The Great Panerai Strap Caper

[Victoria]

Last week saw the debut of my new Panerai strap series, The Great Panerai Strap Caper Part 1, and I cannot thank you enough for the kind words, and warm reception it garnered.

And not only here, but since I am posting the series exclusively on Repgeeks as well, it was my deep joy to have it nominated and to co-win for the Repgeeks Post of the Week (Aug. 19-26, 2007)!!

(The inestimable By-Tor won the other palme, and here I must again say, he is the gold standard by which all rep watch reviews must be judged. To be even mentioned in his company is an incredible honour. Congratulations again, By-Tor!)

I promised two reviews for this week.

One, Bob's Blue Shark. The other, the Toscana Vacchetta Nero.

Just as a lady is allowed to be late, she is also entitled to change her mind on occasion. So today I will save the Bob blue sharky for another day, and review the Officine Firenze Mario Paci Medici strap instead.

Clearly the dog days of summer are almost over, and we perhaps should be thinking of autumnal, transitional colours to see you through until next year. The unusual colour of the Medici fits slightly better with our mood, and might be of more interest to you than the more playful light blue.

But don't worry. There isn't a shark that can be ignored for long, yet. He'll be back!

So without further ado, I give you the Great Panerai Strap Caper, Part 2.

STRAP NUMBER 1

- "Officine Firenze by Mario Paci "Medici"...Vecchia Sella in Mocha with sewn in OFMP logo buckle"

LEATHER MAKERS: Cuoierie Meccaniche Brelli di Ciampi

MERCHANTS: Timeconnection.biz

COST: U$179.00

BANG FOR BUCK VALUE: Very Good

RESALE VALUE: $70-$110 at 85-95% condition

SALE AVAILABILITY: Occasionally offered in "Daily Specials" at around the U$77.77-U$109.00 range. Infrequently found on accessory sections in forums.

DESCRIPTION: If you've ever been to Florence, the capital city of the Tuscan region, you may never have forgotten the colour of the Arno River, as you gazed at it from the Ponte Vecchio. In Autumn, it takes on this amazing palette of greys, mixed with browns, which seem to follow your gaze all over Florence, turning dark villas and statues into light, and back again. Look! There it is again! Underfoot in the Piazza della Repubblica. Well, this is PRECISELY the colour captured in the "old saddle" (vecchia sella) colour of this strap. How the Cuoierie did this, is beyond me, but it's got all the charm and slight pomposity of the Tuscans themselves.

SIZE RANGE: 115/75 and 130/85 in 24/24 to 125/80 in 26/24

BUCKLE: Included. Sewn-in polished buckle with "OFMP" logo on watch side

DRESS COLOURS: The perfect jeans strap. It seems to melt into beiges, and bring out the deeper colours, like reds, blacks, and blues very nicely. One of the very few straps that doesn't overwhelm your watch, and may not overwhelm you when you first see it, but compliments it and your wardrobe, from office to sport stadium PERFECTLY.

BEST PANERAI WATCH MATCH: PAM 217, PAM 089, PAM 024

PHOTO COMPARISON #1 (CAMEL/TAN OVERCOAT)

PHOTO COMPARISON #2 (BLACK SUIT)

PHOTO COMPARISON #3 (GREY SUIT)

STRAP NUMBER 2

- "Toscana Vacchetta in Black with sewn in Pre-V Buckle for Panerai Watches"

LEATHER MAKERS: Cuoierie Meccaniche Brelli di Ciampi

MERCHANTS: Timeconnection.biz

COST: U$109.00

BANG FOR BUCK VALUE: Excellent

RESALE VALUE: $30-70 at 85-95% condition

SALE AVAILABILITY: Are you sitting down? At the time of posting, as part of the Monday Special, it is currently on sale for U$44.44. Might not last...note, this strap is sometimes part of specials in other forums, like RWI/Repgeeks.

DESCRIPTION: Every man has to have a black strap, but some men have TOO many black straps. Once you have the black strap with white stitch, the black strap stitchless, and the black strap with perhaps a copper stitch if you feel especially dashing, then what? Well, the Toscana Vacchetta Nero is what. At night, it shimmers an appropriately dark black, but take it out in the sun, and you'll see it turn into a charcoal grey before your very eyes. Buy this, if you have a lot of black straps already, not as your first, though.

