time to get that Urwerk...