Officine Panerai

Gaz
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Why is Jules Verne so special? A strapaholic's moment of clarity...

To mark the 100^th anniversary Jules Verne’s passing, Panerai released the Jules Verne Sealand (Ref: PAM000216) in 2005.  What captivated me most was not the watch itself but the strap.

Photo taken from Panerai website

So why is this strap so special? Well, simply because it was the first OEM strap released by Panerai, or any other watch manufacture for that matter, to feature nubuck alligator hide.  It was surprising to see the term "nubuck" coupled with "alligator" since I had always associated nubuck with cowhide.

Nubuck refers to the process by which the hide is buffed on the outside, or the top-grain side.  The result is a light surface nap which can be very fine and displays a very soft, velvety finish.  Nubuck is comparable to suede.  However, suede is created from buffing the inner side or flesh side of the hide.  Leathersmiths consider nubuck to be superior to suede because it is much softer, thicker and more resistance to normal wear and stains.

Applying this process on an alligator hide give it this softer suede-like characteristic while retaining its reptilian scaling. WOW!!! How cool is that?

Being a strapaholic, I had to learn as much about what is now affectionately referred to as the Jules Verne strap (JV strap for short).  When launched, the strap was offered only in gold.  This was followed by black in late 2007. However, the black is not really black but rather a dark gray.

Gold JV strap on Pre A 1 and Black JV strap on Cali dial

Besides, the Jules Verne Sealand, the JV strap comes standard with the limited edition platinum 10-day GMT Radiomir (Ref: PAM000274).

Photo taken from Panerai website

The variants, in both colours, that I am aware of, are as follows:

1. 26/26 for the tang buckle

2. 24/22 for the tang buckle and Luminor deployant buckle

3. 26/20 for the Radiomir deployant buckle

4. 26/22 for the tang buckle

5. 26/22 for the tang buckle

The lengths vary between 115/75 and 125/85, although the 115/75 is the most common. There may be other variations of both dimension and length as Panerai used to take custom orders for this strap. However, due to production issues Panerai has since ceased this practice, or so they tell me.

As far as OEM straps go, the JV strap is not cheap.  However, in my opinion, it is probably one of the most exquisite straps ever produced.  Its softness and texture is something that one does not generally associate with reptilian hides but it is this very contrast that makes it such a special strap. 

What intrigues me even more is the variation in colour and tone of the nubuck alligator hide, particularly in gold.  The tones vary within the scales, ranging from dark brown to light tan giving it a cloudy appearance.  This allows each strap to form its own characteristics with no two gold JV strap sharing the same tonal qualities.  As it ages, the gold JV strap forms a nice patina further expressing its uniqueness.  It is this individuality that makes this strap so appealing to me.

Top strap – used

Bottom strap – new

Top strap – 26/26

Bottom strap – 24/22

Overlaid with used strap

Check out that texture, you can see the fine nap

The strap gets a little grainier as it ages

While it feels soft and fragile, its actually very durable

The newer black JV strap is much more consistent in colour by virtue of its darker and narrower tonal differences.  Its finishing and texture are smoother and more refined than the gold JV strap.  However, depending on how strong the ambient lighting is, the scales on the black JV strap can be less pronounced.

The strap wears extremely well with both Radiomir and Luminor watches.  This is surprising since the ruggedness of the Luminor case may not make this strap the obvious choice.  One of the finest combinations that I have seen is the pairing of the gold JV strap with the PAM000203. 

Courtesy of Jester, used with permission

It may seem a little frivolous to write so much about a strap, but for me the JV strap is a truly magnificent strap.  It is the only example of its kind available and I applaud Panerai for making such an interesting strap available.  If I can make one request, please make a nubuck hornback strap

Thanks for reading

Gaz

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