p550racer

Please post close up pictures. flat looking at the dial, side profile crown guard side, side profile Non crown gurad side, showing lugs both CG and non CG side. back with cover on. Thanks. Carpe Diem

OK Gentlemen, From an inside source at Panerai. Stalone used 2 PAMs on the set. The prototype PVD 1950 (AKA Bonti's prototype PVD 1950). Of-course a 47mm. Sly wore this watch mostly for the promo shots and while directing and it also made it in a couple of scenes. However the PAM mostly worn during the shootings of the scenes was the Pre-V 5218 202-A (AKA the base PVD Marina Militare) which is of course a 44 mm. By the way polished PVD does reflect. It is DSN's matte PVD that is the ultimitate stealth machine Carpe Diem

The line thickness of the logo should be slightly less and the line thickness of the text LUMINOR PANERAI should be slightly more. In other words the logo to be slightly less bold and the text LUMINOR PANERAI to be slightly more bold. Basically the opposite of what it is in the latest dial. Carpe Diem

Yes the AR on the Gen is much more subtle. However the distortion is definetly there in the gen. The distortion is actually there due to the accute curvature of the crystal. The thickness & curvature on the high quality genuine saphire rep crystals for the 127 are actually "DEAD ON". The distortion due to the crystal is actually a big reasons for the allure of the 1950. It is what gives the lighting bolt effect to the hands and makes the numbers come alive. This is one of the big reasons that the world ha gone GOO GAGA over this watch and why a watch that retailed under $8K US in 2002 is now selling at almost $30K. Sans the AR the 1950 is one of the most accurate rep out there, right out of the box. Carpe Diem.

Lello, Well thats Italian for ya All kidding aside, if you went back to the 1998 version of the catalog, there is no mension of AR any where. It is the darn cut & paste bussiness that gets us all in trouble now, including Sig Bonati's clan. Ofcourse, little extra Cianti in the afternoon does not help either. Carpe Diem

Well starting with the 201 A in 1993 all historic pam dials were engraved all the way to the G series (2004). Just the Tritium/lume filling technique was different. The Pre-Vs had a very thin coating of Tritium on the inside of the engraving and then filled with varnish. The pre-As had more tritium but still concave. The As were right below the edge of the engraving to right at the edge. Starting with B dials all the way up to G dials is what are called the panited/some times sausage dials as the Tritium/lume was filled all the way to overflow, hence the domed/sausage look. PAM 036 is an early B so it has the domed Tritium. Carpe Diem

Very typical of OP to make mistakes in their brochures. They do not invest in editors. Definetly no AR on PAM 036, Definetly T dial. Also note that the same brochure says that the 036 has a OPII movement (which is correct) but the description is of a OP XI movement which came in as a E series (2002). Movements - OP II The OP II was from 1997-2001 the standard handwind movement in historic models such as the Luminor Marina. It features hours, minutes and small seconds indications, and therefore qualifies for a COSC certificate. It is based on the ETA 6497/2 hand-wind movement. Its basic characteristics are: 16 1/2 lignes 17 jewels Bridges personalised by Panerai Glucydur balance 21,600 VPH Incabloc shock protection 41 hours power reserve The OP XI superceded the OP II in 2002. It is still based on the same ETA 6497/2 hand-wind movement, but now features a swan's neck regulator and completely redesigned bridges. The published power reserve has also increased. Its basic characteristics are: 16 1/2 lignes 17 jewels Bridges personalised by Panerai Glucydur balance with Nivarox spring 21,600 VPH Incabloc shock protection 56 hours power reserve OP XI E-series (2002) the power reserve went from 41 hours to 56 hours, and the swan neck regulator arrived. This was major change & upgrade for the movement. Carpe Dium

Babola, You are right the top of the 201A CG is not exactly flat the center is higher but 1mm maximum at the highest point. The deep brush strokes in the metal make it look flat. Basically the top of the 201A CG follows the edge of the case, same in the case of the G on ward historics (I said H previously, but the CG change was actually made starting with G historics). Ofcourse the PRE-V cases are a little bit different. Any way, the the older non-DSN high quality historic rep CG tops actually followed the edge of the case prettyt close (DSNs have been a bit thinner). So if they could simply cut the lever slot in the CG centered rather than offset to the top, so as the lever sits centered like the 1950, give it a nice deep brush job, IMHO we will have a pretty darn close CG. All the best

One major problem with the rep CGs for the H and newer historic PAMs is that the lever needs to be centered (between top & bottom) in the CG (similar to the 1950 CG). This was a major change that Panerai did on the H onward historics. Panerai's goal was to replicate the PRE-V 201A CG for the historic 44mm watches. The rep makers simply took the old (A to G) CG and brushed it. The CG for the H onward 44mm historic reps and the 201 A rep really needs to be redesigned. The CG on the gen H onward historics & the 201A is very prominant and unique. The 201A CG is also flat on top and bottom like the 1950 CG which makes it very simple to make (no compound curves). All the best

PM sent for PALP crown.

The KodiaK process is the special sea water proofing process. It is a patented process. This patent is now owned by ANONIMO. In 1996 Panerai decided to jump ship, abandoned their floretine artisans & craftsmen and moved their complete operation to Switzerland. The workers along with the help of some Florentine capital investors (like the Execs of Ferragamo) took over/bought the original PRE-V Panerai operations, including the watch case manufacturing, strap making & watch assembly process. Only the original PAVs that have the Kodiak stamp are seawater proof, the rest are simply calf leather. After 1997 Dirk continued with Kodiak stamped straps for the bit, till he was told to stop. These are called the second generation Dirks aftermarket straps. Then he started putting stamping of sea water proof tested 7000 feet 50 Hrs. He still does the sea water proof straps but does not put the Panerai logos on the straps and buckle as that was prohibited by Panerai. ANONIMO is the only watch brand that now has original Kodiak leather straps on their watches, as they own the patent. ANONIMO actually is the true continuation of the PRE-V Panerai watch. Cases are made by the same father & son team that did the Pre-V pam cases in their shop in the small tuscan village of Incisa. The Ciampi family makes the hand made Kodiak straps just like they did for the Pre-V panerai. The movements, crystal & dial are sourced in from Switzerland as they were for the Pre-V Panerai. Ferrari never sold out, so why did Panerai? Answer of-course is money. I guess no Panerisiti dares to ask that question, as they will be cut-off from the supply of Special Editions. This why IMHO Anonimo now is the true flag bearer of the original spirit of Guido Panerai & Figlio. DSN ofcourse now is the the true panerai Forza

202A is also very nice indeed!

Old schoold big fat numbers with depth. (no longer available) The perfect Palpatine Crown (as close as it gets) Custom made monster CG flat ground to perfection (just like the gen 201A) CG lever modified to be nice & tight in all positions "open to close" (yes sir) Vintage super lume emulting the varnished Tritium dial (yeow) Beautiful Non-matching super lumed hands (Un-hunh) Dial modded to give grainy texture (just like the gen 201A) The rest is pure Davidsen majic Pictures could be better, I am not the perfect camera man. Ciao

Please advise the contact information for MADASBOOT the supplier of the domed 47mm plexi. Thanks