Great excitement in the Panerai Replica community a few years ago: Product features that were actually considered standard at the Swiss watch brand Panerai were deleted as part of the introduction of the Panerai “Base Logo” models (e.g. PAM01086): Pressed case backs are replaced by screwed case backs for use. In addition, simple spring bars replaced the screwed bars, which could be removed without scratches via holes in the horns, thus making it easy to replace the strap. And: The water resistance is just 10 atm or 100 meters (instead of the standard 30 bar or 300 meters) – which is pretty poor for a designated combat diver’s watch. In short: From the point of view of many die-hard Panerai fans, the Base Logo model series is something like the “enfant terrible” of the brand.
As I said: We are only talking about the models that are intended to provide a “cheap” entry into the world of Panerai combat diving watches. And now one can of course argue that certain compromises have to be accepted with cheaper versions in order to justify the price difference. And with the downgrades, Panerai ultimately has a heart for watch lovers with smaller wallets, right? Well, the disillusionment could hardly be greater in view of the still hefty asking prices beyond €5000, for which you can also get hold of an Omega Seamaster 300m, for example, which is superior to the Panerai Base Logo models in pretty much every respect.
Panerai P.9010 and P.900: The downgrade “evolution”
The Panerai caliber P.9010 also makes you rub your eyes in amazement: at the end of 2020, some Panerai customers began to complain that the small seconds hand of their watches powered by the P.9010 caliber did not stop when they pulled out the crown (stop-seconds). or “hacking” function). The P.9010 ticks, for example, in the Submersible PAM01305, which costs around €10,000, or the Luminor Marina PAM01312, which costs around €8,000.
Maybe just a production error? Not at all: Panerai has trimmed the P.9010 and secretly released a new version of the caliber that no longer comes with a stop-seconds feature. There is absolute radio silence on the Panerai website. What’s more: As the Rolex blogger Perezcope found out, the video on the caliber page still includes a video showing the stop-seconds function in mid-2022:
When asked by a watch enthusiast who owns a Panerai with caliber P.9010, Panerai only gave this tight-lipped answer:
Panerai has also removed the factory decorations such as the polished bevels or perlage that were used on the first version of the P.9010 (which can also be seen in the video on the Panerai website). The new version is just sandblasted and looks pretty cheap. This may not be dramatic at first glance, as current models with the movement all have a steel back anyway (certainly not without reason), but it still leaves a “taste” – not least because Panerai calls the new caliber version “Evolution”. (no joke). Even Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué probably doesn’t know what kind of evolution the new P.9010 variant represents. And again: we’re talking about watches for around €10,000.
By the way: The P.900 caliber was also trimmed – just like the P.9010 – and the stop seconds and factory decorations were removed. Sad but true: The Submersible QuarantaQuattro ELAB-ID PAM01225 model, which is equipped with this caliber in the P.900e variant (e for “eco”), costs around €60,000 (no, not zero is too much). In my opinion, even recycled components (titanium bridges, recycled silicon for the escapement, etc.) cannot hide the fact that there is an extremely wide gap between price and technical product features.
By the way, Panerai calibers are produced by Manufacture Horlogère ValFleurier, a Swiss company that is a Richemont subsidiary (just like Panerai and other watch brands such as Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, IWC). Bundling caliber production at ValFleurier makes perfect sense from a business (group) perspective, but of course the decisions about caliber modifications are not made by ValFleurier, but by Panerai.