w0lf Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 OK, so it occurred to me that the more I write on the subject, the more confusing it becomes for someone just entering this game. Therefore, the purpose of this short writeup is to provide a single point of reference that we can hopefully keep building on as more reps with good cases come out. I also realize that I can sometimes be cryptic and part of the time there's only a dozen people who care anyway. So feel free to add or subtract as you see fit.The general low-down:1) There is no perfect replica or genuine case to fit all Luminor models, if you want your build to be more accurate, you have to pick period correct cases.2) H-Factory cases do not make good candidates for classic PreV builds (5218-201/A, 202/A, 203/A, 205/A & 207/A).3) Geometry-wise, the most complex Luminor case out there is the PreV/PreA OP6500 case, there are no reps currently available that can be modified to look like OP6500.So, case construction & bezel height flaws aside, talking strictly OTB-no modifications and currently available via FS/FT or from dealers:Older H-Factory cases from PAM219L, 005K v1 & v1.5, PAM177L are suitable for older watches with OP6502, OP6510, OP6518-23 cases.Newer H-Factory cases from 005M, 177M, 111M, 112M, 000N, etc. are suitable out of the box for more modern watches with OP6567-72, OP6724-29 cases.Bear in mind, that a better case for modern builds (meaning those with OP6567-72, OP6724-29 cases) is the Noob factory 111M/N, 112M/N, 005M/N case.The PreV case low-down:If you're going to reshape a case for PreV 5218-201/A, -202/A, -203/A, -205/A or -207/A build, the Noob factory 111J, 111M, 112M, 005M and DavidWong's PreV case are the only readily available models you should consider. DW's case needs more work than Noob factory models and can be a challenge to purchase.Those are the only case options that provide enough metal on their lugs and midcase to sculpt the needed geometry characteristic of Montres Valgine (OEM for Panerai) PreV cases.Regardless of the variation in lug shape as some of it could be from loose tolerances, I've not yet seen one H-Factory case that had enough metal on the midcase to sculpt proper curves for PreV. To add, the most recent N-Factory "N" series cases beginning with v2 and now the ever-popular v3 cannot be used for PreV because they now have thinner, more streamlined lugs.The elusive OP6500 case low-down:The one case that's just nowhere to be found in the repworld today is the type of case that was made for Panerai by an Italian concern "CORO", better known as the OP6500 case. It was the case used in PreV models 5218-209, -210, 218/A and many PreA watches that came out under Vendome like the PAM01, 02, 04, 09, etc.There was a really old rep case out there that came on the first generation PAM111F rep., circa 2004-2005 which predates even Eddie Lee era, that has the right geometry of the lug and enough metal on the midcase for a proper OP6500 reshape. As you can no longer buy this watch (production ended in 2006), it's a moot point but for the sake of posterity - an OP6500 donor case did exist a long time ago.And there you have it. If you're not sure about OP case numbers, take a look at a resource like Club Panerai or Panerai Carpediem or post in this thread with questions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Great post M. Thanks for sharing your accumulated knowledge on all things PAM case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flim Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Thanks for the great post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flim Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Is OP 6724-29 same as OP6812 (PAM 360) or OP6834 (PAM000N)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelizer Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Wow! Great info! Thanks for sharing your vast PAM knowledge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w0lf Posted January 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Is OP 6724-29 same as OP6812 (PAM 360) or OP6834 (PAM000N)? pam360 lug profile and midcase sure does look like it's very close if not identical to 6567 & 6724 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centaur Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 This is probably the most informative and interesting posts in recent memory. Thanks for taking the time to put all that together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flim Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 pam360 lug profile and midcase sure does look like it's very close if not identical to 6567 & 6724 Thanks again, w0lf Have a nice week end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Priceless info. For anyone looking to build a franken or modded watch from the ground up this is invaluable info. And I also should add that this info is coming from the most knowledgeable person on older Panerai's I have ever seen - rep or gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellytots Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 This should be a sticky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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