Why I Bought It: The Out-Of-Character Panerai Radiomir PAM00210

Have you ever fallen for someone who you thought wasn’t right for you? I have. Her name is Pam. Panerai Radiomir PAM00210, to be a little more precise. I had a massive crush on her for the longest time. But she didn’t fit my image of what suits my style and character. And, admittedly, I thought she would look ridiculous on my arm.

Okay, I reckon I have milked that spiel dry by now. Let me cut to the chase: I bought a Panerai! And, regardless of the doubt up front, I am over the moon. Let me take you on a little personal journey that finally led to this unavoidable outcome. This is why I bought my out-of-character Panerai Radiomir.

Out of character

RJ asked me if I wasn’t a little hypocritical as an advocate for smaller watches, showing up with a 45mm Panerai. And he is right, of course. But this is a good moment to clarify my stance in that regard because I am much less of a hardliner than some think. To me, the diameter of a watch is one of an almost-infinite list of design traits. As such, it has to be congruent with the rest of the design. And indeed, from this perspective, I feel that many watches are too big nowadays. But that doesn’t mean I have anything against large watches. I think my latest purchase confirms this point quite conclusively.

Still, this Panerai does feel out of character for me. While I have always admired Panerai watches from an aesthetic point of view, the chance to try one on evaded me for the longest time. I lived with the happy assumption that they wouldn’t fit my 17cm wrist. I felt like a puny little man that wasn’t allowed anywhere near the Stalone/Schwarzenegger/Statham vibe of Panerai. The story I told myself was that I was too subtle and understated for this sort of stuff. I built cognitive consonance around it by telling myself that Panerai was a brand in trouble, one that lost its way and its connection with true watch lovers.

Panerai Luminor PAM00116

And then Gerard walked in with his titanium Luminor. I strapped the 44mm beast on and…well…really liked what I saw! It fit me just fine, no issue at all. And it lingered in my mind for days. When I finally got the chance to try a Radiomir, the infatuation grew even bigger. Time to face the facts. I am a Panerai fan. There, I said it.

The Panerai Radiomir in Florence

My fiancée and I took our one-and-a-half-year-old on his first little road trip this year. We drove from the Netherlands to Tuscany, where we spent some quality time. When we explored Florence, I decided to pay the historic Panerai boutique a little visit. This is where I finally tried the Radiomir for the first time. This is quite odd, considering I have been working in the watch industry for years and have gone hands-on with most common watches at some point.

It is especially odd considering the Radiomir is one of my favorite watches from a design perspective. The way that the classical square Rolex pocket watch blends with the tactical dial is close to perfection in my eyes. Conceptually, it shouldn’t work, but it does. So I was eager to finally go hands-on with one while in Florence. By the way, I am not going into the whole rich history of the Radiomir and its origins. If you would like me to do so in a future article, let us know in the comments.

I was handed a Radiomir Base Logo. At this point, I wasn’t too concerned about which version I’d try just yet. I was just hoping to find myself liking the fit of a 45mm Radiomir. It took me a few seconds to decide how I felt about it. Can I pull it off? Am I trying to like it, or do I actually? I mean, it is such a different animal from the rest of my collection. Yes, it is oversized on me, but the more I looked at it, the more sense it made. When I left the boutique, I knew for sure: I will make a Radiomir mine someday. But it wouldn’t be the Radiomir Base Logo I tried on. No, I would look for something more classical.

Breaking my watch fast and making room for the Panerai Radiomir

If you have followed my writing closely, you probably know that  I am on a bit of watch fast this year. While I am developing a watch of my own, the VPC Type 37HW, I figured I’d better live frugally. But that very process of designing and developing a watch changed my perspective on my collecting in an unexpected way. Now that I am experiencing what goes into it, I have become a lot more sensitive to brands cutting corners. Where I used to feel something was “a bit of a quirk,” I now see just see lazy design and/or execution. I am perhaps more than reasonably perfectionist with my efforts, and this has made me more critical of what gets my wrist time. I fell out of love with a bunch of my watches over the past few months.

So the idea started to linger in my mind that it may be time for a little collection cleanup, a kind of preparation for having my very own watches soon. I ask myself: will I wear this watch when I have my VPCs? Will it still have a function to play in my collection once those arrive? As it turns out, only half of my watch box convinced me, so I sold the rest.

