Panerai Luminor

I get the detractors and why people don't like them as well, but this is such a unique instance and I think it's a great case study as you look at oth...

They're cool, they're interesting, they're classy. This is a classy design of watch. I also happen to think that based on the price of this thing, bas...

This is the Panerai Luminor GMT PAM1279, a limited edition (I know, another one..) of 500 pieces. I just bought it three days ago from my local AD. My wrists are a little over 7 inches and I think the watch fits my wrist great. With a diameter of 42mm and thickness of 13mm, it is a wearable size for most wrists and not overwhelmingly big.

I've loved it ever since I got it a bit over 2 years ago - Panerai Luminor PAM00911 "Last one for Paneristi". So, what's special about this watch? First of all it is a "Paneristi Edition" released by Angelo Bonati's as his last watch just before retired on April 1st 2018, after steering Officine Panerai for 21 years.

It’s got great blue lume, second only to the Victorinox in this collection. This is an automatic rather than eco-drive in some other promasters. The rotor is rather noisy but reassuring at the same time. Lovely solid feel on the bezel and love the quirk of the crown at the 8.

I also love the outdoors and hiking, and even have a collection of coniferous trees, so the whole vibe of the watch really fits my personality, and I personally think the non-magnetic compass chapter ring is awesome. Right around when it was discontinued Amazon got a shipment of them in and I bought two thinking it would likely go up after being discontinued, and if it didn’t I’d gift the other to a friend or family member.

Only thing I do not like about this watch is the leather strap, which I swapped for a nylon one once it broke. Second watch is a 44mm Panerai Luminor PAM00111. I received this when my grandfather passed and I could choose one of his watches. At first I did not wear it a lot due to fear of damaging the mechanical movement, but then I started to love it.

Panerai Luminor Due PAM01123. - This last month, I had a growing pain with this watch and thought that it was ugly. It’s faintly sunburst dial, acid green lume, and austere lack of text made me think that this watch was not as nice as others.

Luminor Pros & Cons:. - Large clean dial is easy to read and sandwich lume adds depth, but to the untrained eye the dial looks like every other Panerai. - Wonder if Panerai is now outdated, but this modern and new 40mm size is more easily wearable.