HANDS-ON: The Panerai PAM 655 Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Acciaio – 42mm

Ben Zachariah

Until recently, Panerai has been remarkably consistent in their brand DNA and product offerings, but the new PAM 655 is further proof of a new direction for the company.

Panerai, long synonymous with masculine, military watches, has taken a step away from that image to create the smaller than usual Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Acciaio. In case you were wondering, the mellifluous word ‘acciaio’ means steel – an elegant Italian word for an elegant Italian watch, which isn’t a word typically associated with the brand that rose to fame on Sly Stallone’s wrist. But there’s no denying it. With its 42mm case and the first white dial to have graced the Radiomir collection, this is an elegant, sporty watch with a distinctly retro flavour. The case is based on a 1940s design, and looks great with the the fresh white dial with contrasting patinated hands and hour marker details. The matching natural leather strap completes the package.

Turn it over and you’ll find the P.4000 movement, with three days of power reserve, as alluded to in the model name. This is a slim, in-house calibre that measures only 3.95mm, thanks largely to the off-centre tungsten micro-rotor that sits flush with the movement bridges. The cased watch measures only 10.9mm high, down from the 12.2mm of the 2013 Radiomir and the 15mm of the original Radiomir from around 1940. And while Piaget and Jeager-LeCoultre don’t have to worry about a new ultra-thin competitor, this latest iteration is an interesting change of pace and could mark a step in an entirely new direction for the Italian watchmaker.

Panerai PAM 655 Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Acciaio – 42mm Australian pricing

The Panerai PAM 655 has an RRP of $13,600.