Panerai Radiomir GMT, c. 2004

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Why We Love It The Panerai Radiomir has, since its inception as a luminous diver's watch with radium material, been the more subtle and refined model in Panerai's collection - if you can actually get away saying such a thing! Featuring wire lugs and a slimmer case profile than the Luminor (or the newly minted "Submersible" collection), the Radiomir has long been our favorite - but this particular example, a PAM 184, might just take top prize! Fitted with a 42mm steel case, this version makes for the perfect travel companion as it is fitted with our favorite complication, the GMT. This piece dates to circa 2004, meaning it also utilizes an automatic winding movement with GMT function produced by another member of the Richemont Group - and our favorite movement manufacture - Jaeger Lecoultre. In short, this Panerai hits way above its weight class, and is likely destined to become a highly collectable model. And we're not done, this Panerai Raidomir GMT comes complete with its original box and papers and is in excellent condition inside and out, making it the perfect contemporary companion for your next international adventure! The Story As vintage watch snobs, it is relatively easy to look down our noses at the contemporary collecting phenomenon that is Panerai . Relaunched in the 1990s after decades of dormancy, Panerai took the oversized tool watch designs of the first half of the 20th Century - which were once fitted with Rolex movements and supplied to Italian Navy frogmen, and popularized them to a new generation of collectors, enthusiasts, and the fashion-forward crowd alike. No one can dispute that Panerai was the king of the sports watch resurgence in the early 2000s, but now with just over twenty years of modern history and a few eyebrow raising missteps, the collector community has -- for the most part -- moved on. You could argue that the modern iteration of Panerai was created to be a fashion brand more than a true manufacture, and you might just be right. With that said, dismissing the brand completely would be a mistake, as their timepieces feature brilliant designs truly iconic for this era and those gone by, and the positive impact that the Panerai brand has had on the collector community cannot be understated.