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#1 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: USA
Watch: 5226G & 5513(1963)
Posts: 352
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Panerai CarboTech Timepieces
Greetings fellow Panerai fans!
I have a PAM 111 (E Series) in my collection and have been contemplating the purchase of a Carbotech timepiece. Would those who own an example, please be so kind as to share your experiences with a Carbotech timepiece. I would suspect the Carbotech is light and has a distinctive look, but how is it to own the long term? Does it chip if you hit a sharp edge? Is the bezel loose or doesn't rotate easily? From what I understand, the case does not make use of the pin locking design used by the other siblings for the straps... will the steel pins oblong the holes over time? Thanks in advance for your insight. ![]() |
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#2 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: The Mystro ;)
Location: Central Pa.
Posts: 15,177
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Well, I am a hardcore and long time fan/owner of a Carbotech and it is outstanding. One of the forums biggest advocate of the material.
Stronger than titanium and doesn’t chip or crack like ceramic and extremely hard to scratch like ceramic. Mine still looks brand new and I even have a well documented bash against a bridge pier on a dive. No damage. Its biggest advantage is its ultra light weight. It will spoil you. My Pam 661 is my goto watch because it’s so comfortable and tough. I wear it when I don’t want to damage my “metal watches” which means it sees a lot of action. Here is a pic just taken. ![]() ![]() ![]()
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#3 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: USA
Watch: 5226G & 5513(1963)
Posts: 352
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#4 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: The Mystro ;)
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With Carbotech a spring bar is better as it doesn’t add any lug torque. The spring bars Panerai uses is ultra fat and beefy so you don’t use strap tubes. That should give you an idea how fat they are. Obviously the push button lug system is easier to change straps as I have that system as well but since the lugs are drilled all the way through, it’s easy to change a Carbotech strap.
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#5 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: USA
Watch: 5226G & 5513(1963)
Posts: 352
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Quote:
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#6 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: The Mystro ;)
Location: Central Pa.
Posts: 15,177
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#7 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 111
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Not trying to argue but stronger than titanium? It would depend on how you measure. I’ve seen and heard of carbotech denting, chipping, or breaking. I’m sure it’s rare but I haven’t heard of titanium doing the same.
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#8 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 845
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I have owned the carbotech 979 for 5 years and has been worn nearly every day. By far my most comfortable watch. I have not babied it and I would say it looks brand new today. I cannot find even a small scratch, dent, or blemish. As for spring bars they are uniquely thick and tough. If you are familiar with fat bars Seiko uses on its divers, these are similar but but tougher. No tubes needed. Changing straps is easy.
I have also heard of a couple of isolated cases of the lug area cracking on the carbotechs. This was several years ago. I could not pin down any cause. So few cases I have heard of - maybe 2 and I believe one of those seemed suspect. Seems there would be more cases being mentioned now if it were really a thing. I recommend for pure wearing enjoyment. Not for investment. As is the case with most Panerai I guess. |
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#9 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 111
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Good info. I love the 979 and strongly considered getting one recently. Carbotech breaking stories are kind of like the BMG, we all saw a couple
Examples on forums of bmg Panerai’s cracking. |
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#10 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: The Mystro ;)
Location: Central Pa.
Posts: 15,177
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There is lots of reports on the Carbotech manufacturing but here is a few:
From Panerai: Lighter than steel and titanium, highly resistant to external shocks and corrosion: carbotech is a material based on carbon fibre, introduced into the world of high quality watchmaking by Panerai. It combines exceptional performance with a varied, matt black appearance that gives each watch a unique character. The two new Panerai Submersible CarbotechTM watches have the case, the rotating bezel and the device for protecting the winding crown made of this remarkable material: two professional diving watches of excellent technical performance with the powerful Panerai character, the result of the continuous research and development carried out by the Laboratorio di Idee of the Manufacture in Neuchâtel. To form the slabs of carbotech, very thin sheets of carbon fibre are compressed together at a controlled temperature and under high pressure with a polymer, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), which bonds the composite material together, making it even tougher and more dependable. The carbon fibres used are very long, in order to ensure a very even appearance, and the leaves are superimposed and pressed together in such a way that the orientation of the fibres of each layer are out of phase compared to the ones below or above. Thanks to this structure, the mechanical properties of carbotech are very much higher than to those of similar materials, and of other materials often used in the world of high quality watchmaking, such as ceramic and titanium. Compared to these, carbotech is lighter and even more resistant to external stresses, as well as being not subject to corrosion. https://robbreport.com.au/watches/pa...than-titanium/ Personally, I have ceramic, titanium, stainless steel watches and will put Carbotech at another level simply because it has the scratch resistance of ceramic yet strength and lighter weight of titanium. If you want a black luxury watch material, it doesn’t get any better. Then there is the bespoke layers in the machining that are individual to each watch like a piece of damascus steel. So get the high tech material with an artistic vibe. It suits the Panerai brand and image.
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#11 |
2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: FL
Posts: 431
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I had a 1664 that I liked a lot, but got a bit bored with it and traded out a few months ago.
Pros:
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#12 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United States
Watch: AP, RM
Posts: 611
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I love carbotech, the look and weight..
However scratch resistance worse than steel or titanium grade 2, and you can’t refinish the material AP forged carbon is soft. The only carbon that is durable is RM ntpt. Panerai in the middle Look at some used carbotechs and you will have your answer |
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#13 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 845
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Andy0331 - it’s funny your cons are my pros. All about individual perspective - no right or wrong
Mspeed76 - I don’t know….I’ve worn in gym a lot where all my other watches pick up scratches and not a blemish on the 979 after 5 yrs. |
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#14 | |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: The Mystro ;)
Location: Central Pa.
Posts: 15,177
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Quote:
![]() I have yet to scratch mine after years of hard use and even after hitting on a bridge pier underwater on a dive. A SS watch would have been gouged and dented. A SS watch would be scratched in the first week of hard use in my experience.
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#15 |
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Join Date: Sep 2023
Location: london
Posts: 344
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the pam 1616 has been my regular daily beater for years, zero scratches so far let alone dent or crack. its invincible compare with the steel rolexes in my collection. the only down side is you cannot control yourself to buy lots of different colour, material straps for varieties, but its fun!
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#16 | |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: The Mystro ;)
Location: Central Pa.
Posts: 15,177
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Quote:
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