Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Marina 3 Days Automatic PAM 00359

Deja vu. Panerai formally launched at the 2010 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie it new line-up of watches. One of this watches is the new Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Marina 3 Days Automatic (PAM 00359)... I distinctly remember writing about this watch last year.

The reason that the new Luminor 1950 Marina 3 Days Automatic, with reference code PAM 359 seems very familiar is that is almost identical to the PAM 312 released in 2009. Both watches have the built-by-Panerai Panerai P. 9000 calibre self-winding movement with a longer than usual three day power reserve which produces 28,800 vibrations per hour. Both watches use a 44mm diameter case using the 1950 case design. Both have a divers watch rating of 300 meters water resistant.
The difference is in the dial. Instead on a combination of arabic numbers and baton markers found in the PAM 312, the PAM 359 dial is adorned by arabic numerals only. The other big difference is the price. The PAM 359 expected at a US$7,400 retail price.

Watch collectors, value a watch more when the movement inside is built by the same company that build a watch. Panerai used to charge a premium for watches with built by Panerai movements. With the release of the PAM 312 in 2009, followed by the PAM 359 in 2010, I think we are seeing a migration to a point in time when all Panerai's will have built-by-Panerai.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.