SIHH 2015: Panerai PAM 604 Radiomir Firenze 3 Days Acciaio - Tribute to Magrette Moko...

So.... in the not too distant past, Magrette Timepieces were politely "accused" of copying Panerai's cushion case style. To me, I feel their styling more closely resembles that to Anonimo, a company which kind of grew out of Panerai. But in any case, Margrette had their own kiwi identity, as seen on the Moko model, where the case is engraved with a contemporary Maori tribal art design, one that is so popular today, not just on watches, but on human canvases. (Thanks for that term, Inkmaster...)

In SIHH 2015, we see Panerai returning the favour, and introducing their own engraved case Radiomir, with all engraving done by hand by expert Italian craftsmen. The design motif? Panerai says they're important emblems such as Florentine lily, from Tuscany's most important city. That's really just the Italian version of the Maori tribal art ain't it?

Having said that, it's a gorgeous piece, and of course, like all highly sought after models, these are geographically limited to one boutique in Florence. Unless you have connects, in which case, hit them up. Hit them up hard.

The Panerai PAM 604 Radiomir Firenze 3 Days Acciaio is powered by the trusty inhouse P3000, as used in many other models that precedes it. Should run ok.

Homage watches and the Swiss watch industry

Look I realise that the subject of homage watches are a taboo in certain circles. And that is perfectly fine. There is no need to read on. However homages come about because there is a certain market that it appeals to. The one that loves a certain style or type of watches but simply cannot afford, for one reason or another, the asking price of the branded version. Of course we can go on and on about r&d costs and design intellectual properties and what not. But the truth is there are only really so many ways to make a watch and sooner or later even branded products will more or less overlap each other in terms of styling. Let's not go into examples where established brands blatantly copy other more established brands' style and design.

Imagine a Venn diagram. Circle on the left are Panerai owners. Circle on the right are homage owners. (We're only using Panerai as an example because of the style of watches we're looking at.) The little bit intersecting in the middle consists of people who buy homages to gauge how Panerai sized watches will sit and wear everyday on their wrist. Or if they like multiple styles they buy and try them all out then deciding on one or two and then buys them from Panerai. Then there are Those who cannot justify paying mid 4 figures for something that runs a Unitas manual wind (although Panerai is addressing this concern by fitting in-house movements gradually through its product range. ) So ultimately these watches aren't really depriving anyone of any income. 

One thing that really stood out and impressed me was the quality of the straps. First impressions are really  good. Ok so we don't know what sort of mileage you'd get from these, but to be honest if you wear a Breitling leather strap everyday it'll only last you around 18 months anyway. So it's not really a concern if a $40-50 strap only lasts me say, 6 months. 

As with everything else you do get what you paid for. The cheapest of the trio here (with the california dial) definitely show signs of cost savings. Movement is rougher (but you still get blued screws!). The case back screw holes are not aligned. The screw-in crown feels coarse however the winding is amazingly smooth. Smoother than both of the other examples, at twice the price. But apart from a few small detail issues there isn't much else wrong with the watch and for the price, well, there's really no comparison. For someone whose wallet is empty most of the time this is quite possibly one of the very few ways to get into a pretty darn good quality stainless steel mechanical watch. 

The other two examples as I mentioned jumps up considerable in price. Everyone draws their line somewhere for how much they are willing to pay for a homage. For me the price for these two better examples are pretty close to where I would draw the line. But in terms of bang for your buck, these are still extremely photos value. Case quality rivals known brands costing ten times as much and the movement is nothing to sneeze at. Strap quality is top notch (per first impression) an they look the part. For the average joe on the street they'll pass the "glance" test and are dead ringers of their more expensive and authentic counterparts. 

And this is where the dilemma begins. If finances allows, of course the original branded version would be purchased. Without a doubt. However, given the quality of these watches are the original brands doing enough to justify their pricing? Sure Swiss made and marketing and other various higher costing labour are involved but are we, the consumer, getting what we're paying for? Oh but it's a luxury item. It's a want, not a need and if you have the cash to splash these are not the questions you'd ask. But coming from an enthusiast's point of view, the answer is not as clear cut. 

