# How did a Panerai find you?



## VazLube

For me, reaching at the point of my life I decided to buy a luxury watch after owning affordable ones for so long. I wore a Swatch for 6 years. At that time, I was shopping around, only very well known brands I looked at were like, Breitling, Rolex, Tag Heuer, and Omega. Every AD has them in stock all over.

Took me a long time to find one that sang to me for more than a year. Eventually I settled on an Omega.

Few months later, with itch, was looking to add another one in collection. So I hit the internet. Found this forum. Looked at list of brand forums. Almost most of them never heard of. Went thru each one, none sang to me. Until I hit this Panerai forum. It only took *one* look at Panerai. I was totally in love, and sang the loudest to me. Immediatly I took a intense research on Panerai, all over internet. Found my local AD, went there to have a look, loved them. I had to sleep on it a bit and decide, as I willed myself to buy a Panerai on my birthday (which was this month).

Few weeks later I couldn't wait any longer and broke down. Rushed to AD and chose and bought a Panerai. (few months ago)

And am loving it. Looking to get another Panerai!

So, what about your saga?


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## handwound

I've been a watch fan for a long time. 

On a Subaru car forum that I belong to, there was a thread discussing "cult" action movies and someone suggested The Transporter. I watched the movie and was intrigued by Jason Statham's watch shown very prominently in the opening scene. It was a Panerai chrono, so I started investigating the marque and the rest is history.


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## katmando

I was vacationing in Hawaii in 1993. I walked into an AD and looked at all the watch offerings. I always did that (still do) and one watch line not only caught my eye, it pulled me to the display case. Here was a look like none other. A clean, simple, bold look that moved quickly into my head and heart. The watch: Panerai. From that moment on, I was smitten. Fifteen years of wanting a PAM ended last Friday when I bought my first, a 164. I have been wearing it all weekend and admiring it often. There are many gorgeous watches out there, but the one that stood taller, called out louder, sang the sweetest song was the Panerai. :-!


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## Watch_guy

I have been a watch fanatic since I was a small child. I was always fascinated by, and collected watches. 
Like most people I thought that the mecca of watches was Rolex, but knew few other brands until high school. When I was in college I was reading an issue of Maxim magazine and one of the models was wearing a Panerai. I had never heard of the brand (this was circa 1997/98). I tore the page out of the magazine and looked at it often, knowing that I would buy one. Roughly 10 or 11 years later (last month) I bought a 210, and I now want more, and more, and.......


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## rsr911

I have been a watch enthusiast for 20+ years. My first high end watch was a Rolex. As it i for so many. After many years the Rolex was not enough for me and even had become common.

I began to research other brands. A few friends suggested I look at Panerai. At first I was not smitten. Pictures on the internet did not do them justice. So after a 3 hr trip to my closest AD I saw one in person.

The trip was also for the funeral of one of my oldest and dearest friends who had lost a 5 year battle with breast cancer. 

I bought my first Panerai then, named it after my dear friend "Stephanie."
At first I was not sure if I had made the correct choice. I love them now more than ever and "Stephanie" gets the most wrist time. I will purchase many more Panerais. I will probably end up naming all of them.


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## link2derek

My first PAM was a gift from my father. He got cancer about 2 years ago, and he realized (for the first time, I think) that he was actually going to die someday. He's done pretty well in life, and I guess he realized that he can't take all that cash with him, so he started spending it -- or "gifting" it, actually, because gifts are not taxable as income.

He knew that I always wanted a Panerai (but he didn't know that I really wanted a 111). He also knew that I probably could've "afforded it," but I just didn't want to spend the money (especially because I already had several nice watches). He surprised me with a PAM 113.

It's a _great_ watch (after all, it's a Panerai!), but I _really_ wanted the 111. Long story short, I ended up buying the 111 for myself about 2 months later (yes, they _are _addictive). I rationalized to myself that I was actually getting two for the price of one, and who would pass up that deal? Not me!

Of course for dinner out with the folks (or any family occassion), I always wear the 113. And I really do love it -- it has become my default watch, so it gets much wrist time. And I love Dad, too -- he has recovered almost 95% and is taking Glevac (sp? a semi-experimental drug) to control the tumors. The drug therapy is working, and we are all praying that he's one of the 5% that doesn't have a reoccurrence.

Thanks for reading my story. And give a shout-out for my Dad. :-!

*D*


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## Dr. Robert

My wife gave me a PAM00049 for 20th wedding anniversary...my favorite anniv. gift!
regards, Dr. Robert


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## watchboy

Nice stories guys! :-!

