Those of you that follow Red Clay Soul’s Instagram account know that I’m out here on the West Coast. I like it out here. It’s a great place to visit.
Any time I am within 100 miles of La Jolla, I make sure to stop in the Panerai boutique. It is a great place with some amazing Panerai watches. Kiril, the shop proprietor, is a treasure-trove of information. I bought my Panerai from him here three years ago. It was my first major watch purchase, and I absolutely love it. I know Panerai has a love it/hate it reputation, which I understand, but you know my camp. I am currently searching for #2…
If you are ever in the La Jolla / San Diego / Torrey Pines area, be sure to stop in. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen, which is my favorite characteristic about Panerai.
Here are some images from the trip:
Wall-sized clock.
The Panerai Regatta PAM526. The only Panerai that has any orange.
An extremely rare Panerai SLYTECH 5218-207 A that Sylvester Stallone owned.
Sylvester Stallone is credited for bringing Panerai to the mainstream…
Radiomirs look good.
The PAM372. A very good, historical piece.
The PAM424, with the ultra-cool California Dial.
The PAM499, which features a daylight face. It was hard not to buy this one…
A 47MM work of art. A lot of nods to the historical Panerai’s – gold hands, raised crystal…very handsome.
Lined up…
The La Jolla Panerai Boutique is located at 1137 Prospect Street.
You’ve got good taste in watches. I wear my Luminor Marina almost daily. I’ve had guys and gals both compliment it. I’ve also had wrinkled noses reactions and a couple ask if it was for people with extreme myopia. The 372 is really tough to top. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is another favorite. Enjoy your site. It’s a daily read for me.
Love that Marina. You should get it.
I love that PAM424 – one of these days.
PAM111 is my daily driver
I’d love the PAM372 even more if it didn’t have the crown guard.
I am in search of a #2 as well – My current #1 is a Rolex Hulk. I am trying to decide between The Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial (not the bond dial) or a Tudor Heritage Black Bay. Any thoughts?
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@MJB – Thanks for the kind words. Glad you like the blog. Yeah, the 372 is super nice, and came highly recommended as a good historical piece.
@Jay – You get it and I’ll borrow it from you.
@AK – Yes, the PAM424 is awesome. Got another post coming up about that one… My daily is a PAM112.
@HL – Rolex Hulk is a GREAT looking watch. My advice would be to get something that fits your style, but looks a little different that your current watch…and have fun looking!
I was able to visit the original Panerai boutique in Florence, Italy back in 2012 and then again last year after the remodel. Some of their new watches with in-house movements are great, but it’s hard for me to justify the prices on the rest of their line. Watches that were selling for $1500 in 1995 have evolved little but now carry a price tag 4x that or more. Can’t justify it. I’d be all over one of their vintage models with a Rolex movement, but until the day I can afford one of those I’ll stick to my Rolex GMT Master II 16710, vintage Omega Speedmaster Pro and Planet Ocean.
Thank you for your visit and kind words! We strive to provide the best possible sales and ongoing service experience at CJ Charles and Officine Panerai. Please feel free to ask Kiril to introduce you to the watchmakers the next time you are visiting the shop. We would be honored to be your destination for ongoing service of your Panerai. Best regards.