My latest arrival is from the brand that started this entire watch craze for me, Officine Panerai. But before we get into more details, I would like to thank my awesome wife (Instagram @wifeofawis) for this incredibly thoughtful gift. For many years, I have wanted to add a white dial Panerai to my collection and this new PAM 563 is just perfect.
That familiar cardboard box...
Back in 2011, I gave my wife a PAM 113 as a gift to celebrate our first wedding anniversary... her reaction to the gift was priceless, by far one of the best reactions I have ever received from her. The PAM 113 was, and still is (in my opinion), the perfect Panerai for her... the clean and crisp white dial is just amazing.
PAM 563
As my Panerai collection evolved, the only thing that remained consistent was that they were all black dials and non-chrono. Naturally, I always felt that I needed a white dial and/or a chronograph. But as time passed I started adventuring with other brands and this void was never filled... until my wife surprised me with my very own PAM 563 earlier this month!
Why is this particular model extra special to me?
- My wife picked this model by herself without any input from me and I love her pick!
- It is the twin watch of the PAM 113 which I gifted her 5 years ago... so we can now be matching :-).
- It is my first Panerai since 2012.
The white dial looks fantastic on the wrist!
Most will agree that the Zenith Chronomaster Sport is a beautiful watch that checks all the boxes. In many ways, it was Zenith’s response to the incredibly successful and impossible to get steel Rolex Ceramic Daytona. From the Oyster bracelet look-a-like, to the folding clasp, to the black ceramic bezel… the similarities are clear, but so are the differences. We will discuss why each is better than the other later and answer the big question, which of the two reigns supreme?
11 and a half years ago, I made one of my worst watch related decisions in life when I went with the Cartier Santos 100 DLC for my wedding watch. My wife and I both got the exact same watch as matching “wedding watches”. Back then I was considering the 116613LB as well but for some stupid reason I decided to go with the Cartier. To my defense, the popularity of black watches back then was on the rise. In retrospect, I failed immensely at picking a timeless watch that one could wear for decades to come and still be considered a classic timepiece. Shortly after our wedding, I kept thinking that I had screwed up by not getting the 116613LB, which we both liked (we both liked the Cartier too). After overthinking this issue for over 10 years, I can safely say that Rolex is THE wedding watch brand to get to anyone out there looking for suggestions, as unoriginal as that may sound. Most Rolex watches have truly classic designs that will stand the test of time.
When I first saw images of this watch it was love at first sight. The vintage style bracelet, the limited edition details, the subtle grey dial, and the two tone color scheme were all too much to resist. To my fortune, I was one of the lucky ones out of 6,969 people that would be receiving this beautiful watch. The number of pieces for this “limited edition” Apollo 11 50th Anniversary is arguably laughable, but it is probably also why I was able to secure one so I am not going to complain.
For many years I have wanted a black Panerai in my collection, but somehow every time a new Panerai joined the family it was always in stainless steel. In my defense, the options with a black ceramic case are limited (as much as I love the look of PVD, I am too scared of scratches to own one). I admired the Radiomir PAM 292 for many years, but never took the plunge. Then I drooled over the PAM 317 but could not get over the high price point… but after 12 years of watch collecting, I finally added a black ceramic PAM to my collection – the PAM 1441.
O-M-G!!! This new arrival is one of my grails!!! When the first Panerai Bronzo was released in 2011, it was love at first sight. The love eventually turned into frustration as it was impossible to purchase one unless you knew someone or were a VIP customer. The years passed, new versions were released, but the Bronzo remained a myth… unobtainable at retail. What made things more infuriating was seeing many Brozos in the secondary market with a $10K premium or seeing one owner with multiple versions of the Bronzo (in many cases with all versions)... and there I was still dreaming about owning one someday.
Ever since I first saw the Nomos Glashütte Zürich Worldtimer on @lawatchguy’s wrist at a #lawatchgang GTG several years ago I had been intrigued by this piece. By the numbers, this watch would have never made it into my collection of mainly sport watches. It is on the smaller side (40 mm), thin, and dressy. I am typically attracted to the exact opposite – larger watches (42 mm or larger), thicker cases, and sportier styles. But for some reason I could not get this Worldtimer out of my mind.
It took me 5 years of yearning and a hands-on review to finally say that I am a proud owner of a Rolex GMT-Master II BLNR. Not sure why I waited so long to actually add one to my collection, but I am glad that I finally did.
After over one year of not purchasing a watch (new personal record), I am very excited about this latest new arrival. Not only is it from the brand that started it all for me, it is also a Limited Edition piece of only 500 pieces... and we all know how impossible it is to get Limited Edition pieces from Panerai! This PAM 911, also known as the "Last One for Paneristi", was designed by Mr. Angelo Bonati himself. Though unlikely that this will be the last one for Paneristi ever, it will be the last one under Mr. Angelo Bonati's reign. Jean-Marc Pontroué, Roger Dubuis CEO, is scheduled to become the next Officine Panerai CEO in April 2018. I have always been a fan and a harsh critic of Panerai (see my The Fall of a Giant? article), so it will be interesting to see what happens to the brand under the new direction of Jean-Marc.
