Comments:
Superb pics, too.
Thank you for sharing them!
Best,
Nicolas
My Panerai 399 pictorial. Including rare "steeel" shots
I was inspired to take and post these pictures after reading about the Montres Passion magazine annual watch awards where the Panerai 1940s' case won 3rd place. This particular watch is special to me since it's part of a 2 watch set (PAM784), and I share the other watch in the set (PAM398) with my wife. On top of that, it has a rare factory typo, with and extra "e" engraved in "steeel". I was sent the original corrected case back, but i opted to keep the erroneous one on the back as it felt more authentic lol. The corrected back is in safekeeping in the massive special edition box. Pictures of the box will be saved for another day... i figured it tells a great story and I thought you all here would appreciate it. Anyway, here I am, stuck at work on a Saturday, and done with all my paperwork. writing this post has been a fun distraction; i hope it is for you as well 
Wow that is rare piece with "STEEEL" mispelled with an extra E
You have a very collectible piece in the future IMO!
I didn't know these existed so thanks for sharing with us, and love the letter Panerai sent you too!
Cheers,
Anthony
Great photos and write up...
I am also the recipient of the 399 with the "EEE". I was informed that only the very first batch came with the error +/- 20 pieces. Panerai was very accommodating in replacing the casebacks. it was to my understanding that we were supposed to ship the watches back for replacement but some people were sent the "corrected" casebacks as a spare! ;-) FWIW, I think this makes that watch that much more special.
Very nice to see you here again my Friend
I figured you would have this special watch as well ;-)
Part of the club :)
Hi dlee,
it's good to hear from a fellow owner of the infamous Steeel 399
so we have 3 of the owners here, Me, you, Peter. anyone else out there?
LOL! Very cool!
I thought the proto versions were the only one's with the error. Thought the production models would have had it corrected. Uber cool that you got an extra "e"!
So does anyone think that "error" was intentional?
I'm just curious as to what everyone thinks about that. Hard to imagine Panerai could let this kind of misprint slip through.
Nonetheless, we have seen certain "oddities" of this nature from time to time. While it seems backwards that anyone should prefer the watch with the word spelled incorrectly, I would also keep it as is
Thanks for the post and enjoy your watches!
This error seems intentional IMO
I don't see how this mishap could have passed through QC.
- AT
Maybe on the prototype...
I've heard of prototype watches having deliberate variations to throw off counterfeiters, so I could see how it may have been intentional on promo pieces. But on a flagship model that's a special edition? I wonder if there is anyone from panerai lurking who could shed some light?
Funny mistake. You did well to keep the case back.
Superb pics, too.
Thank you for sharing them!
Best,
Nicolas
Superb Pictorial
of a rarely seen watch...
I'm getting more and more obsessed with this 399
Always wanted a nice Minerva movement Panerai and this I think nails it with the new 1940 case...
Thanks for sharing such beautiful photos
Sam
Well..
It is impossible...
1. to find one without the set of 2 watches
2. to afford one if I'm able to find one )
)Best,
Sam
PAM 399
Like you, I received my 399 along with the special box set (size of a coffee table if I may add) back in X'ams of 2012.
To this day, I continue to wonder how on earth such mistake could take place.
Given the PAM 399 was a SE with only 100 pieces, not to mentioned the first 50 was to be sold in tandem with the PAM 398, such glaring mistake is even more incomprehensible!!!
I wear every time piece I bought, believing that watches are meant to be worn, and not merely a show piece somewhere in a safety box. Yet with this 399, I can't seemed to get myself into wearing......
Peter