Since nobody asked, the saga of a replacement strap for the wife’s Panerai has rather dragged on, and it looks like we’re going OEM.
The Panerai strap system is pretty unique. The original ones had double-headed screws in the lugs that needed two screwdrivers, three hands and a great sense of humour. Later ones have single-headed screws, and “tubes” that slide into the lug ends of the strap
This rules out most generic straps. On top of that, a custom Panerai strap maker basically refused to take an order when he found out that the watch has the very chunky (evolutionary dead-end) deployant. He was of the opinion that it was OEM or nothing
Also the Jean Rousseau strap for her IWC is ready so the plan for today is to go to the new “strong drinks and snacks” offshoot of a restaurant we frequent, get boozed up, then go strap shopping. What could possibly go wrong?
I was in Selfridges earlier this week and liked what was probably a Radiomir Quaranta (again, changing the strap with the wire lugs is a hoot) so I don’t doubt that the terribly nice young man will be happy to show me one in the boutique.
This was custom made for the wife and a gift from the maker > 20 years ago. Obviously it was just put in a drawer and never used
Note the proppa old-school fascist buckle
As threadcrapped elsewhere, while in the boutique I liked this a lot - Luminor Due, 42mm, 3 day automatic.
A buddy commented that it was very “un-Panerai” and I’m afraid I agree - about as far from the cheapie tool watch ethos as you can get, but my inner gaudy wants it.
I don’t know how I managed it, but I lost my Oris yesterday.
Stupidly wore it for work because I went to the pub Thursday night and wore it for that and left it on when I went to bed, and like a dickhead couldn’t be arsed changing it in the morning.
Remember looking at it before 1pm as I had a special delivery item to deliver and wanted to see how much time I had left (needed to be delivered before 1pm).
Then about a hour later I looked again and it was gone. Fuck knows how. Didn’t feel it slip off or anything. Obvs I tore my van apart and retraced my steps but couldn’t find it. Been around my route again today looking for it but no joy.
I genuinely can’t understand it, I can’t imagine the bracelet broke, it’s the most robust one I’ve ever seen, screw bars not springbars to attach it to the watch head so no weak point there. The only thing I can think of is that somehow the clasp or maybe the divers extension came open? But again they’re pretty robust and that’s never happened before.
I feel like I should be writing this in the Good Things that restore your faith in humanity thread…
I was whining about it to Jim the security/concierge guy in an adjacent block to the slightly sketchy one and he asks me to hang on and goes to his back office.
“Is it this one?” And holds up my watch, minus the bezel, which he has in his other hand!
I had lost it in the car park and someone handed it in to him on Saturday, and we sussed out that at the exact same time I went to his block and searched around, he was putting it in his safe, so we never saw one another.
The guy who handed it didn’t leave any details and Jim didn’t recognise him so I’ve no way of thanking him, which is a shame.
Looks like there might be a retaining spring missing from the bezel assembly so I’ve popped it into the shop that Roger Smith used to work at for them to give it a once over.
I am a very lucky boy and am off to buy a few Euromillions tickets…
