PAM 321 Stopped Working - Help Needed!!

[jwpatt]

I purchased a LNIB PAM 321 (N series) from a trusted seller on a forum (not this one) in July. The watch was working fine until this weekend, when all of a sudden I noticed it had stopped working. Even though the power reserve shows full power, I gave the crown over 100 turns just to make sure that was properly wound. However, that did not solve the problem. I can see through the back crystal that the movement is not turning. The watch does run periodically for a few minutes at a time, but then just stops again. Over the course of the past 48 hours, it has run for about 4 hours total.

I have the manuals along with the International Guarantee certificate dated March 13, 2012 and stamped by Wixon Jewelers in Bloomington, MN.

Any ideas what the problem could be? And also, any thoughts on how best to proceed? I assume this is covered by warranty even though my name is not on the guarantee, correct? How should I go about contacting Panerai to get this fixed?

I appreciate any help. I am concerned I may have a very expensive problem on my hand.

Thanks,
John

[leeye]

Hi John,

Best to send your watch to the nearest Panerai service center since it is under warranty. There were some reported issues with the earlier P9000 movements.

Regards, Lee

[Chaos]

You must send it to Panerai Service Center, but if this jeweler is close to you it may help as well, once the watch has been bought with them.

This movement had some issues with screws that hold the bridges in place falling and entering inside the mechanism. Take a close look on the screws and try to find any missing. If it's the case, the less you shake and wind the watch, the better.

Best

[jwpatt]

Thanks for the responses. I am located in NJ. Am I better off sending it in to the Panerai boutique in NY, or should I send it to the service center in Fort Worth TX?

[Psmith]

Originally Posted by Chaos

This movement had some issues with screws that hold the bridges in place falling and entering inside the mechanism. Take a close look on the screws and try to find any missing. If it's the case, the less you shake and wind the watch, the better.

I did wonder about this - I remember seeing some pics of loose screws some time ago. I would hack the movement, just in case there is something loose in there, then get it to the PASC a.s.a.p.

[GermanyMatt]

Interesting thread..

This morning I noticed that my watch, a PAM312, was about an hour off (I didn't wear it at all yesterday) - like the hour hand didn't cycle correctly. I didn't think much about it, strapped it to my wrist, and departed for a short day at the office.

When I get to the office, I visit TRF for a good time hack, and proceed to wind and set the watch. I push the crown back in.......and nothing... the second hand just sits there. So I tinker with the crown again, winding, move the minute hand, etc.. still nothing. I flip the watch over and notice the movement just sitting still - so I tap on the glass and it starts running. Ummm...okay...

Is this common?

[Watchcraze007]

Originally Posted by GermanyMatt

Interesting thread..

This morning I noticed that my watch, a PAM312, was about an hour off (I didn't wear it at all yesterday) - like the hour hand didn't cycle correctly. I didn't think much about it, strapped it to my wrist, and departed for a short day at the office.

When I get to the office, I visit TRF for a good time hack, and proceed to wind and set the watch. I push the crown back in.......and nothing... the second hand just sits there. So I tinker with the crown again, winding, move the minute hand, etc.. still nothing. I flip the watch over and notice the movement just sitting still - so I tap on the glass and it starts running. Ummm...okay...

Is this common?

Hardly okay for what is supposed to be an expensive, decent so-called "manufacture"!

[descartes]

I was considering a PAM 321 and read those threads about seeing "loose screws" through the clear case back, leakage when used in water and crappy service and I decided to steer clear. Got a AP RO 15300 instead.

[jwpatt]

I sent my 321 in last week to the Panerai Service Center in Forth Worth, TX. Hopefully they will fix it quickly under the warranty and I will not have a problem. I will try and update this post on my experience once I have more information. At a minimum, I am very annoyed that I have to send the watch in for repair already. If you are selling $10k+ watches, above all else, it better work reliably. I am pretty unhappy with my first experience with Panerai.

[Travelller]

Originally Posted by jwpatt

...I noticed it had stopped working...

So sorry to hear it - we have to assume it's down to some bad luck I have my fingers crossed for you and your 321

Originally Posted by GermanyMatt

...push the crown back in.......and nothing... the second hand just sits there. So I tinker with the crown again, winding, move the minute hand, etc.. still nothing. I flip the watch over and notice the movement just sitting still - so I tap on the glass and it starts running...

Your new 312, Matt??? That's terrible That is absolutely not ok, could mean many things, from a scraping hand (check the dial for any marks) to any possible loose component. I'm really sorry, but I highly recommend you take it back to the AD for - at the very least - further consultation. Good luck to you / fingers crossed as well!

Originally Posted by descartes

I was considering a PAM 321 and read those threads about seeing "loose screws" through the clear case back, leakage when used in water and crappy service and I decided to steer clear. ...

The OP has every right to be mad-as-hell but the fact is that all houses, yes, even Patek and AP, have watches that fail; such is life with extremely complex mechanical devices... . Does PAM have more "incidents" than AP? Possibly. But the fact remains that 100 "I love my perfect PAM" posts cannot compete with two "my brand new PAM died" posts... it's human nature.

Turnaround time? Agreed, PAM is not famous for good turnaround times, but I doubt that AP will get you your RO back in two weeks either...

[GermanyMatt]

I've been keeping an eye on my watch all day, and everything seems okay so far. Only thing I can figure is the power reserve was fully drained and maybe it takes the movement longer than I expected to start again.

I should have looked the watch over a little closer this morning than I did. I'll keep an eye on it over the next few days. I'm hoping for the best tomorrow morning.

Overall, I'm really loving the 312 as I've already got two new straps and a Panerai deployant on the way.

I picked up my 312 gently pre-owned from bodybump (Oscar), so no factory warranty remains if it goes in for service.

[GermanyMatt]

Everything seems to be okay. The watch ran fine overnight and is keeping time.

I don't know what the hell to think.

[Travelller]

Originally Posted by GermanyMatt

...Only thing I can figure is the power reserve was fully drained and maybe it takes the movement longer than I expected to start again...

Originally Posted by GermanyMatt

Everything seems to be okay. The watch ran fine overnight and is keeping time...

Automatics need a little boost (crown between index & thumb, back & forth a few times); The best is not to think - assume the best, drink a Maß (even if Oktoberfest has been over since last Mon 00:00) and be happy with your awesome PAM

----

As noted above, a few negative posts and brand X gets a bad rap. So I will post something positive, for a change; I haven't set the time on my 233 since my last photoshoot (mid-Aug I guess) and I will check the time now... one moment please as I load the Atomic Clock on another tab... ok, I'm back - I've got -3s. I'm going off on a sporting event so I will leave the 233 behind, in a crown-down position and it will be back to around +/-0 in the morning...

In comparison, my Mühle runs fast in all six positions, my Chronoswiss runs slow in all six positions - I have to reset the times on those watches every other week... with my 233, I don't have to reset it, period.