which would you buy; Omega Ploprof 1200m or Panerai 425?

[hellboy]

greetings to dear all,

i am caught in a dilema and would like to seek advise and opinions from all of you lovely people

i was intrigued by the rich history and robust movement of the Omega Ploprof for quite some time but the Panerai 425 also gets my attention, at the same time.

the omega ploprof has a very unique casing that looks almost ugly to most but somehow this alternative aspect attracts me.

i've never own a panerai as i'm not a big fan of the 12/3/6/9 signature dial of panerai until the sterile stick & dot hour marker dial was introduced last year.

the pam 449 is the better option but seems unattainable due to limited production of 750 pcs, so the pam 425; which looks identical except for the gold hour hands and pig at the 6 o'clock position and a regular production model, is the next best option.

if you were caught in my position, which would you purchase and what's the main reason for your choice?

retail price for omega ploprof: $12350 (with possible discount)
retail price for pam 425: $10900 (no discount from boutique)

thanks a million in advance and would like to hear from you guys & gals before i jump into the deep end of no return.

[tsetse]

IMO, I would go for the PAM. I do like the Omega Ploprof too but the PAM 425 is the more attractive one to me. The ideal scenario would be to get both but there are always choices to make, one out of the two choices....

It would be good if you could visit the boutique, put them on your wrist, have a feel of both watches and how it looks on your wrist. Go home, have a breather for 2 or 3 days, the watch you are thinking of more will be the one you like more.

Cheers and do share some pics when you buy your watch, whichever your choice is.

[alexlobov]

I do like Omega (am waiting for delivery of a new Seamaster myself, yay!) but am not a huge fan of the Ploprof. I just don't like the crown buffer thing they have going on with that watch. I respect the history of the watch & it is an iconic design - just not a design I particularly like.

Having said that, I'm not a Panerai fan. Too fashionista nowadays, seen on too many wrists of people who don't know or understand the brand. And I think it's overpriced.

But given these two factors, I would recommend you get the PAM 425. You're clearly looking for something iconic and noticeable. Both watches will do the trick but I think you might find the case buffer on the Omega a bit unwieldly. I for one would probably be smashing against door frames left, right and center (but then I'm clumsy like that. The PAM 425 is more elegant and one of my favourite Panerais. I would probably buy it if I was in the market for a PAM of any sort.

[Jean]

I got both brand and I do prefer Omega (or Rolex or Seiko) for true diving instrument.
for resale value better to go for Panerai or Rolex.
Ploprof carry a special unique design and top caliber(8500), for me a little better than Rolex 3135.
Kind
Jean

[hellboy]

hi there tsetse, alexlobov & jean,

my heartfelt appreciation for taking the time and efforts helping me out and offering me clearer insights as to which direction should i be heading to...thanks a million guys!!!

you guys are right to say that the omega ploprof is an iconic diver with rich history but seems that all the 4 ploprofs that i've seen at the ADs seems to have knocks and dings on the watch casing...either the staff handling the watches need to be fired or the steel that omega uses is not as tough as the watch claims to be
i reckon it should take quite an effort to cause a ding on such a tough looking tool diver rather than just rough handling by the staff but reality says otherwise. seems that all the watches at the ADs are at least 3 years old and that spells that the ploprof is not that popular a model for our market.

went to the panerai boutique at ION Orchard to put the pam 425 on my wrist...heart did not skip a beat but somehow the sterile dial with dots & bar hour markers + the iconic yet understated radiomir case grows on me...
i've never quite been a panerai fan or the signature dial until this dial came into production as it so un-panerai looking that makes me like it
well, i guess with all the help and thoughts i gotten from you guys, i would undoubtedly go for the pam 425...
or the pam 449 if it becomes available

thanks once again guys and have a great year ahead

[desteo]

Omega Ploprof steel mesh or orange rubber strap for me. The outlook and feel is massive.
And you do not need to pay 10k for it, around 7k plus you can get a steel mesh version.

Panerai's cases are too similar and having too many models. Unless, its some 1 of series outstanding model example Pam 202, 382.......