Mr Hayek's long term vision was spot on (although many will disagree) when he proposed to vastly reduce the supply of movements everyone and anyone who wants them. He wanted brands to make their own movements. To protect the Swiss-ness of the Swiss watch industry. To offer something that differentiates from all the other watch producing countries out there. To show that there is still a reason to pay a premium for. That had worked to a certain extent. You can no longer get homage watches with Swiss movements for a low price. And the ones that are fitted with a genuine Swiss movement are priced such that you can easily get a proper Swiss watch for. Asian movement clones aren't quite on the same level just yet. Then there are many brands which have taken this opportunity to create something of their own, offering something distinctively different and at the same time moving upmarket to protect their margins. 

It's a shame that Mr Hayek isn't around to see the fruits of his vision. Swiss watch industry had become complacent. Charging too much for too little. Back in the 70s it was the Japanese that stirred things up with new technology in time keeping. In the 21st century it's the Chinese who did what they do best. Copy and paste at a much lower price whilst keeping most of the quality. Let's really hope that the Swiss have reacted quickly enough this time 'round and will avoid the crisis that was known as 'quartz'. 

On The Wrist: Panerai PAM 106 Luminor Submersible

It's not everyday we come across this piece - the PAM106, which just might be one of the more elusive regular models in the Panerai range (as in, it wasn't designated a special edition). Why is it elusive? Officially, only 1000 pieces were ever made over two years, in 2002 and 2003 (D and E series). It appears to be the first Submersible to receive the bracelet, and it is also the series to receive the updated bezel with ratchet at one minute intervals, and minute indices between 12 and 3. The PAM106 also features a bi-metal case and bracelet. The case itself is in titanium with a stainless steel bezel, and the bracelet is a mix of brushed steel and titanium, making this watch quite subdued and low key. Another interesting facet about the 106 is the dial. The shade of anthracite actually changes from a light grey to almost back depending on lighting and angle.

Thanks to its stainless steel/titanium construction, the watch itself is not too heavy and not too light. It sits on the wrist just right. (Didn't mean to rhyme there). At 44mm in diameter it's not a small watch, but it's no longer the BIG watch it used to be. The bracelet tapers from the lugs to the clasp, reducing a bit of visual weight as well. What I don't understand is why Panerai produced the bracelet with only half the clasp!! I believe many of the original clasps broke quite easily and were replaced with what should have been, a proper full folding clasp. I'm guessing the owner of this particular example wears the watch more on strap than on bracelet, which might be the reason why the original half clasp appears to be quite sturdy still. Personally I'm a big fan of the older style bracelet, which was modelled upon the crown bridge. The bracelet design was simplified on newer models and I think this is a great shame, as it now just looks generic and dare I say it, cheap...

Another known issue for the Submersible models of this age is the pitting of the hands, as can be plainly seen in this example. This is a bit of a mystery as it's actually not a case of moisture getting into the watch. The hands would be the only place with signs of pitting whereas the rest of the watch is fine. Online chatter suggests that these hands were replaced under warranty, but of course, as purists go, it's better to keep everything as original as possible, right?

Now, the dial. There were two versions available. Tritium dials and super-luminova dials. Again, the tritium is more highly sought after and now shows a warm patina. It is said that D series were produced with tritium and this changed to the super-luminova in the E series. But of course, if the tritium dial was replaced during service, the replacement would be the lume version.

The PAM106 is powered by the OPIII movement, which is just Panerai speak for a valjoux 7750 minus all the chrono functions. As such it's a reliable movement and everyone can service it. And because it is a 7750, you get the signature rotor wobble if you shake the watch the right (or wrong) way.

Granted, the Submersible is not as "iconic" as either the Luminor or the Radiomir. It is a bit of a hybrid design-wise (mix of Egiziano and Luminor WITH an automatic movement). However Panerai continued with this style and it's come into its own as a strong separate model line within Panerai, and although its style might be polarising to some, you could say it's found its niche and you can always take comfort in knowing there aren't as many Submersibles out there as Luminors or Radiomirs or Fiddys... If you manage to find a PAM106 in a good condition, geddit as they'll probably become harder and harder to find. Unless, of course, you settle for the more ubiquitous Pam 24 or Pam 25...

Thanks to the owner of this lovely timepiece for offering me the opportunity to review the watch.

SIHH 2013 - Panerai PAM 510 - In-house 8 Days 44mm Luminor Case!

Remember how I mentioned that brands were holding things back at SIHH? So they could possibly release these during/before Baselworld for thunder-stealing? some eagle eyed peeps on the forums discovered this gem!