I cannot even recall how, the name just popped up, where else but in the net. Then it was the journey to the DARK SIDE!:-d


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## dronell19

A friend back in 1998 had one. Took one look at it and thought "nice watch"
As I started collecting watches 3 years ago the name was mentioned, and after a couple of years of research, got a 104 a couple of months ago, and a 183 this month.

Definitely not the last.


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## Lamone

I wanted to upgrade from the Rolex and found Panerai with Mr. Stallone.
Why have a BMW whan you can have a Mazerati?


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## fuelie95

It started back in 1983 when I got my first "career" job and decided I needed a nice watch to celebrate. Got a 3/4 size, two tone, Rolex Date Just. Wore it for about a year and then decided it was too small for my wrist so I put it in the safe deposit box. 22 years later I find the watch in my box and decide that since I'm not wearing it, I might as well sell it on Craigslist. End up getting $900 more than I paid for it so I start looking for another watch and find a Platinum Rolex Yachtmaster. While reading the Rolex boards, realize most of the guys are either discussing Daytona's or a hot new watch called Panerai. End up reading all of the Panerai boards and after checking it out IRL while in LAS, I make the decision to pick up an 88 for Christmas in 2005. It's been downhill since then...

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!


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## skyworker

Watch_guy said:


> I have been a watch fanatic since I was a small child. I was always fascinated by, and collected watches.
> Like most people I thought that the mecca of watches was Rolex, but knew few other brands until high school. When I was in college I was reading an issue of Maxim magazine and one of the models was wearing a Panerai. I had never heard of the brand (this was circa 1997/98). I tore the page out of the magazine and looked at it often, knowing that I would buy one. Roughly 10 or 11 years later (last month) I bought a 210, and I now want more, and more, and.......


 I told you you would get one before me!!!Congrats watch guy!!:-!


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## link2derek

Well then stick to it -- just don't put that PAM ina safe-deposit box!

*D*


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## MC36

Have been a long time watch admirer and my idea of shopping is popping in jewlery stores and checking out their watch sections. I will killing time about 2000 in Chicago while visiting a friend and stepped into a Panerai AD on Michigan Ave. Thought it was the coolest thing that I had seen, very nice but not well known. 

I thought about the watch often and while in Maui on vacation one year ran across it again in an AD there, said what the heck and rewarded myself for a treffic sales year and picked up my PAM 111. The experience was made that much better because the clerk was a huge WIS and she got so fired up about the brand explaining it to me. Loved the passion! She ended up giving me a shirt, hat, history book on the watch and a couple of handwritten notes after the sale. It is my favorite watch and gets the most wrist time in my camp. Have added countless straps that can change the personality and look of the watch many times over. It is like having ten different Panerais. 

Would love to add another into the collection (Daylight) sometime soon, but the prices have gone up considerably since 2000. One day . . .


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## LexWatch

MC36 said:


> Have been a long time watch admirer and my idea of shopping is popping in jewlery stores and checking out their watch sections. I will killing time about 2000 in Chicago while visiting a friend and stepped into a Panerai AD on Michigan Ave. Thought it was the coolest thing that I had seen, very nice but not well known.
> 
> I thought about the watch often and while in Maui on vacation one year ran across it again in an AD there, said what the heck and rewarded myself for a treffic sales year and picked up my PAM 111. The experience was made that much better because the clerk was a huge WIS and she got so fired up about the brand explaining it to me. Loved the passion! She ended up giving me a shirt, hat, history book on the watch and a couple of handwritten notes after the sale. It is my favorite watch and gets the most wrist time in my camp. Have added countless straps that can change the personality and look of the watch many times over. It is like having ten different Panerais.
> 
> Would love to add another into the collection (Daylight) sometime soon, but the prices have gone up considerably since 2000. One day . . .


Thats a great story man..!
And the AD in Maui... was it the one in Wailea by any chance? :-! 
I only ask because you mentioned the salesperson was a "she" and the woman I worked with was also very passionate about the brand.


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## Jake E

Here's my story:

I've always admired watches&#8230; I can remember my father taking me to Service Merchandise when I was 10 or 11 years old to buy a Casio G-Shock DW5600; even thought it looked ridiculous on my arm I wore it with pride! I started saving for my first 'nice' watch just shy of my 18th birthday. Mind you at the time I thought a 'nice' watch was a Seiko or Citizen.

Everything changed when I discovered watch forums.

