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PAM00164 review (from Andrew)


GenTLe

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So, looks like it's my turn to post a small review of my very first rep.

Actually this isn't the 1st rep, since the very first one I purchased in Istanbul last Jan 2014 during a 4 days vacation, but it was really a mess: I wasn't aware AT ALL about the watch world and I simply went for the look of the watch.

After some time I started to get greedy of these objects, and so I discovered it was a kind of a mix between a Calibre de Cartier (the dial), and a Ronde de Cartier (the case) with a pretty ugly strap (ultrafake crocodile) and a cheap movement (one of the 21600bph Miyota clones).

Then I get interested, I studied here and there and I decided to try an high end rep from a trusted dealer.

 

So I purchased a PAM00164 (the one you can find on www . ttw888 . com searching for "PN164NLE - Pam 164N SS/LE Blk A7750")

).

I know this is not the preferred from purists because of the grey numbers but I liked it A LOT, and also I preferred to avoid complications that on reps are not always good (especially the fakes subdials that I really hate)

After some shivers, because at the beginning Andrew gave me the wrong shipping number so i couldn't trace it, I got the right number and the watch arrived (well packed) to me in exactly one week from the payment.

 

So here some pictures (comments will follow in a reply):

 

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About the watch: it looks really good in my view.

The cyclops could be better, but is shaped exactly like the original one (www . panerai . com/en/collections/watch-collection/luminor/42-luminor-marina-automatic-pam00164). It just has a strange reflex inside: it could be made a bit better.

I also had to tweak a part: the clip that keeps the crown pressed was not really touching the crown (probably the crown itself has been milled 1mm too deep), therefore it was loose and and opening while wearing the watch.

So I removed the "bridge" and accurately filed a bit the surfaces of the bridge that, once mounted back, go against the case. See the 2 red arrows in one of the pictures. That way I reduced (around 1mm) the height of the bridge making the clip to stay close and in proper contact with the crown.

About the time keeping: it's ok in my view: around +8s in 24h.

It's also VERY silent: you can barely hear the 28.8kbph putting it on the ear; probably the steel of the case and the fact that there is no display case back helps in this.

The strap was a bit hard at the beginning but it looks really gorgeous and after I put some seal grease on it it became simply perfect.

Last thing: its weight is similar to an original PAM: this model has a 44mm case and it is about 155g, so take care if you have small wrist or don't like heavy watches!

 

In the end I'm VERY happy with it.

Looking forward to the next rep, which will probably be this one: www . ttw888 . com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_335&products_id=8371 (but I'd like to have it with the 2836 like this: www . ttw888 . com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_335&products_id=9078)

 

PS: sorry for the spaces in the links but I still don't have permissions to post links...

Edited by GenTLe
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Let's see Storm, most probably this one :-)

CAR0196A

 

My basic rules on a rep is:

- never go for a gold plated one (it will look s*it after less than a year)

- never go for watches with too many complications, because the calibers inside can't be like the original ones, so the watch will look too different from original

- never go for watches with fake dials (i.e. fake spring charge indicator)

- possibly never go for 21.6 kbph because cheap looks cheap

- stay away from asian 7750 with sec @6 (and I cry because I LOVE the IWC portuguese lines...), unless they'll become really reliable

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Storm, a question...
From another of your posts, I've read about ToroBravo.
They have 2 versions (same price) of upper model: one with no version nr and one named version 2, you can find them in ToroBravo site searching with codes CTCC0001 and CTCC0002
(the forum says i cannot insert links for now...)

How is that seller?

Can you spot the differences between the 2?
There are minor color differences in the dial, but I've seen they are often different based on the light on illuminating the watch...

 

And, moreover, Andrew sells the same "version 2" with a 2824 movement, ToroBravo with the 2836. I read in previous posts that, the difference, is basically the thikness and the fact that the 2836 could have the day function too... But in the same watch, with no day function, what is better between the 2 of them?

Thanks!

GenTLe

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Eff the watches! I want pix of the MV Agusta!! You know what I'm talkin about, now hand em over!!!

 

Ahahah :-pp

If you really knew the MV bikes you should have noticed that the cylinder there is from a 2 stroke engine, so it can't really be from an MV engine: they did 2T engines, when the ownership of the company was still in the hands of Count Domenico Agusta, but all air cooled as we are speaking of 1945 -> ~1970 :-) I know this quite well as the Agusta museum and original factory is like 15km (~9 miles) from where I leave in Italy

Put this into Google Maps and you'll get where to look for the glorious MV time: 45.631818, 8.747773 (next there is Agusta Westland Helicopter factory and then Milan Malpensa airport)

 

Actually, there something I've NEVER got out from the USA movies: for whatever reason they practically always double the audio of bikes with crazy engine sounds, so that you see 650cc -40cubic inches- single cylinder 4 stroke bikes making the noise of a 1/8l 2 stroke one... Such a baaaaad feeling...

 

No, that one is from Cagiva, when the 1/8 liter -7.63 cubic inches- in Italy were still "bad beasts", meaning 120/130kg for ~35HP and up to 190km/h (in USA = 264/286lbs and up to 118mph) in the hands of 16yo boys.

Then they decided that too many of these boys were killing themselves with those bikes and now we have 1/8 liter s_itty bikes with 4 stroke engines at 15hp that look really like toys :-///

At  that point (1992) mine was this one (and the cylinder is a spare one I have around for memories since then) :-)

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Edited by GenTLe
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