This is what we all wanted/needed from Panerai! In-house, 8 days, manual wind in a 44mm Luminor case. Looks to me the perfect replacement for the current ETA-powered PAM 111

Rumoured pricing is around 5900 Euro, which, when you think about, isn't actually too bad. Compared to the price of IWC's Portofino 8 day in-house manual wind, it's a bargain! (And have a look at the retail price of the PAM 111 for comparison)

Let's hope this pricing is accurate. Because if it is, start saving now!!!

There is also PAM 511, gold version, and PAM 523 with a white dial.

I'm sure this is just the beginning as Panerai possibly start to phase out all the ETA-based models.

(images from Paneristi France)

SIHH 2013 - Panerai Radiomir 1940

Is it just me or are Panerais really getting  a bit same old same old these days?

Granted there really isn't much else they could do unless they decide to completely stray away from the classic Panerai looks… I suppose they are holding back the Egiziano cases and the Mare Nostrum cases so far and only using them for very limited models. Perhaps they'll start to expand into these 2 cases once they've exhausted their “fourth” case after Luminor, Radiomir and ‘fiddy’ (although some might lump the fiddy case with the Luminor since... well... they ARE very similar.)

Regardless I'm still a big fan, but maybe with a more refined taste in what I like from their collection.

PAM 514

This fourth case that I speak of is the Radiomir 1940. It’s like the transitional case between the complete cushion case and wired lugs of the Radiomir and the chunky, squarer case with the crown bridge of the Luminor. In a way, to me anyway, it’s the best of both worlds. Yes I know some people say that a Panerai is not a Panerai without the crown bridge, but there are plenty other distinctive features that sets the Panerai apart from everyone else.

PAM 512

This year at SIHH 2013 Panerai released a few more models utilising the Radiomir 1940 case, in 2 sizes, 42mm and 47mm. (I guess these 2 sizes are their ‘new’ 40mm and 44mm) I'm really liking these models and personally would definitely go for the 47mm (the cushion case wears small) so the 47mm will feel more like a 45mm on the wrist. Both models come with Panerai’s inhouse manual wind movement

Specs

PAM512 Radiomir 1940 - 42mm

Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.999/1  calibre, 21,600 beats per hour
Power reserve 60 hours. 144 components.

Back: See-through sapphire crystal.

Dial: Black  with  luminous Arabic  numerals and hour markers. Seconds at 9 o’clock.

Crystal: Sapphire 1.6 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.


PAM514 Radiomir 1940 3 Days – 47mm

Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.3000  calibre, 21,600 beats per hour.   Power reserve 3  days,  two barrels. 162 components.

Functions:   Hours, minutes, small   seconds, date.

Back: See-through sapphire crystal.

Dial: Black  with  luminous Arabic  numerals and hour  markers. Date  at 3 o’clock, seconds at 9 o’clock.

Crystal: Sapphire 1.8 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.

One-on-one with a Sydney watch collector Part 1

One of the most common questions asked of watch enthuisasts is 'why watches?', so for both those who are already into watches, and those who are puzzled by the whole thing, we thought we'd have a one-on-one interview about this, and many other things, with a local long time collector. He wishes to be anonymous and will be known simply as 'Sydney Watch Collector' (SWC).


TheSydneyTarts: Thank you for joining me today.
SydneyWatchCollector: No worries. It's my pleasure.

TST: Let's start with an obvious one. How did you get started in watch collecting? Why watches?
SWC: To be honest I wouldn't really call myself a watch collector. I don't 'collect' watches so to speak. I buy watches (and I sell them). There is no theme nor a structure to my 'collection'. So, I'd say I'm more of a person with an abnormal appreciation for watches! Having said that, I think my interest in watches began when I was selling them, as my first job out of uni. There were a lot of down time, so I read up on watches to pass time and also to know more about them so I would be a better sales person. The more I read, the more I became fascinated with them, Then I discovered watch forums on the internet, and that was the beginning of my downward spiral. It began cheap - with a Swatch Irony Chrono which I still have, followed by a Longines, then straight into the deep end (at the time) with a purchase of a watch for over 4 figures.

The Swatch Irony chrono. It originally came on a bracelet, but has been swapped onto a strap

TST: Now you mentioned that you also sell. Are there watches that are off limits, or is nothing sacred?
SWC: I tend to hold on to watches that has a story attached to them. For example, that first Swatch Irony I still have. Although I don't really wear it any more, to me that watch was the start of my watch obsession, and it's the first watch I bought for myself (all the watches I've had before this one were all mostly el cheapos that were given to me). That first watch over 4 figures, also had a great story, and another one of my earliest acquistions, a Fortis chronograph I bought in New York, also had great stories to it too. So, watches like these I will keep. It's not a strict rule, but generally speaking those are the ones I keep. Well... there are also other ones that I keep simply because I can't sell them, unless I take a huge hit on the price!

