babola Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 The long anticipated PAM359 from Angus arrived today, and all I can say is - Wow! This rep was made by an independent rep maker or AKA 'the third one', with a direct guidance from Angus with a little help on the side I tried to take the best photos I could for this review but please understand that photography isn't my strong side, so please bear with me. Overall look and feel IMO, this rep is just fantastic. It may not be your 99% 1:1 rep but as well made, finished and executed watch - it exudes quality feel and it blows most of the other Pam reps out of the water. As soon as you unwrap it you notice quality and attention to detail that went into this piece, and subsequent 312/320/328 etc models about to hit the market very soon. Case set in general The case work is IMO just phenomenal. I have to say this is the first Pam rep piece that I cannot find a single fault or inconsistency around the area where lugs meet the case, or any sharp and rough metal machining marks. Case back, CG, crown, strap, strap assembly Check the photos below, you may get surprised just as I was after I took some of the pieces apart for purpose of this review. Overall CB engraving is excellent. Only slightly shallower than gen. The millesimation number is well engraved, but only slightly quirky looking as this time the engraver decided to use italics/angled font. Great definition, though. The zeroes seem to be competing for some space in 3000 but otherwise - very nice. CB is thick and chunky, to me it appears to be as 1:1 in thickness to the gen any rep will ever be. Back glass is mineral, but a thick chunk glass 3mm thick. It is also flushed well with the edge of the CB ring. Check the thick CB rehaut... Flip side... Something Honpo and EL were infamous for The crown seems to be 1:1. I compared it down at my AD with a 312 they have on display and to me the 359 rep crown appears even a little thicker than gen. This is hard to quantify without the ability to take the exact physical measurement, though. Correct spring-load build, very gen-like. Now this is a first...check the size of that crown o-ring seal. It larger size mean it will press against the outer rim of the crown tube, instead of inside the recessed 'dish' of the crown tube, as most other reps and gens do. I don't see this as an issue, just part of different non-standard design. It should still create good and tight seal when the CG lever is closed. If you worry about this, just add another thinner o-ring seal on top of the original large one - this smaller seal should drop into the crown tube dish just fine. The crown tube is also work of art in itself. The tube is constructed of 2 pieces outer hex-shaped one that is threaded and screws into the case, and inner recessed one that is force friction fitted inside the outer tube. The inner one has the o-ring seal installed close to the 'mouth', as per gen. Again, this photo shows the level of fine machining and finishing touches even on the concealed areas of the case like the CG feet base. The CG...if the lever tip was a little better finished you could be forgiven thinking this could be a gen CG This photo shows how far the maker went when creating as close to 1:1 CG as they could. I thought this moment will never come...the day when I'll be able to say I held in my hand a rep CG that was better finished on the inside than a gen CG...you can shoot me for saying that but check for yourselves, guys: Smooth matte bead-blasted finish is present on ALL internal facets of the CG, and the ones normally concealed to the naked eye. Here's a gen 359 CG for comparison... The CG is brushed in a very fine satin finish, few hundreds of grit finer than the gen. If you care about this, just refinish the CG with coarser grit, around 400-600 should do the job well. The CG lever assembly is per genuine as well. Having witnessed the level of finish so far on this watch I can't say I'm surprised. Rubber shim is there, so is the correct CG pin with wider top and knurled thinner bottom piece. The tip of the lever will however need to be rounded on two edges, as per gen , if you care about the likeness to the gen. It comes with sharp corners, but that's hardly news as it has been discussed many times on forums. The roller is slightly asymmetrically positioned, but not an issue at all. Lug pins are also well finished, flat at the edges and polished. They're certainly better than the ones found on H-maker's Daylights for example. The quick-release action is also effortless and buttery. The strap is as good as any rep strap can be, great value for money although the brown stitching is slightly darker than the lume on the dial. On the gen they match. Soft and supple...it's just fine to leave it on, no need for replacement. Movement Well executed A7750 non-chrono, high-beat 28.8kbph. Great engraving detail on the rotor. Not exactly a P.9000 mov't but it will just do for most of us Nice perlage finish and addition of fine regulator arm, which the original 359/312/320 etc rep mov't shown few months ago lacked. Dial, xtal, A/R and Lume The dial comes in slighyly shinier finish than gen. If you happen to own on eo fthe H-maker's 177/219/005 etc rep that's pretty much what it looks like only a little shinier. Strangely this glossy dial effect is only noticeable under fluorescent and incandescent lighting, and almost completely disappears when worn outside, outdoors - even under direct Sun light. The top sandwich layer appears to have correct thickness and numerals have the correct depth, however due to rounding at the edges of the cutouts the top dial layer can appear as a little thinner than it really is. The roundness of the numerals and markers is a result of dial stamping/perforating method used by the maker and there isn't much that can be done about it. Dial text is just slightly darker than the gen, but you have to have them side by side to notice that. The Luminor Marina dial font is also tiny bit thicker. Some have commented how the numerals are pushed closer towards the edge of the dial and rehaut. I'll have to dispel this myth as the numerals are correctly spaced - it's the xtal properties (more specific edge bevel and higher position above the top of the bezel line) that distort the dial underneath. On the genuine, there's almost no noticeable 'line' between the bezel edge and xtal and xtal comes with much finer and thinner bevel. Also on the gen, the rehaut can be seen almost under any angle, even looking top down, but on the rep you have to angle the watch to be able to see the rehaut. I've seen this effect first hand at me AD. Also the top flat part of the bezel is slightly wider than on the gen. It replicates a standard 44mm manual case bezel top, while the 44mm 1950 auto case comes with bezel with thin top 'line' where it meets the xtal. This is why some will notice a small part of milky-white exposed xtal side on the rep just at the point where it meets the bezel. Hands are nice and clean, and the otherwise exposed chrono hand hole on the cannon pin is concealed in a smart way The sapphire xtal is of great clarity and colorless A/R is just brilliant. Think H-maker Pam rep xtals...it's actually that good. The DW appears lighter than the lume and dial text on the photos, while it's actually darker in person. The DW is in it's 4-th iteration, and the maker did a very good job considering the physical differences between the P.9000 and 7750 mov'ts in relation to size and placement of the DW. Lume intensity is mediocre, just like any other standard standard rep lume although good enough, but that's nothing new. It was expected and Angus did advertise that as a fact long time ago. Think lume from 111J from Noob-maker. In conclusion...a fantastic watch for the money, great quality ingredients...the only bit that weights it down is standard lume applied to dial and hands but that shouldn't be a reason to stop you from getting one of those nice watches. Get it, wear it , enjoy it! cheers, babola Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztech Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Great review. