Most people have a little celebration at reaching 1000 posts but I thought Id break the chain and do something for my 900th Post. I had embarked on a journey with Panerai and entered into a world of debate about which is what and why and where for etc but a debate or piece of research that fancinated me was the debate over the Panerai PAM 190 & The Panerai PAM 232.
To the best of my knowledge no one has actually done an outright review or comparison, there are numerous pages and pages of ‘opinions’ but 2 types of people make most. They either form the opinion on what they have read or seen or they base their opinion on owning one of the two pieces. Now some have actually owned both and traded one for the other but in the process of doing so failed to share the information in a photographic and comparison form.
Now before we start I have to make a disclaimer type statement,
“Both these watches are absolutely amazing”
But throughout reading this you may draw a positive or negative and assume that one or the other is not that good. You can read my conclusion at the end. But for now grab a coffee and enjoy the pictures and my ramblings.
Statistics

Packaging



232 Packs a 30cmx30cm box compared to the 23cmx23cm 190, this is due to the addition of the scroll, booklet, locking key case and SE goodies that come with the 232. It is worth noting that the lid is heavy and the hinges can rip from the wood but are easily repaired with some wood glue or filler.



The Watches


The two watches vary in width, whilst the 190 is 45mm its thicker case which house the exhibition back and JLC feels just as substantial. The 45mm case size is more wearable in general as you do need a larger wrist to pull off a 47mm, that said the 47mm sits lower and flatter!


The sheer pleasure of winding the 190 with its butter smooth action and watching the rear mounted power reserve register is a pleasure, then simply pop it on ones wrist and forget about it for a week. The 232 houses the Panerai X movement, solid and reliable but no where near the JLC, which exceeds the standards required for a COSC so doesn’t bother to certificate itself as after over a 1000 hours of testing it is more accurate than the standard required by COSC.


The 232 is more traditional, more pure and clean it has a 3,6,9, & 12 whereas the 190 delivers a smooth flowing gold second hand and the unique ‘8 Days’ inscription. Inside the 190 has the superior movement and its placing in Panerai history is cemented after they discontinued the model in 2006. In the secondhand arena the 190 does not appear as often as the 232, the 190 is a piece that once people own it they don’t sell (unless they have 2!!!) The 232 is a little more transient as all the SE pieces tend to be as some buyers have purchased them because they are SE and an investment and not for the right reasons.



What really makes both models stand out from anything else in the Panerai / Radiomir stable is the addition of the gold hands that only appear on higher end and SE models, these just glint by day and glow by night and make both models very striking and instantly noticeable.


The 190 has a black dial compared to the 232 and its more vintage brown dial, the brown and black is very close in look but the brown dial can be more pleasing to the eye in certain light conditions whereas the clean black dial is sharper and more dressy with the Panerai Black Crocodile Strap.


Its hard to decide isn’t it, seeing them side by side theres not a lot in it, you find yourself justifying each of the componant parts, you know the 190 is better quality but the 232 is historic, you know the 232 is 47mm and you cant wear it everyday but it has a solid case back, as I said at the start one is not better than the other and no matter which you choose you will be 100% satisfied.


Conclusion
Joint 1st in my eyes, the deciding factor has to be the buyer, can your wrist take it, do you want pure or practical, they both deliver if like me you cant decide there is only one option………Own Both!