The Fortis bought in New York. It was also the first automatic chrono in the collection. SWC feels he paid too much for this

TST: So it sounds like you have sold watches that had stories attached to them? (SWC nods) Do you regret selling any of them?
SWC: I like to think I only buy watches I like, so it's always very difficult to sell. There are various reasons for selling, of course. It could be because I needed the money to fund another purchase (usually a step up in price) or maybe because my tastes have changed. At other times it has been purely strategic, or taking advantage of an opportunity. But don't get me wrong. I don't buy watches to sell. All the watches I've bought were with the intention to keep. There are people out there that treat watches as an investment. It's not really. At best it's speculation. With watches you need to have the understanding that you WILL lose money on this. In extremely rare cases you make money, but let's just say if I break even over all on this hobby I'm laughing. But I digress. Back to your question, I don't regret selling any of my watches. It's difficult to decide to sell, but once it's gone, it's gone. I've had the opportunity to own it, and it's time for someone else to enjoy that ownership.

TST: Talking about regrets, are there watches that you regret buying?
SWC: Oh where do I begin!!! Since I was new to this whole thing I've been learning and as you learn, you make mistakes. Mind you I'm still learning and making mistakes in this watch thing. The worst ones would have to be the two Invicta watches I bought. I went through a phase when I thought as long as the movement is good, doesn't matter what the brand is. Less well known brand means cheaper prices for good movements, ja? How wrong was I! The quality was shocking and it was so hard to try to offload them. I still have one of them. The only saving grace is that now I have a perfectly good Valjoux 7750 movement that I'm planning to do a project watch on. When that'll happen I have no idea.

One of the Invictas. SWC believes that it's not bad looking, just poor quality. The dial says "Invicta-matic" but when you look through the case back that it's not "matic" of any sort... 

TST: So you've made some 'shocking' purchasing decisions. What would be your 'best' buy, or the purchases you were most happy with?
SWC: Two come to mind. One is the Omega Deville Co-axial chronograph and the other, much more recent, is the Swatch Automatic Chrono. Not only did I manage to get both pieces at really good prices, both watches are significant milestones in each brand's history. The Deville Chrono is Omega's first co-axial chronograph movement. This is the one they had quite a fair bit of issues with in the beginning and if you search the forums for issues on the Omega 33xx calibres, you'll find posts to last you many, many nights of bedtime reading. The Swatch auto chrono is Swatch's very first automatic chronograph. It's a new bargain basement auto chrono from ETA loosely based on the classic Lemania 5100 and exclusive to Swatch and Tissot so far.

Omega DeVille Co-Axial Chronograph

Swatch automatic chrono

TST: Do you have a 'grail watch'?
SWC: The term 'grail watch' has been bandied about too much it's lost all meaning. For me, the 'grail' is something that is almost un-gettable. It should be something that I would be willing to give up all the watches I have, just to obtain it. It would be the watch to end all watches. The one watch that I would be happy with for the rest of my life. So... no. I don't subscribe to the view that once you 'get' your 'grail' watch you move on to the 'next' grail.

TST: So in light of this, what's on your shopping list?
SWC: My shopping list right now:

• Omega Seamaster GMT "Great White" 
• AP Royal Oak 15300ST 
• Dornbluth & Sohne 99.1 
• PAM 372 
• IWC Portuguese 7 Days 

and pending a real life sighting, Tudor Pelagos.

TST: That is a very diverse list!
SWC: I like a bit of variety. There is something good from everyone, so I don't want to limit to just a particular brand or style.

Stay tuned for part 2: Join us as SWC shares with us some of his favourites from his collection.

New Officine Panerai factory

Ten years after the inauguration of its manufactury in Neuchâtel, Officine Panerai has announced the start of work for a new factory which will consolidate all R&D, production and assembly of their watches.

The new production facility will be opened at the end of 2013. At the moment, the stages of development, manufacture, assembly and quality control are all in different locations. The consolidation will naturally mean a higher production capacity. Inside the new building there will be a large space for something called the ‘Workshop of Ideas’, where research and development will be consolidated.