My latest arrival is from the brand that started this entire watch craze for me, Officine Panerai. But before we get into more details, I would like to thank my awesome wife (Instagram @wifeofawis) for this incredibly thoughtful gift. For many years, I have wanted to add a white dial Panerai to my collection and this new PAM 563 is just perfect.
Never say never. A few years ago when I first saw the Bell & Ross Airborne (now called Skull) I found the watch to be unique but unattractive... Why would anyone want to wear a watch with a huge skull on it? Some people are surely crazy... Well, here is my newest watch, the limited edition Bell & Ross BR 01 Skull Bronze ;-). Proof again that tastes do change with time, so never say never.
The first arrival for 2016 was completely unexpected and a bit of an impulse buy. I was perusing several watch forums and websites (like I usually do) when I found this beauty on sale for a price that I could not resist... and being the sucker that I am for great deals I pulled the trigger. And I am glad that I did :-).
My newest arrival, and most likely my last arrival for the year (*tears*), is the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon (DSOM). This is also my first Omega. I have always been a fan of most Omega designs and often wondered why my collection was Omega-less… The numerous variations from the Seamaster (Planet Ocean) and Speedmaster (Moonwatch) collections have always caught my eye, but surprisingly I never pulled the trigger on any.
My very first new arrival for 2015... the IWC Pilot Chronograph ref. 3777. This is one model I have been going back and forth for many years and finally decided to pull the trigger last week.
Once your passion for watches takes over your common sense, you start telling yourself that no matter how expensive a watch is, that it is definitely worth it.
Ever since @wifeofawis and I got our Disney Annual Passports, we have been spoiling our daughter @babyofawis with too many trips to Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. Before she was born, @wifeofawis was already a Disney fan... but now with our daughter, trips to Disneyland have a completely new meaning. Thrill rides have been replaced with kiddie rides and the focus is now on making sure that our daughter is having fun. Totally different from before, but just as awesome if not more awesome. Seeing her face light up with happiness is priceless.
My newest watch and the last watch for 2014 is the SevenFriday P1 Limited Edition Philippines Boutique (limited to 150 pieces) that was gifted to me by @wifeofawis on my birthday last December (you can also read about my review on the P1-1 model).
If you have visited Las Vegas or have been planning a trip to Sin City, you know that no Vegas experience is complete without watching a Vegas show. There are literally hundreds of shows to choose from, but the most famous production is probably Cirque du Soleil.
In the month of October I announced a giveaway for all my readers and Instagram followers for a chance to win a beautiful Bell & Ross B-Rocket cap. And the winner is...
Any function on your watch other than to display time is considered a complication. It could be as simple as a date function or as complicated as a sonnerie.
Inspired by this week's "Watches and Wardrobe" #head2headcopycat challenge on Instagram, this post is all about taking a look at my past Instagram posts that feature watches and clothing.
This past Saturday we went to The Santa Ana Zoo's "Boo at the Zoo" trick-or-treat event. It was @babyofawis' first time trick-or-treating so we figured that this event was perfect for her... get to see a few animals, walk around in a safe environment, and hopefully go home with a bag of goodies.
Here is your chance to win a brand new original Bell & Ross "B-Rocket" cap! To participate in the giveaway, complete one of the following (or both to double your chances of winning). You must be from Continental United States to be eligible for the giveaway.
Panerai, the brand that made me a WIS. Yes it is true. In case you have not read the About section on my website yet, my passion for watches started in the summer of 2007 after I purchased my first Panerai, a PAM 164.
My wife's "Wife of a WIS" blog is now LIVE! You can check out her blog by clicking on "Wife of a WIS" at the very top or by clicking on the button below.
Thank you all for the support.
When it comes to aftermarket straps, the choices are endless. I have tried everything, from $15 eBay straps to $500 Atelier du Bracelet Parisien (ABP) straps. If given a choice, I prefer to buy pre-made straps versus custom ordered ones due to their much lower price and immediate availability. Often times the wait for the custom order straps are over 4 weeks! Unfortunately, because of my thinner wrist size (<6.5"), most of the pre-made straps that I found online were just too long for me... until I found BandRbands.com (they are also on Instagram).
Last Saturday, @wifeofawis and I decided to host a small get-together dinner at our place to celebrate @toysofawis' (my cousin) and another friend's birthday. A few weeks before my wife's aunt had taught us how to make home-cooked prime rib roast so we figured it was the perfect time to give it a try!
I am delighted to see a few of my own photos and story submission in iW Magazine's recent story, "A Word from the Collector". As part of iW Magazine's Year of the Collector, this article features the stories of fellow watch collectors in the Los Angeles area (including several from our very own #LAWatchGang group).
These four watches are the perfect inspiration for my first personal post. Some watches come and go throughout the years, but these four watches will forever stay in my collection as they hold a special place in my heart. These watches were all gifts from my wife (@wifeofawis), in chronological order (left being the oldest).
The Nomos Glashütte Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer was my favorite model from this year’s Watches and Wonders event. There is something about that Nomos Worldtimer ring that really sings to me, which is also what attracted me to their Zürich Worldtimer Topper Limited Edition as well.