Officine Panerai

BluNotte
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PAM 309 mini-report (No photos though, sorry guys!!)

Ciao there to all my fellow Paneristi bros and sis Trust that each and every one of you had a great day today
Well, as promised last week, I am here to give a report on my brand new 309! Once again i apologise, the photos are still unavailable, but please, be understanding and just READ the report ok?
So today is the 1st day that I put my 309 on, pleased to say that it passed my test with flying colours, in all stages during the past one week. This is my 1st watch in Titanium ,so the lightness actually surprised me, and i felt lighter all throughout my body when i strapped it on today! In fact, while i was running in the streets, my body somehow felt that it could go faster than usual. I know this is probably psychological, but i know that this has also got something to do with the magic of strapping on a Panny
The dial as many of you are familiar with, is just simply a sandwich dial, with 12,3, and 6 as the only numbers. There exists a non-hacking small seconds at the 9 o'clock position as well, but there is no 9 figure. The dial is pure black, as this is the 309, while the 322 will have a brown dial.
As many of you might have remembered last time when i 1st got my 249, i was very anxious about the strength of the luminosity, i guess this was because at that time i never owned a Panny before, and on top of this i started off with a Panny that wasnt sandwich dialed, and had a vintage process applied to the Super Luminova applied on the dial. But now with this 309 and it being in a sandwich dial , i can truly see the power of the luminosity! Indeed just a short exposure to light, the best is sunlight and strong LED light, and it glows so brightly that you'd thought there must be some kinda battery powering it, which of course is not the case
The case is in brushed grade 2 titanium, with the bezel in polished grade 5 titanium. They seem very strong, which im sure is the reality
The finish of the dial is perfect, so is the new pink gold ring that surrounds the dial underneath the bezel. Looking through a 10x loupe, the ridges and the dots in each ridge, was really spectacular
Now on to the movement, which can be seen through a sapphire crystal caseback, the finish is DROP DEAD GORGEOUS as my thoughts have said these past few months while waiting for it!
Unlike most other Panny, this movement is finished not by OP, but by Minerva. And if any of you have seen the movements of the Montblanc Villeret watches that uses movements from Minerva, you will know the standard that minerva is up to. I will admit that the finish isnt as great as that of the montblanc series, but as many of you would have read in my post awhile back ago, that OP did not specify for Minerva to finish their movement
to their best level, because if they did, the 309 would NOT cost US$26,000. It would cost probably double the price at around $40,000. I have this confirmed through a Minerva watchmaker who visited Japan earlier this year. So the fact that we have to pay $26,000 for this, is in fact the BARGAIN END OF THINGS.
On to some details, the corte de Geneve is perfect, the lines are sharp and clear, not something you would see in other ETA based PAMS, i know those look good too, but YOU HAVE TO SEE IT ON THE 309!! And one thing which catches mY attention the most, is the anglage on the bridges. THIS IS LANGE QUALITY ANGLAGE FINISHES PANERISTIS!! Most of you would know i'm VERY VERY ANAL ABOUT QUALITY FINISH, AND IF I LOOK THROUGH A 10X LOUPE(WHICH IS THE ONLY LOUPE MAGNIFICATION I TRUST)AND SAY THAT THE ANGLAGE IS THAT GOOD, YOU'd BETTER TRUST IT!
It is MY GOD BEAUTIFUL, the smoothness of the anglage themselves is to such a degree that i can even see my own face in it! Even photos wont be able to prove this, and if you all have the chance ever to encounter a 309 /322 in the wild, PLEASE ASK THE OWNER OR SHOP TO LET YOU SEE IT!
Many people have complained since it was released at SIHH 08 that the watch is too high priced for such simple functions. Yes i agree that for just telling the time the watch may be too high priced, BUT i think the main point in purchasing a 309 besides all the historical connection, is the FINISH. In other words, think of the 309 as Panny's Lange. Not for innovation nor function, but for FINISH. If you look at the finish, i'd pay even double for what they ask for. But anyways, I got the watch, so case closed
The bridges are opened-cut around the 3rd and 4th wheel, so you can see them rotating, the 4th naturally rotates the fastest, because it directly drives the seconds hand. And the 3rd, if you look through a loupe, you can enjoy the relatively fast speed too.
The movement consists of 18 jewels, and this is printed along with Officine Panerai, and also the corresponding serial number as on the case of the watch for your particular piece.
Just a quick note for those who didnt read my previous post, my 309 is the 1st piece in Japan, and by far still the only one. A few more pieces will of course be coming in for the AD's, but those are expected not within the year, probably early next Jan at quickest. And naturally we have the grey market sector, but well since I hate grey markets, i wouldnt talk about them here now We are expected to get around about a maximum of 6 pieces of the total of 150 pieces of 309/322 combination. Wondering if any of you noticed this as well though, that unlike what i previously thought when it was 1st announced, the 100 pieces of the 309 & 50 pieces of the 322 are combined together in the total tally. So it isnt like the serial number on the 309 is ~/100. But rather ~/150. I am not sure if there is an order in the production, such as like 1~100 is 309, and 101~150 is 322, of Vice versa. But when more of you start getting your pieces, maybe we can reconfirm
Overall this timepiece is a wonder to hold, to have and to behold. I wore it for the whole day today, and as i mentioned previously, somehow it made me feel invincible Haha not that i turned into superman or what, but really putting on the 309 gave me huge confidence, and i love LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PIECE!!! Frankly speaking, even when i picked up other watches that cost 10 times more than the 309, i wasnt this happy nor elated! But for the 309, its beyond description!
I wish so much that I could share with you guys photos of the watch, but my lack of a camera prevents that from happening. Dont worry though, its not like im no longer in the world today, and as Retto said once, i do have an amazing collection that could contribute to the community greatly, and its not like i dont want to guys, you just need to understand my situation. But rest assured, SOON (and by soon, give me at max till to my next birthday ok , which is April) i will show you all PHOTOS!!!
Well, thanks for readinG my mini-report, i know that it would have been hell of alot more interesting with photos, but at least i tried to give you all something
Please, do comment much, and ask me if you'V got any questions as to regards with the 309, be it technical , design, simply ANYTHING
Ciao and take carez!!!