So many watches, so little time (and money duh). But seriously, what does a watch enthusiast have to do these days to avoid making the cardinal mistakes, when so many web reviews don’t offer much more than listicles and platitudes?
Let’s see: You like watches, have a decent amount of disposable income to shell out, and are informed enough to discern between brands. Maybe you also know the difference between a chronograph and a chronometer, a world timer and a dual timezoner…
If you don’t, no worries. Just keep reading.
Now, what would really serve you are the cold hard facts. You need the essentials filtered out from all the raw data and delivered to you in palatable bite sized portions, because you can draw your own conclusions and make your own decisions.
Is this watch worth its price tag? The answer is subjective—how much do you value handcraftsmanship? Should you pull the trigger on that watch? Again, the answer is quite subjective—spoiler alert, there are no easy answers here. But we can try.
Because there is no clear benchmark on what makes a good watch, we’ll have to establish our own. How do we do that? By comparing the novelty in question with an existing equal or something similar, so it’s being assessed on its home turf.
Makes sense? Yeah we think so too.
THIS WEEK WE ARE REVIEWING:
The Panerai Submersible Chrono Guillaume Néry PAM983
In A Nutshell:
Mare Nostrum. These two words may only be found on some of the rarest Panerai special models, but it forms the linchpin of this Italian manufacture and its single strongest source of creative inspiration. In Latin it means ‘our sea’ and as a pioneer of early dive instruments, Panerai has always regarded the sea as a natural habitat, so to speak.
PAM983 and PAM982 are two Submersible models dedicated to and designed with champion free diver Guillaume Néry, who was with us at the world’s first Panerai Hub in Shanghai. Both are chronographs with the same movement, but why does one cost almost twice as much?
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| Case material | Brushed titanium | Titanium DLC |
| Case size | 47mm | 47mm |
| Dial design | Shark grey with a unique texturised effect | Turquoise dégradé with unique texturised effect |
| Movement | Calibre P.9100 with flyback chronograph and three-day power reserve | Calibre P.9100 with flyback chronograph and three-day power reserve |
| Hands | Silver and blue | Silver and turquoise |
| Bezel | Titanium with blue ceramic insert | Titanium DLC with black ceramic insert |
| Case back | Solid brushed titanium with special engraving | Solid titanium DLC with special engraving |
| Other features | –– | Boutique edition; includes a trip to dive among whales in the French Polynesia with Néry |
| Limited edition | –– | 15 pieces |
| Price | S$27,800 | S$57,200 |
Our two cents:
They’re both Submersibles and made for the same guy but these two watches cannot be more different. One has a superb matte blue on titanium aesthetic and the other rocks an all-black ensemble that highlights a turquoise dial reminiscent of a blue lagoon. For those who love to lament that all Panerais look alike, PAM983 is something that will definitely float your boat. Most importantly, with it comes a special holiday to paradise. Sure, it costs quite a bit more but there’s an experience money cannot buy, and that’s only IF you can land one of those beauties. Mind, there are only 15 in the world.
PREVIOUS REVIEWS:
The A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “25thAnniversary”
In A Nutshell:
An anniversary is always a good time for watch brands to release special editions, some more interesting than others. The Lange 1 is of course A. Lange & Sohne’s most emblematic timepiece and this variation is the most complicated model in the Lange 1 family. Particularly notable is how the movement displays the perpetual calendar with indicators that do not disturb the iconic off-centred dial design. But is it much better than the non-anniversary model and therefore worth the extra €2,000?
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| Case material | White gold | White gold or pink gold |
| Case size | 41.9mm | 41.9mm |
| Dial | Solid silver, argenté | Solid silver, light grey or argenté |
| Movement | Calibre L082.1 | Calibre L082.1 |
| Hands | Blued steel | Rhodiumed gold or pink gold |
| Hour markers | Blue printed | Solid white or pink gold appliques |
| Moon phase | White gold with hand-engraved stars | Standard blued steel moon disc with gold moon and stars |
| Other features | Special blue lacquer, engraved balance bridges | — |
| Limited edition | 25 | — |
| Price | €321,100 (approximately S$488,900) | €319,100 (approximately S$485,900) |
Our two cents:
You're trading gold appliqués for a gold moon phase disc with hand-engraved stars. Also you're getting extra hand-engraving on the balance bridge, topped off with blue lacquer. Seems like a pretty decent offer already. Most importantly, it's a 25-piece limited edition so it's super exclusive—hello bragging rights. If money were no object, we'd love for it to be cased in platinum but then again, we're just talking.
