Panerai recently announced the Luminor Destro Otto Giorni PAM01655. What’s in the name? That’s the fact that it’s a Luminor with an eight-day power reserve and that it’s meant to be worn on the right wrist (destro in Italian). That pretty much sums up what this new Luminor is all about.
So, is there anything wrong with this new Destro PAM or should you just walk by it? Let’s take a quick look!
Luminor Destro Otto Giorni PAM01655
If you own a Panerai Luminor Otto Giorni PAM00915, press the crown guard against the mirror and the new PAM01655 will appear. Technically, the PAM01655 has reverse dial printing that is illegible, but it’s close enough. What I am saying is that these are identical watches apart from the Destro layout.
This means that the hand-wound caliber P.5000 is housed in a fully polished 44mm Luminor case. It features a black pencil handset, sub-seconds register, and sandwich dial with beige lume underneath. Of course, when you rotate the movement 180 degrees, the subdial also switches from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock.
Panerai has made two more aesthetic changes to the PAM00915, completing the PAM01655. First, the new Destro comes with a display case back featuring sapphire. Second, the black leather strap is replaced by a sand-colored alternative that matches the luminous. The strap is a scamo chart. This is Italiano, which means “suede” for you English speakers.
First impression is positive
My first reaction when I opened the press pack was a sigh of relief. If you read my writing, you might know that I love Panerai’s core design. However, I’m not a big fan of countless collaborations or complex versions. There’s too much fanfare for my taste. I prefer a beautiful old olive tree to a beautiful old olive tree with Christmas lights on it. I love the simplicity of Panerai watches the most, with the beautiful Radiomir and Luminor shapes front and center. Fortunately, that’s exactly what Panerai has done here.
In my opinion, Panerai is one of the few selections of watches that look good with artificial patina. It adds warmth and character, especially when paired with tonal straps. I also like that this is a “proper” Panerai, with a screw-down caseback and 300 meter depth.
Of course, this watch is all about the Destro layout. Panerai first produced the Destro model in the 60s with the reference 6152/1. The watch was intended for military use, allowing the frogman to wear navigational instruments on his left wrist by moving the watch to the right. In a world rife with fabricated historical justifications, this is a really interesting oddity.
A word about the price of PAM01655
The new PAM01655 costs 8,200 euros. Consider this with two other iconic sub-10,000 euro watches. That’s 500 euros more than an Omega Speedmaster Professional, but only 1,300 euros less than an undated Rolex Submariner. It’s difficult to compare watches, but the Sub and Speedy are probably more iconic and technically far more complex and special.
I don’t often make such comparisons for several reasons. First, the price of a luxury watch is often not based on manufacturing costs. These are Veblen products and you pay for the experience more than anything else. Also, comparing watches is almost impossible. The smallest details can be very expensive, making a deceptively simple watch truly worth more than a more impressive alternative. Still, such details are not often found in modern Panerai. I get the impression that it is simply very expensive because of the possibilities.
That being said, I like the new Panerai Luminor Destro Otto Giorni PAM01655. It looks great and its backstory makes it suitable for left-handed and right-handed watch enthusiasts alike. If it’s a little more affordable, I recommend a double wrap with Radiomir on the left and Luminor Destro on the right!
What do you think about the new Panerai Luminor Destro Otto Giorni PAM01655? Let us know in the comments section below.