Hi,

I just received my Pam 88 (luminor GMT) about a week ago and have been wearing it since. It has a polished steel case. I noticed that I already have a few scratches on the case from very normal wear and tear (ie resting my arm on my desk, etc). Is this normal? Will it greatly affect the value of my watch? Is there something I can do to prevent this, besides the obvious in not wearing it?

Thank you in advance for any feedback, Rich

My 111 seems to scratch just by looking at it. In fact, i gets lotsa small hairlines near the crown just from winding it everyday! No big deal though, they kinda add character. The first scratches hurt, but after a while you dont really bother anymore.

You could take a cape cod cloth to it, which will polish out the hairlines, but you'll just get them again after a couple wears. Polishing with cape cod could leave swirlies instead!

Anyway, once you send it in for a service with the PASC, it'll come back good as new!

answers to your questions in order:

1. yes
2. no
3. The 88 has retained it's value well, and all polished PAMs will scratch at some point (unless it's in the box, but then what's the point of having it?). Just wear and enjoy, the scratches create character for your watch, and PASC (Panerai Authorized Service Center) can polish most scratches out for you if you decide to sell the watch later (if the buyer even cares). Also, look into Cape Cod polishing clothes as they will rub out most minor scratches. I guess you could surround your watch with tape or that plastic wrap thing they have on cell phones when you first get it but that would be pretty ugly, imo.

Remember, Panerai are tool watches (currently, but apparently moving away from this) so they should be able to take moderate beating without a problem.

Most of us PAM owners sweat this stuff in the beginning and then it becomes a non-issue after a while, so you are not alone with your concern.

Hope this helps.

it's a big old hunk o' steel, so it's bound to get dinked once in a while

Not a lot you can do about it unfortunately (besides the obvious)

Just wear it and enjoy it... then send it in for a 'buff up' when needed.

Cheers & Hairlines

Phill (UK)

"A man with a watch knows what time it is... A man with two watches is never sure."

What I usually do, is every couple of years I take them to my AD for a nice polishing. Usually runs me about $75, but the watches (I KID YOU NOT), come out just as good as the day I first got them. Kind of look at it as a day at the SPA

Mondo : Laredo, Texas. (USA)

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And can take a few licks... Mine's dented more than a few doorways!!