I visited a WIS friend in Dallas last month and saw his 422. We swapped for the day and he wore my AP 15400. We both enjoyed the trade and after seeing the 1950s case IRL, it won me over. After that, I've been trying to decide between the 422 and the 372, both are beauties. But in the end, the domed sapphire and the PR on the back of the movement with the 422 sold me. So today the doorbell rang and UPS made me a happy man. The jump hour and seconds reset features on the 3001 movement made me decide I could flip my Blancpain Trilogy GMT for this one, although I jumped the gun a bit by buying before flipping.
Great watch, as a proud owner of two pamies (111 and Radiomir California) I completely get this. I understand all the comments about pams, but once you wear one you really appreciate the design. It is unique to them too.
I can't claim to be a brand fanboy or even close. While I like the look of many of them they just didn't sing to me to want to spend big bucks for one. In fact until this one I really disliked the small seconds. For some reason all the design elements came together on this for me. It's my first ever manual wind too.
I really like them these are mine. I actually never liked the radiomir case as much and then I tried on randomly and was taken by it. They also only had the date complication on the California for one year before they decided to take it out, making the date one and actual true limited edition.
I like PAMs but w/o the overzealous funky crown guard… for what's worth, this is my personal PAM style…and keep at 42mm
Don't judge solely by wrist size and case diameter. I have a 7.25" wrist but evidently mine is rounder than a friend's 6.75" wrist. Neither of us are huge fans of oversized watches (lugs hanging off the wrist) but both have 422s and I have a 48mm Breitling too. Case shape. Lug length/shape and wrist size all work together to determine fit. Without trying either of these on, I would have said absolutely not!
Never liked it until now. I think the softer edges of the 1950s case make the blocky crown guard work visually for me. I still can't bond with the wire lugs on the Radiomir cases.