In short, I have turned six watches into this one Panerai Radiomir. And in this light, perhaps my purchase makes a little more sense. This is a watch I have long admired for its design. However, it has zero overlap with my upcoming VPCs. The PAM is unlikely to be among my most-worn watches, but it has a distinct role to play in my little collection. It is an outlier that is allowed to play that precise role. And I think it will do quite well.

Why the Panerai Radiomir PAM00210?

So, why did I go with this specific Panerai Radiomir? Bluntly put, there isn’t a current Radiomir that delivers on what I love about these watches. They all have vignette dials, pre-patinated cases, complications, or all the above. I longed for one that was as true to the original design as possible.

As a mere object of beauty, there are two that I actually prefer over the PAM00210. One is the PAM00425, with its gold handset and dive-style dial. The other is the PAM00294 “Historic,” again with its gold handset. Unfortunately, both measure 47mm across, which I found a bit too much for my wrist. So I knew it would be a 45mm Radiomir for me.

I wanted a hand-wound movement, and I did not care too much if it was the old Unitas or a more modern caliber. I also definitely wanted a sandwich dial, preferably without faux patina. Oh, and sparse printing, please. With this wishlist, the choice was narrowed down to a PAM00210 and a PAM00183. The 183 features two extras — a “Black Seal” signature and a seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock. I preferred the cleaner look of the 210, so it was settled. The hunt for a PAM00210 was on!

Finding a mint-condition, full-set Panerai Radiomir

The early 2000s Panerai Radiomir PAM00210 isn’t super hard to come by. But once you start filtering for your specific wishes and demands, usually, only a few advertised ones remain. I was looking for one with its case in superb condition. I love these shiny, pebble-like cases, and I wanted to see mine in its full original glory. This is also one of the rare cases where I prefer a full set. Panerai watches of this era were faked in large quantities, and to some, the box and papers provide more assurance. Since I never know if a watch will stick with me or if I’ll lose the love at some point, a full set was practical for an easier resale if necessary.

I found one from 2005 with a dealer on Chrono24 in Prague, ticking all the boxes. It was freshly serviced, and it looked superb. The seller was extremely helpful, polite, and proactive. He sent me a bunch of additional pictures and a video. The watch looked amazing, and it all just felt right. We negotiated a deal, and I pulled the trigger. The watch arrived the next day, and it was exactly as advertised. It runs between 0 and +2 seconds per day with great amplitude, with its beautiful swan-neck regulator set to center. The case is indeed flawless. Neat!

Getting acquainted with my Panerai Radiomir PAM00210

I visited my old friends at Amsterdam Watch Company and found that they had a nice tan nubuck 26mm(!) strap. It tapers down to 22mm, allowing me to use the original buckle. This is how I have been wearing the PAM00210 for the past week, and I love it. The strap has already picked up some blue from my raw denim jeans, taking off the overly “new” look. Don’t ever allow me on your white couch. I will likely take a plunge into Panerai-strap-geek territory and have something custom made soon. Stay tuned for that.

Compared to my other watches, living with this Panerai Radiomir is indeed a uniquely distinct experience, from the way it feels in the hand to the loudly clicking manual wind of the Unitas caliber. And, of course, that goes for the wearing experience itself. At first, I was very conscious of this big block of steel on my wrist, but that soon disappeared. This Radiomir is quite flat and sits very firmly in precisely the right spot on my 17cm wrist. I hate when watches rotate, so this solid stance is great.

The PAM00210 really does live up to my expectations. The design is as good as I always felt it was from seeing pictures. And after a week or so, I don’t even think it is all that big anymore. Maybe I should give those 47s another go…

Closing thoughts

The Panerai Radiomir PAM00210 interestingly adds more breadth to my collection than the six watches I sold for it combined. It truly stands out and offers a different wearing experience and aesthetic from any of my earlier watches.

I haven’t purchased it with the intention of it becoming my most-worn watch. It is intended to be that special thing to wear when the outfit and circumstances demand it. And it is absolutely perfect for that role.

There is just one little problem. I bought it in the hopes of finally scratching that Panerai itch. Now, though, I find myself lusting after a Luminor to keep it company. You don’t keep rabbits in solitude, and it seems the same is true for Panerai watches. Maybe I should test Gerard’s resolve on keeping that titanium Luminor PAM00116 of his… No, wait, I am back to that watch fast for now. Seriously, I am. I am quite convinced that I really am.

Do you have an outlier watch in your collection? What is it, and what role does it serve for you? Let us know in the comments below!