The Panerai Source Forums

When I bought my pam, the dealer didn't include the cardboard and I also wasn't aware that this came along.

So, how important is the cardboard box? Or how important is that box to you?

It's only important to the person who finds it important - sounds mad, but think about it. It's a cardboard box - what possible use or interest is this to anybody? Do we wear the box on our wrists? No, but it's part of the 'whole' that people want when they buy their watches.

The outer cardboard box has been elevated to cult status - heaven knows why - and some deals fall through simply because the watch doesn't have "3 boxes" - I admit I 'prefer' to have eveything, but then if I came across a deal for a watch I wanted, at the price I wanted to pay, I'm not going to hesitate to buy, even if there's no outer box.

Very often people 'lose' the yellow polishing cloth inside the black box, or the foam insert around the pearwood box, or even the screwdriver - no one seems to worry about these items, even though they're possible more 'essential' than the outer box...

The answer to your question is, it all depends on the person you sell your watch to, if it's not important to you.

_________________
Own: 219, 253, 270, 308
On order: 28 Selling: 164 OOR
Past loves: 000,176,199,240,250,251,252,288

An emotional situation for some, though i don't understand why. I have two with the outer cardboard box and two without. I have one missing the beige polishing cloth. I don't think less of the two without their cardboard boxes and the deals were acceptable to me so the purchases were made. Two of mine had the screwdrivers missing when purchased. Not a problem though, easily replaced by the dealers and exactly £5.00 each here in the UK.

I think too much emphasis is placed on the level of completeness. I'm pretty anal about the watches condition though, moreso that the extreme level of 'completeness'. Some dealers don't include the case cover unless asked, regarding it perhaps as transit packing, not actually part of the resale deal.

I suppose given the time to sell it on, it's desireable to have everything if possible, but none of the models i own are collectables as such, that a missing outer cardboard box will compromise a deal.

Personally i wouldn't worry about it.

i've had 3 pams, none of them came with the outer tan cardboard. all 3 were from ads outside north america (italy, spain, qatar!). i don't think they're as concerned about that box as the ads over here. it'd be cool to have and say your set is complete...but if u ask if i'd rather have a scratch on the watch with a full set of boxes or a mint watch w/o that box...i'd take the better watch.