I immediately fell in love with the Omega 2531.80 Seamaster&#8230; I knew that as long as it was still available it would be my first 'nice timepiece'. I saved for nearly two years&#8230; As a poor college kid that meant sacrificing things like food =) but in January of 2000 at the age of 19 I purchased my Omega Seamaster. Fast forward a couple of years&#8230; I'm out of college and I'm buying and selling watches like it's going out of style&#8230; mind you I never really kept more than 3 or 4 watches in my 'stable' at any given time but over a 4 year period I 'went through' somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50 watches. Omega, Breitling, Rolex, IWC, TAG, Stowa&#8230; the list goes on and on. Somewhere along the line I convinced myself each subsequent purchase was 'my last'. The 'one' watch was a 16610 Submariner, followed by a 2254.50 Seamaster, followed by an IWC Mark XVI, followed by a 45.5mm Omega PO&#8230; you get the picture.

About a year ago I became transfixed with Panerai, specifically the Luminor Marina Automatic, PAM 104. I knew little about the brand (save for the opening sequence of Eraser) but assumed I'd be looking at pricing similar to Brietling/Omega. You can imagine the 'sticker shock' the first time I came across a price list&#8230; I was even more stunned when I called a couple local ADs and was all but laughed at when I asked if they'd work with me on those aforementioned prices&#8230; I can remember a sales person at Traditional Jewelers that basically told me I'd be lucky to even get the opportunity to buy the watch at full retail. Ultimately I called the Panerai Boutique and was pleasantly surprised by the professional and polite service I received. The person I spoke to explained the pricing structure, the limited runs and the waiting lists. The quest was over&#8230; I decided I would never own a Panerai.

In February of this year I came across Anonimo.

I know, I know&#8230; there seems to be differing opinions about Anonimo but the first time I tried one on I knew I had to own one. I didn't particularly care for the fact that two of the three dealers I spoke too mentioned Panerai right off the bat. One even showed me a picture of a modern Luminor case and told me, "see, aside from the 'flipper' they are identical". Sell the watch on its own merits not it's resemblance to another brand! Anyway I bought the Anonimo, read all the history and convinced myself the Millemetri would forever end my desire to own a Panny. Boy was I wrong&#8230; sub par lume, and their way-too-difficult-to-change-straps screw bars saw me fall out of love with my Mille within a month.

Two weeks ago I was sitting in my room starring at my three Omegas&#8230; I thought, three watches&#8230; I like them all&#8230; but something is missing. Originally my plan was to sell my Speedy and buy another PO. It wasn't what I really wanted but it was something new&#8230; Yeah I had already had a PO but I came to the conclusion that I sold it because it was too large thus a 42mm would be perfect. I quickly decided against that. I then came back to the 104&#8230; my dream watch. The purchase of a new 104 would men that I would have to sell one of my Seamasters and my Speedy&#8230; or so I thought. I checked online and this time almost fainted when I saw the price&#8230; now I had a tough choice. The 104 would cost me my entire collection&#8230; what to do!

Here's what I did:










I can honestly say I don't regret my decision. My PAM is the first 'next' level watch I've owned. That's to say in my eyes and on my wrist I consider Omega, Breitling, TAG, Rolex and IWC to be somewhat comparable. Yes, IWC is better at finishing movements and cases, Rolex is an 'in-house' brand and Omega is making the move further 'upscale'. The point is I've owned at least one and in many cases quite a few examples of the above listed brands but none really struck me as being 'that' much better than the rest. I'm probably 'wrong' about this but it's simply my opinion. My PAM 104 is something special&#8230; the case is finished perfectly, the lume is applied evenly and beautifully (two things I could not say about my 16610 Submariner), the strap change method is simple and secure (Anonimo should really redesign there 'screw bars'), and the crown protector is both iconic and functional.

Now the quest for straps begins!


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## LexWatch

Jakes, that's an awesome story and one a lot of us can probably identify with.. Thanks for sharing!


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## MC36

LexWatch said:


> Thats a great story man..!
> And the AD in Maui... was it the one in Wailea by any chance? :-!
> I only ask because you mentioned the salesperson was a "she" and the woman I worked with was also very passionate about the brand.


No this store was in Lahina (sp?) in town. My wife and I went back this past spring and I was siked to visit the store again and land another PAM possibly, but the store is no longer there. It is now a art gallery!:-s They said that the owner lost his Rolex AD and then the other brands pulled out one by one. Shame because it was a WIS marval! Found another AD in Maui but it was not the same ...


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