What are Panerai SHADOW case watches???

[lapince]

Since I noticed that some expert Paneristis didn't know what where Panerai shadow case watches I thought helpful to put the description I found:

"It became Panerai practice not to create a prototype series that were numbered. Although the Panerai family did number their prototypes, the Panerai company changed this practice when Richemont took over the family company. In the first couple of years under new ownership, the company would create a new model (most were similar to pre vendome models) and make a handful of these watches. It is said that 4 to 12 pieces of a new model were made. These pieces were shown at "new product development meetings". They were given to executives within the company, one of the few authorized dealers or important collectors.

These Shadow models did not have a Series number inscribed on the back.
Regular production model watches have three lines of serial numbers engraved on the case back of locking crown models, and in the corners of the radiomir case watches. You will find an OP number, the BB serial number and the series number. The series number has the series Letter and the number that particular piece is out of the total made. So a regular production B series watch would have engraved B0844/1500. Meaning the watch was a B series from the year 2001 and this was the 844 piece made out of the total 1500 Units made in that year.

Since the Shadow model was not part of the regular production, it was not given a series number and often did not have a box or paperwork."


Along with links to sites where you can see a few shadows and their caseback where you don't have the series number:


https://www.chrono24.com/en/panerai/...gFromRewrite=1

http://www.watches.de/en/products/of...e-pam55-shadow

http://www.watchuwant.com/watches/pa...rare-hard-find

[lapince]

Well the 3 links were working just fine when I put them but now none seems to be working, don't know why...

[jvo300]

I've read seen info on shadows before, but I confess that I find the whole notion owning a shadow case undesirable. It feels like just another way to hype up a collectibility angle. Also, I bet it would be really hard for your average Joe collector to flip one of these pieces in the future as a buyer would be fearful of a fake.

[lapince]

Yes I agree with you, but each of them has a serial number, so it's easy to go to Panerai and get it checked out, I got it from very reputable company which has a few hundred of watches on sale, not just Panerai, they had both the normal one and the shadow, you see it's not a fake when next to the normal one, I had it opened and everything is legit. On the collectibility angle the one I got was 1200 euros cheaper than the 82 with box and paperwork, I got it to wear it so don't really care about the collectibility, I don't like the engraving on the back of the normal 82, and I must say that I am happy to wear a watch that maybe 3 to 11 other people have...

[laphroaig007]

Shadow case panerais are watches that were not year-numbered, i.e. no year millesimation (ex. G 1256/2500 i.e. G-series #1256 out of 2500 watches produced during G-serie).
In fact, some watch were produced, mainly for commercial and publicity matters. For instance, these watches were being displayed in shops for customers to test them.
It appears that these watches, that should have not been sold to the public, were sometimes in fact retailed to public...
In such case, the watch has its serial number as OPxxxxxxx on caseback or lugs, but no millesimation.
Hard to detect whether these watches are real or fake when you happen to put hands on one. So always "buy" the buyer before the watch.
;-)

[lapince]

Originally Posted by laphroaig007

Shadow case panerais are watches that were not year-numbered, i.e. no year millesimation (ex. G 1256/2500 i.e. G-series #1256 out of 2500 watches produced during G-serie).
In fact, some watch were produced, mainly for commercial and publicity matters. For instance, these watches were being displayed in shops for customers to test them.
It appears that these watches, that should have not been sold to the public, were sometimes in fact retailed to public...
In such case, the watch has its serial number as OPxxxxxxx on caseback or lugs, but no millesimation.
Hard to detect whether these watches are real or fake when you happen to put hands on one. So always "buy" the buyer before the watch.
;-)

Exactly, that's what I did, I bought mine from the most famous swiss company, and was able to compare the real or normal 82 with the shadow one, and saw that it was exactly the same watch...

[lapince]

Anyways when I buy a watch I either buy from a very reputable company, in this case from Markus tschopp from watches.de great reputation, if not I always go to an AD from the brand I buy to have the watch authenticated, but usually just telling the seller that you will meet at an AD to have it checked is enough to scare the guy off if it's a fake, it happened 2 times already, no more news from the seller...

[robisan]

Reading this, it means shadow case Panerai watches should be more "collectible". It could have been owned/worn by some top boss from Panerai. haha.

[laphroaig007]

Not really more "collectible"....

[lapince]

Originally Posted by robisan

Reading this, it means shadow case Panerai watches should be more "collectible". It could have been owned/worn by some top boss from Panerai. haha.

Haha, I don't know who owned mine, but I guess he had plenty more, as it is brand new, with original Panerai bracelet, without a scratch, one thing I was afraid of is since it is a shadow with solid case back, that they put a raw movement like they did on the 318, so I had it opened but everything fine there, a normal OPII is inside...

[Travelller]

Are "shadow" models part of what's known as Out of Range (OOR) models... ?

EDIT - No, can't be because OOR are numbered (001/005 etc).

[lapince]

just sold my 217, a shame but just too damn big for my wrist, great watch but felt too ridiculous....