With the annual watch trade show, SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) about to get underway in Geneva, now is as good a time as any to revisit one of the stars from last year’s show, the Officine Panerai PAM00372 ($10,400). For those who are new to the game, Officine Panerai was originally founded in 1860, and later went on to gain fame as a gear-maker for the Royal Italian Navy, providing divers with watches, compasses, depth gauges and torches. A rediscovery of the brand by none other than Sylvester Stallone in the mid-90’s sparked a renaissance that has since seen this vaunted Italian brand become a full-fledged purveyor of masculine, vintage-inspired timepieces that can be found on the wrists of celebrities, wannabes and die-hard collectors alike.
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By Adam Craniotes, Photos by Jae Yoon for Gear Patrol
The 372, which, in many respects is an homage to the 6152 from the ’50s, combines the best of two distinct lines — Radiomir and Luminor — to create a watch that fans of the brand have been clamoring for for years now. The cushion case measures a generous 47mm in diameter, and the trademark sandwich dial’s large Arabic numerals and indexes are instantly readable via gold hands, which have been liberally applied with aged lume. The icing on the cake is a 3mm Plexiglass crystal, which not only reinforces the vintage vibe, but also lends a soft glow to the dial that aficionados of the brand treasure.
So, what’s under the hood, you ask Traditionally, vintage Panerais housed pocket watch-sized movements from manufactures like Rolex; and in more recent times, humble motors from Unitas, which is a subsidiary of Swatch Group-owned ETA. Well, no longer. As befitting a watch that has been so hotly anticipated by so many for so long, the 372 houses Panerai’s first in-house manual wind movement, the P.3000, which can be viewed through a sapphire crystal display back. With a variable-inertia balance wheel, twin barrels and a three-day power reserve when fully wound, the P.3000 is the perfect movement to power this elegant beast.
Robust in size, simple in the details and positively bristling with testosterone, the 372 absolutely refuses to sit in the corner. Men-only need apply.
Buy Now: $10,400
