Pre Vendome Question(s)

[Swaye]

I figured someone here might be a bit of a early Panerai expert, or own one or two, so I'd ask some questions. Been getting into the early Panerai stuff for awhile but have realized information is a bit limited. I enjoy the thought of owning a PV one day, but it seems to be a bit of a minefield. With that in mind, some questions if there are any collectors here:

1) Prices are all over the place. Some B&P 5218-201s are 20K, others are 50K. I know condition and completeness affect this but it still seems odd to have so much variance. I also notice that many of them for sale sit, for ages. It doesn't inspire a bunch of confidence. Any thoughts on the health and stability of the PV market?

2) Authenticity? I checked with Panerai and they will only authenticate back to 1998. So, no PV. Ultimate buyer beware it appears. I read that these used to be heavily faked. If there is no verification service, is it really just a "buyer beware" market? Any rock solid dealers that specialize in PV stuff you would recommend to ensure authentic pieces (I've seen a story or two on fakes making it to auction at Sothebys and the like so this seems a genuine concern).

3) Service. Will Panerai service a PV? If so, would you want them to? I wouldn't want hands swapped, and I am assuming they wouldn't have parts (Unitas) anyway. If Panerai is a no go, is there a place you know that specializes in care for PVs?

It is such an interesting watch, and they look lovely. But it does seem a bit of a minefield for the uninformed. Appreciate any advice or knowledge.