Fresh from the Showcase here at SwissWatchExpo. Today, we have a very exclusive Panerai limited
only to Japan that just came in. It's the only one for sale in the world right now,
as I'm recording this video. So we need to get into it right now.
So this is a really interesting Panerai we have here. Of course, it catches your eye. The moment
you get at the ceramic case the red accents. This is very unique and a color scheme I really
haven't seen Panerai do before. And that's because it's not really like anything they make for sale
here in the states. This is the Luminor Takashi Sorimachi edition, which is a Japanese exclusive,
named after their big brand ambassador from Japan, the actor and, singer Takashi Sorimachi.
Now I have a confession to make, I am not super well versed in Japanese culture. So
I do not know exactly who this is, but he is a very famous actor. I don't consume much Japanese
content. Although if the major league baseball owners do not get their act together, I may in
fact start watching some Japanese professional sports this year, but we'll see how that goes.
Takashi Sorimachi. On the other hand, definitely strikes me as a George Clooney type. Maybe I'm
just comparing him to another famous watch ambassador. Very classy guy. Panerai is his
brand though, and they are definitely making a huge splash in the Japanese market. We've
done the Ginza edition Luminor for when they opened their flagship store a few weeks back.
This one I think is even more interesting still. So let's get into that. The first
thing you'll notice is the red accents here. This is apparently based off of the color scheme of Mr.
Sorimachi's beloved bass fishing in which spoiler alert, this is considered not a dive watch,
but a sportsman's watch because his big hobby is bass fishing of all things,
which did surprise me. But I do think this is great that they are actually
making the brand ambassador watches tailored towards the hobbies of the actual ambassador.
Because let's be honest, he probably doesn't do much deep sea diving. So I think this is an
absolutely incredible watch and just a really great story and a great way to sort of get your
brand out there if you're trying to break into the Japanese market, which I think is fantastic.
Beautiful case, this is a completely unworn watch. Limited to only a hundred pieces. They also have
a rose gold edition that is limited to exactly 10, but I do not know how you would ever get
your hands on that. You'd probably have to make some major moves in Japan to get your hands on
that piece. This one is an all ceramic case with a coated titanium back, which I'm very excited to
show you in a minute, but let's get into the dial first. This is a beautiful sort of what they call
the sandwich-style dial, where it is completely overlaid to the luminous material underneath.
I think it gives it a great depth and that's great with all the different colors you have here.
Of course, the red is the accent and it really does pop against the black case and dial here.
You do have the nautical tachymeter going around the edge here as well as the sweep second hand
and a chronograph minute hand, which is really unique. And I have, don't see on a lot of
different watches. It actually appears to tick, which if you keep your eye on this thing, when
this sweep hand crosses 12, the minute hand actually appears to tick when it moves forward,
which is just a really great combination of mechanisms here. You also have your 12-hour
counter here at 3 with another red hand. And of course the the actual crown here,
the crown guard also black ceramic, and the crown itself is also red too.
This strap is an incredible-looking red rubber strap, which I'll admit is very loud. And if
that's a little too loud for you, we actually do have a full set here with two other replacement
straps. We also have black rubber as well as sort of a rubbery more of a textured, but this
is all rubber. This is meant to be worn in the water. In the promotional video for this watch,
he has literally just just shoving his fist into the water and pulling a bass out of there
while he is wearing this Panerai. So this is not meant to be dived in. It is only a hundred meters
of water resistance. So this is not a dive watch, although it might appear that way.
And if, you know, as an owner of a Panerai, you may assume that about this watch, but it's not.
And most importantly, I didn't even get into this yet. This is not just a chronograph, but a flyback
chronograph too. I'm not sure how practical that would be for fishing. I'm not a sports fisherman
nor do I really use my chronographs that much for the watches that I do own. But this very thin case
also contains this incredibly complicated in-house Panerai movement, which I think is incredible. The
fact that you're able to get not only a flyback chronograph not only the sweep second hand,
but a sweep minute hand as well. This is an incredible chronograph, which has made even
more impressive that the case is only a little over 8 millimeters thick, and this is with an
automatic movement. So this includes the rotor. This includes everything. So this is you know,
a surprisingly slim versatile watch if you do like a black case. And for all the complications,
not a super huge thick Panerai, like you might expect from some of their other larger models.
Now, lastly, I do think we are missing an exhibition caseback with this one,
but what they do include is I think something a little cooler, which I hope does catch up
here. This is a coated, PVD-coated titanium, I believe. And this is actual large mouth bass with,
I believe Mr. Sorimachi's signature underneath. They can't really make out what the script
is, but this is a large mouth bass with sort of a sunburst pattern on the back with Officine Panerai
on the back, as you would expect for most of the solid caseback watches. Super unique,
super special limited edition watch. And as I said, cannot stress this enough, the only one for
sale online at all, as of the recording of this video. And since there's only a hundred pieces
of these made, exclusive to Japan, I do not know how else you would get your hands on this.
I really love and appreciate this watch, even though I know absolutely nothing about Mr.
Sorimachi, other than he's been in some Japanese TV shows and he really loves fishing. But that's
enough for me to really want to get this watch on my wrist. And I think it should be enough for you
as well. So do not delay. Again, as far as I know, it's the only one available in right
now. So you really can't afford to wait around if this is the watch for you. And if it's not,
we've got dozens of other Panerai and a myriad of other brands as I'm sure you know. So give
us a call, shoot us an email. We'll be happy to discuss it with you at SwissWatchExpo.com.