Incoming - PAM00183 Radiomir (Long Story)

[inadeje]

Let me start by saying—I’ve been deep into Panerai for the past two decades. I’ve owned quite a few over the years, including the legendary 127 Fiddy, Tuttonero, Regatta 526, 351, 687, and plenty more. But at some point, I grew disenchanted with the brand’s direction and my own choices, eventually selling off all my Panerai—except for one: the Bronzo 671.

Unintentionally, though, I had accumulated a serious stockpile of OEM straps—24mm, 26mm, even some 27mm—all sitting untouched in multiple strap cases. I bought most of them back when *Paneristi-com* was the go-to place for Panerai talk, and OEM straps were a reasonable $100–$150 max. Now, when I browse Panerai’s site and see those same straps listed for $400–$460 a pop, I can’t help but chuckle. If that’s today’s market, I’m apparently sitting on over $10K worth of Panerai straps.

That left me with two choices: sell the straps or pick up a couple of Panerai that could actually use them. And to be honest, I started to miss the essence of a true, no-frills, classic Panerai—the quintessential black sandwich dial, small seconds at 9 o’clock, clear case back. A rugged, under-the-radar summer beater.

After all these years, I’m convinced that the real golden era of Panerai was the late ‘90s to early 2000s—when the brand brought back its Radiomir and Luminor cases and paired them with beautifully finished but simple ETA movements. So, strictly as a no-stress, go-anywhere summer beater, I picked up a minty PAM 111 with the older OP XI ETA movement. It checks every box I wanted, came at a great price, and works with all my 24mm straps. I wore it most of summer 2024, rotating with my Speedy all around Europe.

I still have the Bronzo 671, which takes 26mm straps, but some of my wider 26mm and 27mm straps just don’t match the bronze case and blue dial. That meant I needed a wider lugged Radiomir that fit the same criteria but could handle my larger straps. Enter my latest incoming: a PAM00183. OP XI movement, mid-2000s release, sandwich dial, small seconds, exhibition case back, black dial—the whole package. And best of all, it finally lets me put my 26mm and 27mm straps to use.

As those who’ve followed my posts know, I’ve stopped wearing watches that could make me a target for the growing number of watch thieves in the European places I enjoy spending my summers. That rules out Rolex (and anything more valuable), making these Panerai the perfect fit—classic, under the radar, and endlessly versatile thanks to the strap-swapping potential.

This new to me PAM 183 comes with a big thanks to Dito Sakhokia at Luxury Bazaar, PA, for a smooth buying experience and overnight delivery. It’s an O serial, so 2012, and #721 of 1000 made that year. It’s condition belies its age-must have been a safe queen in its previous life. Now, I can finally put my collection of OEM Panerai straps to work on what I believe are the only two quintessential Panerai models still worth owning—well, besides my 671, of course.