Starting with Panerai III: OJ Whatley on Complications, “Buying” a Seller
- Complicated Panerai watches have multiplied dramatically since the first models debuted in 1993.
- OJ Whatley advises that new Panerai buyers consider a few of the most common and popular variants.
- After taking a full inventory of personal Panerai preferences, “buy your seller” before buying your watch.
- “Buying the Seller” is the practice of subjecting prospective sellers to a “sniff test.”
- OJ notes that “Buying the Seller” is the surest way to enjoy a flawless introduction to Panerai.
Few watches electrify observers and inspire collector passion like the timepieces of Officine Panerai. But the same intrigue that drives interest in the Swiss-Italian house leads to a common question among prospective “Panerisi”; where do I start? Naturally, start with an expert guide.
OJ Whatley turned his passion for the Panerai universe into watchuwant.com, the global leader in buying, selling, and trading of luxury watches. From advising first-time Panerai buyers to building his own collection to catching counterfeiters red-handed, OJ has done it all.
In this, the third and final installment of a series on choosing a first Panerai, OJ shares his insights – and enthusiasm – with new admirers of the watchmaker from Firenze.
Having explored the roles of automatic/manual movements, date/no-date dials, case size, and strap selection in the shopping process, OJ recommends that new Panerai buyers wait until the end of their searches to settle on complications.
Simply stated, a complication is any mechanical function of a luxury watch beyond the time of day and, in most cases, the date. While Panerai watches are known for heritage and image rather than complexity, the sprawling catalog of civilian market Panerai options contains many complicated options.
Among complicated Panerai references, OJ notes that the three most common are chronographs, GMT/dual-time, and extended power-reserve features.
Chronographs have been part of the Panerai lineup since the original three civilian models debuted in 1993, but they have never captured the public imagination like the less complex PAMs. However, many collectors view the robust Panerai cases as the perfect vessel for a sports chronograph, and the outstanding dial legibility of Panerai watches simplifies the often troublesome task of reading chronographs in action.
For collectors who prefer this complication, the market’s oversight is your gain, and OJ notes that Panerai chronographs often represent an outstanding value for money when purchased pre-owned.
GMT/dual-time watches have found more collector favor than the chronographs. Whether this is due to the feature’s minimal disruption of the classic Panerai dial design or the utility of a second time zone, this type of watch has become the most popular complicated Panerai.
OJ advises that several GMT/dual-time variants exist, so buyers interested in the feature need to pay close attention to individual models in order to know what they are getting.
“Certain Panerai models such as the PAM00089 are true GMT watches with a 24-hour hand that moves at half-speed relative to the local hour. However, other PAM references, such as the PAM00289, feature “GMT” in their model names but include a second 12-hour hand coupled to a day/night indicator; this is a dual-time, not a ‘GMT,'” OJ explains.
Power reserve indicators on the dial or display caseback also rank among the most commonly-encountered Panerai complications. While certain models, such as the PAM00027, couple a power reserve indicator with conventional 40-45 hour power reserves, most Panerai watches with a reserve indicator will incorporate three, eight, or ten-day power reserves. OJ advises that there are questions to ask before jumping into a power reserve Panerai:
“When you consider the number of dial locations for the indicators, the different types of indicator layouts Panerai has used, and the watches that feature caseback indicators (themselves in several varieties), you realize that there are quite a few permutations. As with all decisions leading up to a purchase, buy what you like. If you prefer a clean dial but you want an indicator, seek a model with a caseback display.”
“Those who enjoy the modern-classic ‘fang’ horizontal display on the dial will have their choice of eight and ten-day reserves. Fans of the reserve at five o’clock are well-served, and there even exist a few models with centered indicators at six o’clock.”
To be sure, there are other complications in the Panerai universe, and they cover the full spectrum from alarms to regatta chronographs to tourbillons, so new “Paneristi” intent on leaping into the deep end will find no shortage of options.
However, when seeking to acquire a very complex watch, OJ stresses that buyers adhere to a practice that should apply to any watch purchase at any price point.
The process of “buying the seller” is a matter near and dear to OJ’s heart. As a Panerai collector himself and a leading seller of pre-owned luxury watches, OJ has spent every day of the last fifteen years engaged in the watch marketplace. In that time, OJ has discovered time and again that the best purchase experiences follow the most thorough vettings of seller credibility.
If a collector “buys” a seller through the process of sweeping Google for recurring horror stories, evaluating eBay feedback records, reviewing BBB reports, and seeking third-party testimonials, the purchase process becomes an informed and empowering one. Buyers who first do their homework and “buy the seller” have a far better chance of getting a watch that arrives as represented with no strings attached and robust after-sales support.
In essence, buying the seller means that the watch purchase becomes a straightforward retail matter, not a game of blind-man’s bluff.
In addition to Google, eBay feedback, and BBB, OJ encourages shoppers to place special weight on client testimonials that are consistent, detailed, and include personal contact information. Anonymous “endorsements” are a red flag. These are easy to create and impossible to screen without contact info. Posts on forums can be fabricated via the same kind of astroturf public relations tactics.
If a seller doesn’t furnish references that are independent, willing to speak to prospective clients, and personally identifiable, consider that seller to have no testimonials.
To be sure, there are other telling tests; does a real person answer the phone at the seller’s office? Does a person follow up quickly if you leave a message? Will the seller put buyers in direct contact with a representative authorized to negotiate on pricing and personally guarantee terms of sale? Is the return policy liberal, restrictive, or non-existent?
Simply stated, “buying the seller” is a first-time Panerai buyer’s ultimate insurance policy and first line of defense against fraud, ordeals, and disappointment. A watch purchase should be fun and driven by personal priorities as opposed to tense and hounded by uncertainties.
Over a decade-and-a-half since he first fell in love with Panerai, OJ Whatley continues to wear the brand’s finest on a daily basis. His own “Officine” is a monument to Panerai, and the Florentine manufacture even sits immortalized on OJ’s license plate. Nothing excites him more than the prospect of initiating new converts to the cult of Panerai.
When seeking to join OJ and a global cadre of Paneristi, remember; know your PAM preferences, and always buy the seller before buying your watch.