Throughout the past 30-odd years of Panerai’s commercial journey, they’ve released a lot of model references, with many of them being standard production pieces churned out year after year.
With all references having a “specific production” (ie, 500 per year), these can often be confused with “Special Edition” pieces. And then one step further, some Special Editions are less “special” than others, or in reality, not that special at all.
For me, one of the joys of Panerai is discovering the hidden gems within the realm of Special Editions. It’s discovering which ones actually matter, have serious scarcity and perhaps quite a bit of unrealised demand; finding a super-rare piece that people don’t know or realise they need until I uncover it…!
Discovering the PAM294
One reference that’s specifically been on my radar for a few years is the PAM00294. This model was created for the Ginza Boutique in Tokyo in 2010. It’s a beautifully designed 47mm Radiomir and gives all the nods to some of the first ever Panerai produced in the 1930s.
The 294 carries a similar design to the PAM232, housing the same dial design, with an ever-so-slightly thinner dial plate and markers. It has the same case and plexiglass build as the PAM249, with the crown displaying "OP".
It’s been so difficult to find likely due to owners unwilling to sell, and because there’s only 49 pieces.
The PAM00294's design
In a 47mm polished steel Radiomir case, this model is surprisingly wearable for my wrist (18cm), due to the sleek case and understated wire lugs. The domed plexiglass gives the 294 a bit of presence, character and vintage feel. As opposed to having a sapphire crystal, the Plexi does have a slightly warmer hue, which compliments the dial perfectly.
The dial features a brown sandwich layout, super simple and legible with large gold hands as the crown-piece. Quite similar to the 232’s design, the difference is in the detail, with a domed plexiglass as opposed to flat sapphire, the 294 dial having a slightly thinner top plate and thinner markers, and a minutely whiter luminescent dial plate on the 294.
The movement powering the PAM294
The PAM294 houses the OP X calibre, essentially a modified ETA 6497. It has been used for many Panerai references over the years and is a manual wind movement, offering a power reserve of 56 hours with an accuracy averaging -4 to +6 seconds per day.
The novel story behind this particular model
This particular model has excellent provenance, with its history tracing back to originally being sold by the New York Boutique. Although originally created for the Ginza Boutique, this no.4/49 was the only PAM294 sold in the west, being transferred to the New York Boutique due to superstitions around the no.4 being an unlucky number!
In Mandarin, the number 4 is pronounced as “si,” which sounds similar to the word for death, “死” (si). This phonetic resemblance is the primary reason for the superstition surrounding the number 4.
Conclusion
For a model rarely seen on the market, it's truly a joy to find and stock the PAM294 that additionally has this novel story, and is a Panerai reference you will likely not see for years to come. It's available to view now in our stock, so have a browse and get in touch if you have any further questions!
