2017 Panerai Rep Scene in Review

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bangsters

Content Contributor
Dec 23, 2017
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www.pixelsbin.com
Welcome to a New Year. Now that we are officially in 2018, I would like to take this time and reflect on 2017 and Panerai Reps particularly VSF.

Overall the rep industry just keeps getting better and better. With all the improvements, more and more PAMs are getting repped very close to Gen specs. Notable are the movement progress from VSF.

The V6F, KW, H-Fact, and others all did great years prior. However, one major tell among all of them especially on models with open case backs, and that is the incorrect balance wheel placement. Case, dial, crown and crown guard, and lugs have all been improved. But since the watches still relied on 6497 clone or A7750 movement, there is no way to replicate the balance wheel placement... that is until VSF released a p.9000 clone with the same balance wheel placement.

With VSF on around 2016, it has inched closed than ever yo replicating the PAM movement, while keeping the case and other external parts as close to gen the same as the other manufacturers. They released the PAM 312 VSF model, which looks very close to Gen, front and back, and unless you know what exactly to look for in the movement, is very difficult to distinguish. Before, just looking at the balance wheel being located at 6 or 11 o'clock, you can tell it as rep. Now you have to look even closer, and not as easy to tell. Power reserve though still was non functional. But overall a major progress.

Balance wheel has indeed gotten the movement closer, but functions are still different. For example the PAM 441, which had the incorrect GMT function. A Gen would have 12HR GMT, but the first iteration of the P9000/P9001 clone did not have the same functionality. Not a major tell though, and was till good.

Then enter 2017, and VSF's V2 of the movement. Ever inching closer to Gen specs, they have fixed 2 major flaws of the first version. The GMT function now works per Gen, at 12Hr GMT. They also corrected the date set, and now you can adjust the Hour hand independently, and adjust the date every two rotations of the hour hand. It even moves the data backwards if you rotate the hour hands counter clock wise, per Gen. Only little thing left would be resetting the second subdial to 12 upon adjustment and working power reserve. Major improvement indeed. Now they have a PAM 441 VSF version 2 with the correct GMT function, as well as other models released with the same movement, such as PAM 438.

There are also some other models with micro rotor repped, although I haven't had my hands on them, from pictures they do look great. I focused more on VSF movement as that is what I have come across. I would have loved to try the PAM 213 with working rattrapante also from VSF, but that was limited to 80 items. And the micro rotor movements, I have not have any chance of trying. However, from the looks of it, it will just keep getting better for 2018. And hopefully more time for me to check out the ever growing list of PAM models.

Here's to 2018, and looking forward to what is in stored for the Rep industry. Not that I condone buying reps, as I would still prefer a genuine watch at first opportunity. But for the hobbyist in us, these reps are also a work of art, and some modifications here and there really set the watches apart.

Happy New Year once again! Feel free to chime in, and add any thoughts.
 
Last edited:

Robert11

Member
Dec 31, 2017
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Wow, very detailed. I have the VSF 312 and have to tell you I love it. Aside from the proper balance wheel position, the workmanship on my copy is amazing. One of my favorite reps to date. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk