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The PAM244 Luminor GMT – A Perfect Panerai for Women

The PAM244 Luminor GMT – A Perfect Panerai for Women

An On the Wrist Review

By: Ping Tsai

It takes a special type of woman to wear a Panerai Luminor. Not your typical ladies watch, the Luminor takes an expansive willingness to be different even when the size of your wrist is restricting. Over the years I’ve witnessed a number of them grace the wrists of distinguishable ladies with strong and confident personas. Mostly they were wives and partners to faithful Panerai fans at watch dinners and gatherings, including myself. Other times they were brand employees who proudly took on ambassadorship with a token of personal ownership. On rare occasions I saw someone in public that I didn’t know wearing a Panerai. The watches are always Luminor and the women always intriguing. As women, we have an unlimited number of tools to our disposable to deliver intrigue. Doing it with a men’s wristwatch may be one of the most intriguing methods of all.

The PAM244

If you ask the folks at Panerai about their “men’s” watches, and you happen to be a woman looking to buy a large watch, they’ll probably say that their watches are actually considered unisex and that they do not designate them as either male or female, despite the fact that most of their clientele are men.

With most of Panerai’s watches being 44mm and above, it is easy to differentiate the ones that are suited for the average sized women’s wrist, these being the ones at 40mm. One of the more interesting 40mm Luminor models, the PAM244 offers women a traditional styled Luminor model with an added complication, the GMT. With this additional feature, there are a few extra details on the dial to give it just enough interest without a great deal of extra expense. The PAM244 delivers the classic Panerai look with signature elements like the curved shape of the case, the latch crown guard and large prominent baton hour markers and Arabic numerals. However it also gives Panerai buyers a little something different in its salient features which help to retain its distinctiveness, something that most women are seeking.

Case

The PAM244 features a 40mm brushed stainless steel case and case-back with the signature Panerai cushion shape. The bezel is polished steel, which ads contrast to the front of the watch. Although the small detail makes the case look more interesting, it also is a prime spot for picking up scratches and nicks that are easily visible. In many instances it seemed to be the first point of contact with any surfaces that were touched. So although the angled bezel is an ideal spot to put a contrasting material finish, it is also the hardest part of the watch to keep blemish-free.

The Luminor case of the PAM244 offers a smaller version of the classic cushion shape with its signature crown guard, what Panerai watches are instantly recognized for. It is characterized by angular edges and subtle curved surfaces. Different from the Radiomir case, the Luminor has more edge and sportiness. Sportier than the Radiomir but not as sporty as the Submersible, the edgy yet elegant Panerai Luminor 244 will likely fit the tastes of women who like men’s watches but aren’t ready to strap on the heavy chronographs and deep sea divers.

At 40mm the PAM244 is on the small side for a Panerai watch and will even look and feel small on the wrist of someone who is accustomed to wearing the 44mm and 47mm models. For most women though, it will still feel big, in large part because of the thickness of the case. Although I want to claim the 40mm Panerais exclusively for women, I know there must be a lot of men with smaller wrists who like the look of Panerai watches but have a hard time wearing the larger sizes. In these cases, having unisex watches can pay off.

One of the disadvantages of 40mm Luminors and of the PAM244 is the lack of a sapphire caseback. Always a coveted element to have in a prized watch, a sapphire caseback gives a watch more life by allowing the owner to view the internal mechanisms that power it. Panerai’s website lists the watch as having “Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges”. Having included this in the watch description, it seemed unfortunate that it could not be seen.

Material

Many people may not give much thought to the stainless steel that is used in the case material, thinking that all steel is the same. The steel that Panerai uses to make the case of the PAM244 as well as all their steel watches is another distinctive feature about the watch. It is highly resistant to corrosion and is hypoallergenic, making it ideal for contact with the skin.

The Italian Navy wore Panerai watches made of austenitic stainless steel. This type of stainless steel held up extremely well against the harsh environmental conditions that the sailors were subjected to. AISI 316L, a specification of the American Iron and Steel Institute is an austenitic stainless steel alloy with a chromium content of 16–18%, 11–14% nickel and 2–3% molybdenum.

“Panerai uses the low-carbon variant of this alloy: the lower carbon content of the steel improves its welding qualities where the metal’s thickness is 6mm or less. The excellent technical qualities of this material make it an essential element of every new Officine Panerai collection.” 

Dial

The PAM244 has a deep rich black dial. Unique to all Panerais are the bright luminous Arabic numerals at 12 and 6 and prominent baton hour markers, made possible by Super-LumiNova, a substance that ensures great legibility under all conditions of use. There are few if any watches on the market that shine as bright at a Panerai in the dark. When the dial is at its brightest, the watch can practically be used as a night-light.

The PAM244 dial also has a date display window at 3 o’clock and and seconds subdial at 9 o’clock. These are all features that are pretty standard on many Panerai models. What isn’t standard is the GMT indicator on the outer rim of the dial. Alternating numerals and short hash marks, the second time zone indicator covers the full circumference of the dial and gives it a overall dynamic character. Further enhancing this characteristic are the arrow-shaped GMT hand and spear-shaped hour and minute hands.

The previous generation 40mm Luminor GMT, the PAM159 differs only in the hour markers, using circular dots instead of lines. The use of dots is slightly rare for a Panerai dial; the baton markers are a more conventional approach. Lined hour markers are also synonymous with what people are used to seeing from Panerai. Dots can be found on Panerai dials but only in a few select models. The change isn’t necessarily an unwise one. However I personally prefer the dots because for a brand where many struggle to see the uniqueness in each watch they provided a fun deviation from the norm. 

Movement

The automatic movement that powers the PAM244 and all of the Panerai Luminor GMT models is the Panerai Calibre OP VIII. With a Chronometer Certificate issued by the C.O.S.C., the exclusive Panerai caliber also features:

·        13¼ lignes

·        21 jewels

·        PANERAI personalized oscillating weight

·        Glucydur® balance

·        28,800 alternations/hour

·        Incabloc® anti-shock device

·        Power reserve 42 hours

·        Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges

·        Time, date, seconds and second time zone functions

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