Alvin Wong 21 July 2016

Vintage meets new in Panerai's latest Radiomir 1940.

Despite being best known for its sombre design ethos, Panerai still manages to throw a curveball once in a while to intrigue its loyalists. The PAM655 is a good example of this, as it’s the first in the Radiomir 1940 collection to ditch the much-loved sandwich dial for a white dial painted with Arabic numerals and markers. White dials are relatively rare among Panerai timepieces and here, it is the first watch in the Radiomir 1940 collection to feature one, beautifully complementing the untreated leather strap and ecru-coloured luminous accents to give the watch a distinctively vintage look. 

In a throwback to Panerai watches of the 40s, the small seconds dial is positioned at nine o’clock. Inside though, is the contemporary P.4000 movement debuted by the brand in 2014. Powered by twin barrels for three-day power reserve, the movement comes with off-centred micro rotor that enables it to be rather svelte -- at 3.95mm thin, to be exact, which lends this slim, sporty timepiece an elegant disposition.