Officine Panerai

Echi
6497

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Honestly, I prefer the 372 over the 000..

With the zero, I can’t help but think about how I prefer the dial layout of the 201a.. I think the logo is squished down there together with “panerai”. With the 201a, it’s more balanced.. words on top, logo below. I fear a re-issue.. with panerai you never know!

I think it is difficult to compare these two bases. The aesthetics of a 47 case is just so much different than a 44.. it’s not a simple matter of upsizing.

Then there’s the indices.. both are charming in different ways. The zero is more “basic” than the 372. White vs cream. For the 372, in retrospect, I can’t imagine it with white indices. It has owned the fauxtina look.

The font size is something to consider as well. I love the font size of the 372. It is part of design more than it being a distraction like how one would usually hate too much lettering on a dial. With the 372, i liken it to the date display on a Lange where it’s part of the design language.

I used to also think that the 372 dial was more unbalanced than the zero being top heavy with the lettering with nothing to offset at the bottom. But then slowly I appreciate how symmetry can be boring. I think the lettering on the 372 is balanced in the sense that it is as bold on top as it is empty at the bottom!

Now we come to the movement.. in-house vs Unitas. I love them both. I respect the essence of old panerai as more an assembler rather than a manufacture. That they were out there to produce tools and that it didn’t matter if they made all the parts or not as long as the purpose is served.. way back when watches needed to tell time. This whole in house thing is arguably more marketing and not necessarily a technical requirement.

The winding is a bit rough on the zero but again it reinforces the whole tool watch/assembler impression.

The p3000 is a nice movement but I don’t mind it having a solid case back as the essence of a base isn’t exactly about the movement anyway.

Sergio set the context regarding their differences. No way on earth I could have even thought about it in that way.

The 372 is here to stay. The zero I’m not sure yet.. but I am in a process of rediscovery and I am enjoying my time with it.

Difficult question Nico. But I enjoyed answering it!

Best, Echi

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