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100 Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Thank you for an awesome review. Glad that it is a great rep as I have one on the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tech Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Great post! Thanks for sharing with us. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianton Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 This review made me order one! Thanks for sharing it mate!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmStaFF Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 thx for the review, i can't wait to see mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormTooper4 Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 DUDE Gold friggin star for this, awesome work. I really appreciate you putting this up. I was saving myself for the GMT but that polished cased is really something. Thank you and thank you to Angus ST4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babola Posted April 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 (edited) Yeah, I expected a good watch but got totally surprised by this one. If they keep coming out with reps like these (and Angus has few new models up his sleeve) the Pam-rep future looks really bright Edited April 22, 2011 by babola Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianton Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Yeah, I expected a good watch but got totally surprised by this one. If they keep coming out with reps like these (and Angus has few new models up his sleeve) the Pam-rep future looks really bright Whate are the models that coming mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subbiesrock Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Excellent review Babs, great work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zeleni kukuruz Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 @ Babola Sooooo nice reading m8, thank you you just made my 5min on the toilet to 30min reading and looking at your new amazing watch!!!! It lools great and i never tought the day would come for me to wanting a pam, now im having second toughts! Congrates And big thanks for this rew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subbiesrock Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 @ Babola Sooooo nice reading m8, thank you you just made my 5min on the toilet to 30min reading and looking at your new amazing watch!!!! Haha that's exactly how I spent the last 15 minutes, I ddn't want to get up, the review was riveting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zeleni kukuruz Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Haha that's exactly how I spent the last 15 minutes, I ddn't want to get up, the review was riveting I have always said that there is nothing better then taking a good shiiiiiiit but today was fantastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingkaiser Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 (edited) If anyone is interested, heres a 360 degree view of the gen: Btw: is the color of the steel on the Angus rep as brilliantly white as gen? Edited April 22, 2011 by kingkaiser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babola Posted April 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Puts a new perspective on thread crappers, doesn't it? Didn't expect in my wildest dream my review could be used by some as a laxative. Good on 'ya boys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheaton26 Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 we all know this review took a very long time to put together. thank you. this is an amazing rep and i look forward to picking up the 312 when it becomes available. it's nice to see that members are receiving theirs and even nicer to have someone break it down for us. the dirty work is done. wear it well ... it's a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_brian_ Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 (edited) This is a nice rep, very good. Thank you for the review! I think if it´s on the wrist, there is no way to call someone out. However if you hold this watch in your hand, it will be obvious that it´s a rep: The rep movement is very different to the gen - nice rotor work though. Edited April 22, 2011 by _brian_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
permabull Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Great review B, thanks for your time and effort! Waiting for that 312 release now as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingenieur Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Thanks for the Review here, spent more than 20 minutes this afternoon and another 15 now can't stop staring at your pictures. I almost lost my interest in PAMS before but your review here make wanna to get one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutima Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Hey D...Great review...Thanks for sharing... This one will be my next purchase after seeing this review... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeflypr Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Wow man! Great review and a heck of a rep, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Thanks for taking the time to share this awesome review D. It is indeed, a great replication and I hope to grab one at some point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloner4 Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 wow BB, if you like it there should be no reason for anyone to hate good job bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dani Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 damn, good review big thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishgodeep Posted April 23, 2011 Report Share Posted April 23, 2011 Fantastic review D - another reference review that proves invaluable Great watch and cant wait for the other models to follow Cheers FGD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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