Officine Panerai - Requesting a bit of advice to Pam experts regarding Mare Nostrum...

Requesting a bit of advice to Pam experts regarding Mare Nostrum...

Dec 11, 2014,10:55 AM

Hello friends!

I feel our Pam experts here can help me with this: I was offered a pre owned watch which I like very much and not easy to find: a Mare Nosotrum pre Vendome reference 5218-301/A.

The watch is offered by a well known local source, pre owned of course, with signs of having been worn but in very good condition anyway but without box, papers nor screwdriver. This doesn´t bother me too much, but what intrigues me is the dial which looks as matt black, and as far as I know these watches came with blue dials only.

This matt black dial looks authentic but definitively not blue.

Question is: has this model ever been offered with black dials?. Is any possibility of a blue dial of a MN turning black.? I didn´t mention that the watch comes with the original blue shark set of straps and an additional (non original) nice set of brown cordovan straps.

I will appreciate your comments as well as some pictures of the MN here at Purists!
Best cordial regards, Abel.

Only blue dials for the 301/A. But a MN black dial existed: PAM8. [nt]

By: amanico : December 11th, 2014-11:00

Thank you for your comments dear Nicolas! Regretably...

By: Subexplorer : December 11th, 2014-11:29

... this is a 301/A so this would mean something wrong with this watch! Will keep you posted and sending a PM Un abrazo mi amigo! Abel.

A trick of the light, my friend. All good. [nt]

By: amanico : December 11th, 2014-11:46

Thank you my friend! Will take a look again then! Un abrazo! [nt]

By: Subexplorer : December 11th, 2014-12:59

I missed this one. Could it be that....

By: sergio : December 16th, 2014-22:06

the 301A's original dial got damaged and Panerai (or whomever handeled the repair) didn't have a blue dial and used one of the PAM8 instead, creating a "Frankenstain"? No other explanation should the dial be...REALLY...black :-) During servicing Panerai h...

Thank you for your feedback Sergio! ...

By: Subexplorer : December 17th, 2014-04:10

... yes, this is a possibility I´m afraid. But I need to return to visit the seller and check again this dial in sunlight to really appreciate the color. If in doubt I´ll let it go. I will find a little time to make the visit next week. Thank you again an...

In any case...

By: sergio : December 17th, 2014-08:48

you have to be very...VERY....V E R Y, careful. There are quite a number of "Franken-watches" around these days. Vintage, Pre-V and Pre-A (THE Panerais, for a great many Paneristi) are the..targeted ones. I've seen a 5218-203A with a Pre-A dial (no paper ...

Hello Sergio! Thank you so much for your interesting comments and...

By: Subexplorer : December 17th, 2014-12:25

... advice. I have just returned a few minutes ago from a little business trip to our downtown and took advantage of being there to walk to or three blocks to visit the seller shop. I took a closer look to this watch, and discovered that looking it near t...