PAM 634; WTF were they thinking?

[ubiquitous]

Snap back case? Spring bars?

Huh wha...?

In what world would this ever make sense?

Seems like this is a lot of corners cut... And not like screw bars/threaded lugs and a thread on back is saving much on production costs! Kind of an insult (in my opinion) to the people that embrace and support their product the most...

[Uberscreamer]

I was thinking the same thing before it became known that it is a snap back design > 'That's an odd looking caseback for PAM, where are the edge cuts?' 

 

 I get that they may have been trying to differentiate their special order case and such from any other PAM, but why go this route?  Panerai likely had to have special molds and machining made to have this case made, as none other like this exists in their catalog.  This is all speculation, but going the route to make a cheaper case while having to likely spend more money on production instead of just using the case from, say a Base 000?  This sounds ludicrous to me, especially to cheapen the product for the one group of people on the planet that tout their product as the most amazing thing ever?  I would be extremely surprised if there isn't an uproar from the Paneristi community on their custom end product being this way.  Personally, I would rather take ANY other base model over the 634.

[ubiquitous]

Agree 100%; seems like a very confusing business decision in production as that kind of physical detail is a significant step backwards. Then again, much of the direction Panerai has been taking over the last few years has been strange to me.

I appreciate that a brand/manufacturer is willing to offer something like this for the enthusiast folks that follow their brand; I do like the blue logo and can appreciate the 'risti scribed lever (nice touch). But not sure why their loyal fanbase would get some watered down version of an actual Panerai. I think if I were interested in the watch, I'd have to swap the guts/dial and CG over to a proper case with threaded back and screw in lug bars. Fortunately, my interest in the watch stops at the pondering of what was going through the minds of the design team when the caseback and lugs were decided upon... And I have to wonder if the snapback case and springbar design will be implemented across more of their production pieces over time.

[StormTooper4]

The CG is pretty cool. Shame they kept the lug holes