You can spot a Panerai watch from across a room. Not just because of the brand’s typically bold sizing, but also due to its distinctive design and Italian swagger that seems to seep into the wearer’s skin. That image is only boosted by the brand’s exclusivity factor, with prices well into luxury territory.
Products in the Guide
For $4,900 you can get the Panerai name and familiar silhouette on your wrist in the Radiomir Base Logo, and the iconic Luminor case with its unmistakeable crown guard is $700 more. Those are the most basic models without bells, whistles, “sandwich dials” or in-house movements — the vast majority of Panerai watches are significantly more expensive, even when they are functionally very simple (often indicating only the time). It’s the look (and quality), however, that continues to enthrall fans and garner some of the watch world’s most ardent followers.
Panerai’s genius is in its simplicity, and it’s quite possible that everyone sees something different in these watches, even if they’re equally captivated. Does a Panerai watch have to be big? Is it defined by its lume-sandwich-style of dial, its cushion case shape, Arabic numeral font or the Luminor’s crazy crown guard mechanism? Or is it simply its bold, plainly handsome character with military roots? All of the above?
There are many Panerai knockoffs, homages and fakes out there, but we’re not here to introduce you to copycats. Rather we want something that offers a watch-wearing experience that’s somehow comparable to that Panerai magic — and I’m fully convinced that uniqueness is part of it. Though highly subjective, the watches below each offers an attractive, affordable alternative to the Panerai feel in its own way.
