Officine Panerai

Panerai fatigue as in your Panerai collection is getting complete (whether you need 1, 2, 3 or 10 models), and it's getting difficult to pull the trigger on a new model since it's too "similar" to a prior model you already have?

For those who say yes, what does Panerai need to do for you to get re-invigorated with the brand?  Any ideas?

Cheers,
Anthony

Then came Basel 2013 , along with it the 1940s models ... But that is certainly not great inovation

Thing is, Panerai is enjoying huge sucess, as far as I can see in the mass market segment, so there is little or no motivation to "innovate".

Panerai is today, what Rolex has been for a long time. A status symbol ... and what many in the mass market aspire towards. There is also quite a buzz due the secondary market where profits can be made, and where accessibility beyond the traditional sales channels are available which makes an acquistion easy.  

Having said that, they have made strides on the movement front, although I am not sure if it enough for the "rest of us". All my new purchases of late have been the older models. Models which I missed out when they were initially launched.

I stepped into Panerai in 2002 and owned a total of 26 models, at this moment i still have 8 of them, 1 Rad and 7 Luminors.  The fatique came with the continuous price increases who are reaching a ridiculous point IMO, you keep paying more for something that doesn't get better (it's not like a new car that continuous to evoluate),  and of course let's not forget the lack of innovation by throwing out LE's that are in fact a copy of previous one ...  At the end it's like milking the cow like Hublot does with the Big Bang model and AP with the ROO,  they keep coming but besides a new colour combiniation or material mix there's nothing that can light my fire anymore.  I'm waiting since years that they would make a new model, a new line f.ex  and it can even be something completely different and 'modern' , even nothing to do with the Marine theme, but no .... I don't think we gonna see any of that i'm afraid.

But honnestly, Panerai management doesn't care what the oldtimers think of it, they just try to sell sell sell and the new customers don't care what a Pam costed 5 or 10 years ago or the fact that they made about +/- 450 of the same references.  So why would I care keep buying them   .  Not saying I will never buy them again in the future but it would have to be something that blows me out of my socks this time .... In the meantime I found a great alternative in Zenith who brings a lot of bang for the buck, great movements, great finish, and different model lines at a price that's around 30% cheaper

in which model(s) to purchase.  Because for the same amount of money, a lot of times you can get another watch with better value from another brand.

Panerai's growing popularity over the past decade probably had a big part in the constant price increases.  Old timers remember the times when Panerai's used to cost much less so it makes it more difficult to purchase a new model from the current collection because we'll always be saying I could have bought 2 PAMXXX's for this price.

Cheers,
Anthony

Their designs have been practically stagnant over the years if you compare them to other brands.  Yes they've come out with some new models but overall, the look is still practically identical from before.

Does Panerai need to innovate as much or do they have such a successful design and look that they really don't need to?

Cheers,
Anthony

Pricing is probably the biggest gripe with the old timers. 

- AT

Practically everyone has a fixed amount of savings to use for buying watches.  Once that money is all used up, it takes a much longer time to rebuild that savings in order to buy another watch.

- AT