Review: Panerai Radiomir GMT PAM00350
There is a certain Marmite-esque quality to Panerai’s unmistakable aesthetic. You either love the big, brazen appeal of the military-inspired watches (and in fact, Panerai has a dedicated cult following), or it’s simply not your cup of tea. But whatever side you fall, you can’t deny that the brand’s design is at the very least consistent throughout its substantial collection—so much so, that when a new model deviates from the norm, it makes big waves in the world of watches.
In an unusual departure from the iconic brand identity, Panerai tried its hand at a contemporary design twist with the PAM 035. This piece’s stand out feature is a dramatic skeletonised dial, in place of the uncluttered, what-you-see-is-what-you-get face that enthusiasts have come to know and love. A tourbillon watch, it uses the in-house calibre P.2005/S. This is essentially the same movement that the brand has used in previous, non-skeletonised tourbillons—rather than creating a new movement specifically for skeletonisation, Panerai instead chose to adapt this calibre to the open-worked style.
The star of the show sits at 11 o’clock, where a hypnotic and endlessly spinning tourbillon cage rotates for all to see. As well as the time, the PAM 035 features a third GMT hand, indicating a second time zone; the hands, markers and indices are all picked out in a bright lume for easy legibility. Two subdials sit across from one another at 3 and 9 o’clock, one displaying small seconds, and the other indicating AM and PM.
Of course, Panerai doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel, and size-wise, this piece is in line with the rest of the manufacture’s wrist-dominating collection. It has a colossal diameter of 48mm and a similarly meaty thickness—needed to house a movement that boasts a triple-barrel, 6-day power reserve. However, the case is made from Panerai’s lightweight ceramic compound, meaning that it is at least lighter on the wrist than you might expect. The matte black finish is set off by the vintage look of the brown leather strap; combined with the familiar cushion shaped case and turnip crown, the watch is brought firmly back into the realm of Panerai style.
The PAM 035 is an exceptionally rare model, limited to just 30 pieces—most likely meant to be snapped up by savvy Panerai aficionados to add to their collection. The brand gave the watch the name ‘Lo Scienziato’ in honour Galileo Galilei, who helped lay the foundations for mechanical timepieces and—like the brand—hailed from Tuscany. This watch, like the polymath, is a dedication to thinking differently, and the watch’s moniker seems like an appropriate name for this attempt by Panerai to shake up its collection.
Watch Spec | Panerai Radiomir GMT PAM00350
Case | Ceramic Dimensions | 48mm Crystal | Synthetic sapphire Water Resistance | 100m Movement | P.2005/S, manual Frequency | 28,800vph Power Reserve | 6 days Strap | Leather Functions | Time, GMT, tourbillon power reserve RRP | £110,000 | Shop Now
