Whether it’s the car I drive ,the music I listen to, or the watch that I wear, I have always like to Rock it old school. There is a certain energy I feel when I wear something from the past, except underwear of course. I feel invigorated and electricity running through my veins. You know, the kind of feeling you get when you arrive at the Casino in Vegas and the sweet smell of Strippers, Ah yes I digress. Anyway, much is the case with the new re-issue of the Panerai Pam00028 for this years SIHH 2009. I will say this has been a stellar year for the brand who has been trying oh so hard the last five years to keep on top of the madness around the cultish brand and at the same time find out who the hell they really are today. Before anything settles there are all kinds of fluctuations before staying at a steady calm level.
The PAM00028 is as good as it gets in my opinion, as far as re-issues go. This is very true to the original, made over ten years ago. Unlike Panerai Re-issue’s of the past they have kept everything exactly the same. They haven’t modified the dial to make it look cooler with giving it a sandwich dial or a linear power reserve. This watch is 44 mm PVD coated watch, which has all the elements I like in a timepiece, extreme bold masculinity, originality, and yes the power reserve indicator and hobnail dial help support my cause to a T.
The only thing not original is the luminosity, the 28 originally was treated with tritium which was banned because of it’s radioactive elements which has been replaced with superluminova which has been the standard in the last eight years because of it’s longer lasting durable visibility and safety. I guess I can handle that. I feel that the case should have been made in DLC (diamond like carbon) because it is hard as a rock, rather than PVD coating because over time PVD coating has the tendency to flake off and can cause serious hemorrhoids to get re-coated in the future, however that sort of vintage Italian navy look of the grey black case looks much more authentic in PVD. There is no sub seconds hand, it’s really simple and has a normal second hand with a circular luminescent disk near the tip for legibility in the dark just like the original.
The watch is completed with a matt black calf skin strap with black stitching for the ultimate in understatement. Oh yeah by the way just in case you were wondering this is a special edition of 1,000 pieces for the world, so if you haven’t ordered one yet, what the F are you holding your balls for, you should absolutely order it because this watch is guaranteed to be sold out and make history for the second time!
pic courtesy of http://www.panerai.com
JOHNNY FLYBACK 