Panerai buckles, 101

Hey guys, thought I'd chime in on understanding Panerai buckles.

There are three types of tang buckles available for Panerai straps:

This is a thumbnail:


This is a GPF:


This is a Pre-V type:


The thumbnail is the smallest and easiest to wear as it sits close to the strap and doesn't protrude. It has a gentle curve to the buckle, which, combined with the curved tang, allows the strap to sit very close and flat against your wrist.

The GPF (which stands for Guido Panerai e Figlio) is the biggest and is commonly called a bottle opener or fishtail. Most straps that come with a buckle sewn-in to the strap (i.e., you can't remove it without destroying the buckle) come with the GPF buckle. They generally don't have much curve to them and the tang doesn't have any curve to it. This means the buckle is big and bold and causes the strap to not sit as flat on your wrist.

The pre-V (which means pre-vendome era, the time before Panerai was bought by the Vendome Group - now Richmonte Group) is somewhat like the GPF in that it is larger than the thumbnail, but generally they have much more curvature to them, come with a curved tang and fit like a thumbnail, but with a more distinctive look. Some flare out and square off, while others flare out, then cut back in toward the strap.

The GPF are most historically correct in that they are like the ones that the original Panerai watches were made with. The pre-V ones have history with them as well, as they were the more modern type of buckle produced for the watches.

Buckles also come in three widths. OEM and aftermarket OEM-type straps are 22mm at the buckle and you can get the OEM thumbnail and pre-V types in this size. Most 'historical' aftermarket straps are 24mm at the buckle and all the buckles are available in this size. Some aftermarket Radiomir straps are 26mm at the buckle and all are available, with some hunting.

They are also available with spring bars, or as 'screw-in'. Some say that screw-in types are the most secure, yet 99% of luxury watches seem to have spring bars, so the jury is out. Screw-in looks more tool-like, though.

The pix above are borrowed from www.waccex.de. I have three of their buckles and they are great quality (316L SS) and the customer service is outstanding.

Hope this helps.