The new manufacture will have an area of 10,000 square metres and will house 290 employees. There are currently 160 employed at OP’s central Neuchâtel premises. One thing that OP are proud of is that the new factory will cut CO2 impact significantly, with a focus on emission reducing equipment and sustainability.

Hopefully, they’ll also ensure that a problem like the PAM 318 ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ movement debacle doesn’t occur again….

[AP]

Top Gear Wrist Watching Season 18 Ep.1

Our Top Gear wrist spotting posts are amongst our most popular, but it has been awhile since we've done one (this is our third). Apart from none of us having had the time to pause and zoom in and decipher what watch is on whose wrist, there's actually been little activity in their choice of wrist wear.

Until now.

A cool shot from Season 18 episode 1

Clarkson may have had the upperhand in being the 'major' host of Top Gear, the one that gets to interview the "star in a reasonably priced car" and the one that usually gets to drive in supercars whilst the other two settle for some sort of public transport on major races, but May and Hammond are certainly 'winning' the wrist war, if there is one.

Jeremy either really loves his Omega Planet Ocean, or he just can't be stuffed changing watches, but he's been wearing that watch non-stop (at least on Top Gear) for the past few years. May and Hammond, however, do seem to change watches a lot more often.

Jeremy Clarkson and his Omega Planet Ocean

I got really excited watching the first episode of this latest season, No. 18, as I spotted quite a few watches not seen on Top Gear before. So to quote each and everyone of the host on the show - here we go!

James May seems to have the most diverse collection out of the three hosts in the watch department. He's been seen wearing everything from a dinner plate Omega to a ceramic Rado, but his latest one took me completely by surprise. I must admit, though, that this watch suits his persona quite well. It's a vintage Omega Dynamic from the '70s.  From the looks of it, it's the automatic one with date.

James May with Omega Dynamic 

A bit about this watch:

Full list of Panerai 2012 releases

For those who have found it hard to find a complete list of Panerai’s SIHH 2012 offerings, here’s a run down of OP’s new models for this year.


HISTORIC

RADIOMIR CALIFORNIA 3 DAYS
Ø 47 MM PAM00424

MOVEMENT
Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.3000 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 16½ lignes, 5.3 mm thick, 21 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/hour. Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 3 days, two barrels. 162 components.

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes, date.

CASE
Diameter 47 mm, polished steel with removable wire loop strap attachments (patented). Screw-down winding crown personalised OP.

BEZEL
Polished steel.

BACK
See-through sapphire crystal

DIAL
Black with luminous Arabic and Roman numerals and hour markers.

CRYSTAL
Sapphire, formed of corundum, 2,8 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.

WATER-RESISTANCE
10 bar (~100 metres).

STRAP
Leather strap and large-size polished steel buckle.



RADIOMIR S.L.C 3 DAYS
Ø 47 MM PAM00425

MOVEMENT
Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.3000 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 16½ lignes, 5.3 mm thick, 21 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/hour. Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 3 days, two barrels. 160 components.

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes.

CASE
Diameter 47 mm, polished steel with removable wire loop strap attachments. Screw-down winding crown personalised OP.

BEZEL
Polished steel.

BACK
See-through sapphire crystal

DIAL
Black with luminous hour markers.

CRYSTAL
Sapphire, formed of corundum, 2,8 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.

WATER-RESISTANCE
10 bar (~100 metres).

STRAP
Leather strap and large-size polished steel buckle.




RADIOMIR 3 DAYS GMT ORO ROSSO RED GOLD
Ø 47 MM PAM00421

MOVEMENT
Hand-wound mechanical movement, Panerai P.3001 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 16½ lignes, 6.3 mm thick, 21 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/hour. Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 3 days, two barrels. 210 components.

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, second time zone, power reserve indicator on the back, seconds reset.

CASE
Diameter 47 mm, polished red gold with removable wire loop strap attachments. Screw-down winding crown personalised OP.

BEZEL
Red gold steel.

BACK
See-through sapphire crystal

DIAL
Brown with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Date at 3 o’clock, seconds at 9 o’clock.

CRYSTAL
Sapphire, formed of corundum, 1.4 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.

WATER-RESISTANCE
5 bar (~50 metres).

STRAP
Alligator strap and polished red gold buckle.



LUMINOR MARINA 1950 3 DAYS
Ø 47 MM PAM00422 

MOVEMENT
Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.3001 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 16½ lignes, 6.3 mm thick, 21 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/ hour. Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 3 days, two barrels. 207 components.

