davilo

As a person who owns gen and rep versions of PAMs, you're never really quite satisfied with the watch you own.....there's always another grail to get. I think 1:1 is a good investment provided you have a reliable movement and research the best rep makers. It also depends on whether you buy to show or enjoy watches as they are.... If you have the money, I would invest in a good used gen, but there are good reasons to buy reps. Reps are an excellent way to see if you really like the brand and perhaps some specific models. IMO I would invest in a good 1:1. Also depends on your tolerance level for cost of rep. If you make a good day's pay....no worries. You could also eventually sell it if not happy right?

Pete, I agree fully with everything you've said. I hope I didn't imply this forum is at risk of losing it's ethos. My point was more of unintended consequences of that board. Risti.com has overtly become the branding arm of Panerai whether directly funded or not. Panerai has bribed through other means. So much so that forum owners are overly concerned about their perception to outside publicity....

Excellent points Pete. This forum and the 'risti forum are two completely different living communities. This forum is meant to share information on a shared interest. It works as intended. While we all enjoy the brand, it is the intent and objective for Panerai to build market exclusivity or a sense of demand whether real or not. So the more direct access one has to that company guarantees a segregation and perception of access. So the 'risti forum has become a marketing tool of Panerai. Risti.com lost it's identity when it got direct access to the company. Making a 'special' watch only reinforced this 'pyramid schemy perception'. So they have classes of groups. While they claim 30k members, what % is turnover and what is core? There are good people from the old guard. I have the highest regard for one of the owners and I'm pretty sure he's not ok about the direction of the board. One of the other owners has been using the board to promote personal causes. Not at all the real intent of a good forum community. Too bad. Too sad ohh well :-)-d

I think I posted in the wrong post before, apologies: more relevant here: I was a contributor early on, and no one supported the forum except Guy. Let's not get out of hand on the facts and rumors. Really, please don't bash. It only serves to perpetuate a bad opinion of rep builders and collectors. In the spirit of good taste...you people r better than this even with all the easy criticism nonsense that has happened over there. I'm sorry to see the place the way it is. Early on the brand was priced Inexpensively for a Swiss watch, so many could afford. The price point of the reps are price at half the 1993-1997 prices. I could afford back then. Now all I can afford are follies, reps and nice historic pateks. The only thing going for the brand at this point is loyalty. Good or bad, those are the forums such as risti.com. Those loyalty custom models ruined the forum IMO. Despite panerais press, Panerai remains a novelty brand. They're not rolex,jlc, Patek, or Lange. Enjoy your watches and craftsmanship to copy because that in itself is a wonderful artform. Just look at the painters of past....relish your role and move past the bash. Thx for reading -d