Day-2
A few years passed, but my Panerai bug did not cease to exist. I continued to follow the brand and the Paneristi forums lurking from afar. This was the time at which I started digging deeper into the Panerai history. I discovered, among other things, that the official brand history is a doctored version, in parts, meant to align with commercial goals rather than with the actual history of the brand.
When the upcoming release of PAM 00720 and PAM 00721 had been leaked at SIHH 2017, it created a controversy around the PAM 00721 as it paid a homage to the Panerai watches used by Nazi Kampfschwimmer (combat swimmers) during the later stages of the second world war (1944-1945).
I liked the PAM 00720 and the PAM 00721 the moment I saw their leaked images from the confidential Panerai catalog that was shown to a select few at SIHH 2017. The PAM 00720 is supposed to be a replica of the Radiomir Ref. 3646 Type C (special edition of 500 pieces) and the PAM 00721 is supposed to be a replica of the Radiomir Ref. 3646 Type D (special edition of 1000 pieces).
A great resource on vintage Rolex and Panerai watches is perezcope.com, the web site of Jose Perez. The site is a fascinating read providing mounts of information and research on the actual history of Panerai analyzing some of its modern watch releases. Jose wrote an excellent article about the origins of the PAM 721. It helped me to begin to understand the value of historically accurate modern Panerai watches. It fascinated me. It allowed me to connect deeper into the historical roots of the brand. I read, I researched and I got hooked even more. It was like a puzzle, a mystery. I disregarded the critique regarding the PAM 00721. I viewed it, back in the day, as a brave move from the brand (I know some may call it something else) not to hide behind its history by issuing this watch reference (or to ignore it to make some money).
Until this day the PAM 00720 and PAM 00721 are regarded, by some, as the truest to form vintage Panerai watch releases along with the PAM 00673 and the PAM 00587 (I am not going to get into the PAM 00372 argument). It was a time where I was able to afford one again but it was hard for me to choose which one. I knew I should be in New York in early 2018, and since I had no clue about the availability of the watches, I called the Panerai NYC boutique. To my surprise, both were available. I initially paid over the phone for the PAM 00720, but when I entered the boutique a few weeks later, they still had the PAM 00721 in stock. I had time to closely examine both, and ended walking out with the PAM 00721.
At the time I bought the watch, the PAM 00721 was a perfect fit for the f*ck you attitude I developed, which was well in line with my life back then. Unlike when I bought my first Panerai, I didn’t want a watch like everyone else. I didn’t care, and still don’t to this day, if you could tell what I am wearing. Actually, if you can’t tell, it is better. So the PAM 00721 was the perfect companion for me at the time.
I sold the PAM 00721 just after the COVID-19 pandemic. After being locked at home, with no reason to wear the watch, and with everything that happened during the pandemic, I decided to let it go. It would take me a few good years before I would feel connected again, at that level at least, to go and get another Panerai watch.