The hand-wound Panerai Radiomir PAM 338 offers you an impressive combination of Panerai’s easily recognizable vintage-style exterior with a new mechanical movement. Developed at their own facilities in Switzerland, it looks like a treat for those tired of numerous “exclusively modified” ETA blank calibers.
Panerai Radiomir PAM 338: An Overall Impression
With its in-house Caliber P.999 and the identical 42mm case, the Panerai Radiomir PAM338 is a sibling of the Radiomir PAM 337 revealed at the same SIHH 2010 event.
✓ Pros: The in-house movement instead of an ETA ebauche.
❌ Cons: It’s the same exterior that we’ve seen way too many times.
Just like the PAM 337, the 338 is mostly about the new caliber.
The Italian brand is probably the only one on the market that stubbornly refuses to offer new designs for their watches. It’s like the Harley-Davidson (or Gibson) of the watchmaking world: why try to fix something that works, right? Just like previous iterations, this one sports the same exterior that we’ve seen many times before.
Yes, it’s definitely about the movement.
The Caliber P.999
Beating at just 21,600 vibrations per hour, the Caliber P.999 may feel a bit archaic, but it’s archaic by choice. Looks like the mechanism will power Panerai’s less expensive collections.
Visually, the mechanism reminds me of an earlier Piaget Caliber 838P (see picture below) and, having done some basic googling, I can see that I am not the only one who has suspicions regarding the movement’s ‘in-houseness’ so to speak.
But, of course, both Panerai and Piaget belong to the same Richemont SA holding company.
I assume that there could have been some sort of technology transfer between the two brands. While Piaget has an impressive record when it comes to designing great mechanisms, Panerai is still new to the game. They needed some help to get the whole train going.
Still, if the visual similarity is just a similarity, I would like to offer them my apologies in advance.
The Exterior
Returning to the exterior design similarities between the 337 and this 338, I would say that the only noticeable difference between the two is the material they are crafted from.
Wile the PAM337 comes in a polished steel body, the PAM338 has its prominent case made of brushed titanium, which is nicely contrasted by a polished stainless steel bezel.
This combination of materials and types of finish makes the watch not only feel but also look a lot lighter.
However, the timekeeper’s dressy look was somehow sabotaged by the hour, minute, and seconds hands that are made of gold and treated with the traditional greenish Superluminova luminous substance.
To my taste, these colors just do not mix that well.
To Buy or Not To Buy?
If you like the overall look of the watch, this new member of the Radiomir family may be a nice choice. The traditionally high price (this one is tagged with $8500 MSRP) is finally justified by a simple and high-quality P.999 caliber.
See also: Panerai Radiomir PAM 336: Now in a 42-millimeter Body!
Photos: Officine Panerai
Panerai Radiomir PAM 338 specification
Price: $8,500 (MSRP)
Movement: Panerai P.999 Calibre, hand-wound, 144 parts, 27.06 mm in diameter, 3.40 mm thick, in-house, Swiss Made
Jewels: 19
Cadence of balance: 21,600 vph
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
Power reserve: 60 hours
Case: Brushed titanium
Bezel: Polished stainless steel
Shape: Cushion
Size: 42.00 mm
Front crystal: Sapphire, corundum, 1.5 mm thick, anti-reflective coating
Transparent back: Yes, sapphire crystal
Dial: Black, layered
Hands: Stainless steel, luminous
Strap: Black Alligator leather strap with contrast stitching and pin buckle in steel
Water resistance: 100 meters