Panerai 2010 PAM300 Mare Nostrum 52mm
The original Mare Nostrum is one of Panerai's most rare watches. It was designed for deck officers of the Italian Navy in 1943. The watch however never made the intended production process and - as far as documented - only three prototypes were made. It was unknown what happened to these three prototypes and all documentation was lost when Florence was flooded in the sixties - until one of the watches was offered for sale at Christies in 2005. Officine Panerai bought the watch for their museum for the sum of 85,000 Euro. You can find further information re this sale on Christies under Important pocket watches and wristwatches.
PAM300 Mare Nostrum 52mm
Panerai did already reproduce the Mare Nostrum in 1993 but the new 2010 PAM300 is made to more exactly meet the specifications of the original Mare Nostrum. The case of the PAM300 has the same shape and size (52mm) as the WWII original and the dial looks very similar. Except that tritium was used on the indices of the original watch. The watch - like the original - has a sandwich dial. The color of the luminova on the new PAM300 does seem to match the color of the original watch quite closely. Panerai did a great job on the olive green canvas strap too.
PAM300 green canvas strap and buckle
The PAM300 has a Panerai OP XXV movement - based on a Minerva movement (photo below). The original Mare Nostrum had an Angelus movement. You can admire the beautiful movement through the crystal case back. The original Mare has a closed case back.
The Minerva based movement is visible through the case back crystal
PAM300 case back
The aforementioned earlier reproductions of the Mare Nostrum are the Pre-Vendome 5218-301/A (10 prototypes in 1993 - photos below), the 5218-302 Slytech Mare Nostrum (50 units with a blue dial in 1995) and the 5218-304 (50 units with a plain bezel in 1995). Note that the case back of the 5218-304 is marked xxx/500 but only 50 units were produced. All three models have an ETA based movement and a 42mm case. Although these watches are based on the looks of the original Mare Nostrum - they weren't designed using the specifications or measurements of the original 1942 chronograph.
Below are two photos of the 1993 edition of the Mare Nostrum 5218-301/A. Perhaps not an exact replica of the original Mare Nostrum, but definitely a collectors piece.
Panerai Pre Vendome (1993) Mare Nostrum 5218-301/A
Click the photos for a larger version
I can imagine that although the PAM300 is a beautiful and unique collectors item - some people may be a little bit disappointed by the fact that it is such a good copy of the original 1942 Mare Nostrum. With its 52mm case, this is not exactly a watch that many people can actually wear.
Click the photos for a larger version
All photos of the PAM300 were taken at the Geneva SIHH 2010.
All photos © 2010 M.Wilmsen
Artwork in photos of the 5218-301/A © 2010 E.Tay
Do not copy without permission
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