Most Panerai watches look very similar to most of the untrained eye, and it can be a little difficult to spot all the differences initially. However, once you become familiar with the Panerai brand, you will notice that each model brings something particular to the table, while still retaining the bold Panerai aesthetic that made the company so famous.
When it comes to the Panerai Radiomir Black Seal, it takes an equally trained eye to distinguish all the unique features of the PAM609, from its special dial features, such as the “Black Seal” signature, to its impressive hand-wound movement with a power reserve of up to 8 days, which you can view through the sapphire crystal caseback. With a history dating from the first fake watches made for the Italian Navy in the 1930s, the Black Seal continues Panerai’s modern tradition of nodding to the past and the future by combining traditional design with modern watchmaking standards. Below, we take a closer look at this noteworthy Panerai and how it sets such a high standard for a relatively entry-level model. 
In 2004, Panerai introduced the first Radiomir Black Seal PAM183 – inspired by the original Radiomir 3646 – with a 45mm cushion-shaped case and the ‘Black Seal’ logo at 12 o’clock. Over the years, the ‘Black Seal’ has undergone many dial changes, culminating in breakthroughs in details such as moving the ‘Black Seal’ logo to 6 o’clock and upgrading the movement to a Cal. P.5000 movement with an 8-day power reserve, as opposed to the 36 hours offered by the original model.
The Panerai Radiomir Black Seal 8 Days PAM609 comes in a 45mm stainless steel case with the familiar Radiomir silhouette – a cushion-shaped case with wire lugs, no crown protection, and an oversized turnip winding crown. However, despite its large diameter, the PAM609 is relatively slim by Panerai standards and sits comfortably on the wrist with a fairly low profile.
Like most Panerai replica watches, the Radiomir Black Seal 8 Days has a sharp black dial with oversized luminous Arabic numerals and indices. This particular version features a “sandwich dial” – a style of dial constructed in layers, where the bottom layer includes luminous material and the top layer has skeletonized indexes to show the luminous body below.
Officially retailing for $6,100, the Radiomir Black Seal 8 Days PAM609 is one of the more affordable Panerai models available. Although the PAM609 is considered the entry-level fake watch from Panerai, you get a lot of value in this particular model. In addition to the unmistakable and iconic Panerai aesthetic, you also get an in-house movement and a power reserve that lasts more than a full week. All in all, it makes for a value proposition that’s hard to beat.
