Panerai Radiomir 1938 PAM 232 Luxury Watch Review

http://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/panerai#.VW5Dl1qRMlI History is Panerai's greatest strength, and this Panerai Radiomir 1938 PAM 232 - one of 1,938 made - is right in the "Officine's" wheelhouse. As a meticulously-researched tribute to the 1938 "MK II" model of the famed Panerai 3646 combat diver's watch, the PAM 232 also serves as an everyday-practical reincarnation of the equally legendary platinum PAM 21 "Rolex" caliber of 1997. On the outside, the PAM 232 is pure Panerai Radiomir: calf-leather strap, cushion case, "troncoidal" knurled crown, and wire lugs report for duty. But it's the dial - the heart and soul of every Panerai - that takes center stage. The Panerai Radiomir 1938 may as well be called the '38 Special, because this 2006 Panerai Special Series edition recalls the major dial redesign that occurred in 1938. Following two years of field testing, the Italian Navy requested a simplified design to replace the quixotic "California" dial that Rolex had supplied to Panerai with the initial dive watches. While distinctive, the "California" dial was too busy to read at a glance; the "1938" dial was Panerai's solution. The Panerai Radiomir 1938 recalls this transformational moment in Panerai history with an upscale rendition of the original. A tobacco-tone "sandwich" visage imparts rich impressions while lustrous rose gold hands jump from the dark dial base. While true to the military original, the PAM 232 offers a distinctly premium take on its blue-collar pre