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator on the back, seconds reset.

CASE
Diameter 47 mm, AISI 316L polished steel.

BEZEL
Polished steel.

BACK
See-through sapphire crystal.

DEVICE PROTECTING THE CROWN
Brushed steel.

DIAL
Black with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Seconds at 9 o’clock.

CRYSTAL
Sapphire, formed of corundum, 3 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.

WATER-RESISTANCE
10 bar (~100 metres).

STRAP
Leather strap and large-size brushed steel buckle. Supplied with a second interchangeable strap and a steel screwdriver

A day (or four) at the beach with a Bronzo

In a nutshell, bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the other ingredient, though the balance varies, thus rendering the term ‘bronze’ a bit difficult to pin down exactly. It’s a favoured medium for artwork, especially sculptures, for boat/ ship fittings, and of course there was the Bronze Age.

In the last year or so, it has become one of the most talked-about materials for watches, and one of the most talked-about bronze watches has been the LE (1,000 pieces) Panerai PAM 382, otherwise known as the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic, or “Bronzo”. The bronze chosen by OP for the case of the PAM 382 is CuSn8.

Bronze develops a darker brown patina, over time, because of the effects of oxidation. Panerai’s use of untreated bronze means these surface changes will start occurring relatively early in the watch’s use. Once the surface layer of the bronze has oxidised (eventually becoming copper carbonate), it will form a protective layer for the rest of the watch.

Fittingly, with bronze having a superior resistance to corrosion and salt water compared to steel, one Bronzo owner often takes his to the beach. In this case, the beach at Hamilton Island during Paneristi.com’s 10th P-Day.

Here are some ‘before’ and ‘after’ shots of a Bronzo after a day at the beach. 

(Photo credit : Gaz)

 (Photo credit : Volker)

Over the course of the four days, the case’s colour and ‘mottling’ changed every single day. Even if you’re not a fan of bronze watches, or of green dials (or you can’t wear a 47mm watch, for that matter), is still fascinating, and it means that every Bronzo ends up having a highly personalised character, perhaps making it harder to part with ...?

SPECIFICATIONS

Movement: Automatic mechanical, Panerai P.9000 caliber, executed entirely by Panerai, 13¾ lignes, 7.9 mm thick, 28 jewels, Glucydur balance, 28,800vph. Incabloc anti-shock device. Power reserve 3 days, two barrels. 197 components.

Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, calculation of immersion time.

Case: Diameter 47 mm, brushed bronze. Brushed bronze bezel with anti-clockwise unidirectional rotating bezel with graduated scale for calculating the time of immersion, ratchet click at minute intervals.

Dial: Green with luminous hour markers. Date at 3 o’clock, small seconds at 9 o’clock.

Crystal: Sapphire, made from corundum, 4 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 30 bar (300 meters).

[AP]

Pre P-Day 10

It was the week prior to P-Day 10, and some of the overseas guests were visiting Sydney before heading up to Hamilton Island, so we organised a GTG at the Bavarian Bier Cafe. It was nice to match faces to names and, for those of us unable to make it up to Hamilton Island for P-Day, to be able to at least share some of the pre-celebratory atmosphere.

Some of the two dozen of us who were there

Sam, Peter, Tony

Tasting platter - schnitzel, pork belly, sausages, sauerkraut, fried onions

Moules (the frites are there, somewhere)

Nicolas, Sam and Gary (Minnesota)

Bernie and Doreen from Honolulu

Wristshot!

Hagen (Germany), Tom (Sydney) and

Giulio (down from the Blue Mtns for his first Risti/ watch GTG)

Gary and his daughter

JLC Perpetual interloper

Who ordered salad at a bier cafe?

Special. 6152/1

One of the great things about P-Day this year was the number of families who attended

Taking a groupshot in a noisy bier cafe whilst standing on a chair and waving at everyone to get their attention was attempted, with err, variable success, but what's a Risti GTG without a groupshot?

Thank you to all our overseas friends for signing the Sydney Paneristi banner (which was subsequently taken to Hamilton Island, of course). It was a huge pleasure to be able to meet you, and we hope to see you again either in Australia or P-Day 11 or maybe in your home towns. For a great  video wrap-up of Hamilton Island by Amanda (Melbourne), click here.

[AP - photos by AP & ChrisL]