Panerai finally had the official opening event for its Singapore boutique at ION Orchard mall yesterday, after a couple of hiccups, though the store had opened to the public in November last year. Alongside the opening event Panerai unveiled the pair of Special Edition Luminors made for the Singapore boutique. These two boutique editions are similar to those made for Panerai boutiques in other countries – including the infamous New York edition PAM318 – save for the case back engraving. The first is the Luminor Marina 44 mm PAM432. This is the entry level Panerai with a steel case and ecru Luminova on the dial and hands.

Panerai Luminor Marina PAM432

At six o’clock on the dial there is a “pig” mini-submarine that I do not like. The Panerai watches I like best are simple, like the Luminor 1950 PAM372 or its cousin, the more recent PAM422. Fortunately the pig isn’t too obvious. Sometimes I wonder if Panerai intentionally mars the dials of its entry level models (e.g. the OP logo on the “logo” watches) to widen the aesthetic gap between these and the higher priced models.

The pig on the PAM432 dial

The reverse has a laser engraved image of the Singapore skyline showing the skyscrapers in the business district. I am glad this motif was selected over some others that were initially considered. Singapore does not have a significant number of iconic themes that are suitable for a sports watch, so this is a good choice, even if it is not an incredibly outstanding image.

The Singapore skyline

Overall the PAM 432 is an attractive watch in the classic Panerai style. Of the pair this is the one I’d pick. 200 pieces of the PAM00432 will be made and they will sell briskly. The second is a manifattura Luminor with an in-house calibre. The Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT PAM433 has the P.2003 automatic movement with 10 day power reserve and second time zone indicator. 

Panerai Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT PAM433

Like the PAM432, this also has the same engraving of the Singapore business district on the case back. I’m not a fan of the Arabic numerals on the dial. 50 pieces will be made.

Both editions are exclusively available at the Panerai boutique at ION Orchard. For a Panerai fan in Singapore these are pretty hard to resist. – SJX