Pam 00244

[Dave Kopf]

Okay, I'm brand new to Panerai watches and have just started researching them. Can some one tell me a bit about the brand? I know the basics but the disinformation I've read is pretty great for this brand. How accurate is the movement? Suggested retail on the 00244 black dial GMT? How is purchasing a Panerai, do you show up at your AD pay a deposit and wait?

Sorry to sound like a total newbie but for this brand, I am. I'm just in the research phase and this watch has really caught my eye. I'm trying to know what I talk about before I start shopping.

Thanks,

Dave K

[Launch Mini]

A good place to start doing some "research" would be www.paneristi.com.
You will find a collectors market, millestimations, usefull info in the public forum.
Accuracy is as good as any other mechanical watch.
As for buying, wow, tough one.
Problem is , pictures do not do any of the watches justice AND you can't try all the models on, as the AD's only have a few at a time.
Yes, you can plunk down a deposit and wait or you can visit the AD, have them call you when stock arrives, so you can see, try on a few models to "get the feel" of them. Generally stock arrives about once/month.
Some models are impossible to get BNIB.
If you buy pre-owned, "buy the seller, not the watch".
Oh year, Panerai seem to be like peanuts, you can't stop at just one.

[Markg]

ive been going through the same thing the past several weeks.

what i ended up doing: visited 2 "local" ADs, tried on everything they had. settled in on what features i liked (sandwich dial, exhibition back), and what i didnt like (cyclops date).

then i spent time on the web pages looking at what watches DID fit my criteria; that narrowed the field considerably for me.
I then visited the other 2 "local" ADs (i say "local" since the closest is 40 minutes away, the furthest about an hour)

in the end, there were about 10 or so watches i liked. got on the phone to another (out of state) AD, sent a couple emails to others, and ended up figuring out that 8 of the 10 i liked were just not going to happen due to availability. We ended up getting the one we could get. im also on two waiting lists for other models, but they may never come in.

fyi, each AD had about 10 watches (and each had 1 or 2 hidden/in the safe, but brought them out after 15 minutes of discussion), but only a couple that fit my criteria.

NONE of the ADs had ANY of the Manifattura line, most of which i liked.

for me it was a process, since no single dealer had that much to choose from...