SIZE RANGE: 115/75 to 130/85 in 24/24 to 125/80 in 26/26

BUCKLE: Included. Sewn-in brushed Pre-V with "Toscana" printed on the watch side

DRESS COLOURS: This is the strap which makes medium (tanned/yellow) skin tones and hairy male arms look better, and incredibly does the same for the fair-haired amongst you. With this in mind, use it with khakis, greys, greens and blues, and you won't believe how well this goes with tweeds. Not recommended for browns, yellows but yes for tans.

BEST PANERAI WATCH MATCH: PAM 092, PAM 222, PAM 000/005

PHOTO COMPARISON #1 (CAMEL/TAN OVERCOAT)

PHOTO COMPARISON #2 (BLACK SUIT)

PHOTO COMPARISON #3 (GREY SUIT)

...now I know what you're thinking. "Vic, this is never a black strap!". I thought the same, but trust me, it's dark enough to be called Nero at night. But just to assuage your fears, the Vacchetta coincidentally does come in Grigio (grey). Here it is, next to the black strap:

Ahh, the eye doth play tricks on us.

NEXT WEEK, PART THREE:

- Strap Culture's Legend Historic Brown #2

- Mario Paci Special Edition "Allora a Ora" in Senape

[lazarini]

Yes i was waiting on part. 2

Great as expected , keep it comming Vic !

regards laz

[Victoria]

Yes i was waiting on part. 2

Great as expected , keep it comming Vic !

THANK YOU, LAZ!

When I'm not busy translating blasphemous thoughts about the Pope into Italian, I am to be found scouring the internet for photos for the GPSC series.

Look above. Just in case you missed it, I updated the Piazza della Repubblica link so you can see, this strap is truly captured by its cobbled stones. Here it is, in technicolour.

I ain't lie!

[sssurfer]

Great post, Vicky!

I really hoped I was done with PAM straps... but you are lighting up my fire again!

When I'm not busy translating blasphemous thoughts about the Pope into Italian...

Wow, this is very interesting!

Would you mind to elaborate, pleeeaase?

[Victoria]

Wow, this is very interesting!

Would you mind to elaborate, pleeeaase?

Don't excited your Zen sensibilities, Sssurfer!

It was me freaking on "Babelfish" translations from one language to another, in the "Spanish" thread by Stephane.

Lazarini recommended that he use that online service (until he awaited the arrival of a Hispanophone) which how ever important in general, is horrendous in actually conveying meaning.

I asked him to translate into English what they had translated INTO Italian, to see if he got it. Well, he didn't reply, but just as well. I forgot what I said about the Pope (whom I love).

[sssurfer]

Don't excited your Zen sensibilities, Sssurfer!

Who told you about my Zen, V?

Thanks for explaination!

Just checked the thread and it was funny, IMHO. I especially loved the "I've seen small international conflicts escalate into Civil War due to its translation vagaries" part.

I just wonder what you actually typed in English before passing it through Babelfish

[rolli]

victoria,

in this topic are the straps also a good choice and very good presented.

rolli

[erwinner]

If you've ever been to Florence, the capital city of the Tuscan region, you may never have forgotten the colour of the Arno River, as you gazed at it from the Ponte Vecchio.

Now you do it again! Just as I've promised my wife not to be spending any more money on watches this month, you start referring to our most favorite European city! We try to go back to Toscany every year and spend at least one weekend in Firenze. And indeed; the Ponte Vecchio is one of those spots were every tourist is taking his/her best pic of the entire holidays (besides the one where you try to imagine the viewer that you save the Pisa tower from falling).

But if you like reliving the mediaval history of Toscany a MUST-SEE is the Palio in Sienna... spend 5 minutes watching this you-tube and tell me with straps you would recommend to relive this mediaval fairy tale....

By the way; Love your review again!

[Victoria]

Erwinner, guys, I'll respond to the remaining comments tomorrow, but I had actually logged off when I saw that Timeconnection.biz -- Mario Paci, Toscana, etc. -- are running a 50% off special on all items, except Daily Specials.

Use this coupon at checkout:

50%_off_Special!

This is really a very special deal for all of you interested in quality Italian straps. And no, I won't be posting these specials all the time -- just thought this one was pretty special.

Wednesday only but I'm sure he'll discontinue it only when he wakes up in Texas, his time, Thursday.

UPDATE: Ooh, just noticed the second strap, the Vacchetta Nero is on super special for USD33.33 plus shipping! That would not be included in the 50% off, of course, but still a good price. Another interesting Daily Special one is a honey crocodile strap at 69.99.

http://timeconnection.biz/page/timeco/CTGY/Special