Wanting to know more about the Getat Marina Militare custom watches, then we cover it all and more in this review.
If you are reading this then you’ve probably heard of Getat Watches on the forums, if not, Getat is known for their semi-custom PAM homages.
They have made a splash amongst Paneristi fans who can’t spend thousands of dollars on a real Panerai.
With that said, Getat + Mariner Militare watches may be a good alternative to collectors who want a beater PAM to get some wear time on the wrist before they consider investing on the real thing.
See, Panerai is not for everyone when it concerns wrist sizes, their submersibles are generally very bulky and expensive and buying a Panerai as an impulsive buy may be a risky investment as the second-hand market is not favourable for new or second hand.
So is it worth taking it for a test drive for $190 over parting with a large chunk of change for the real deal?
Possibly…
With cheaper options on the market like Getat’s Panerai Homage watches, I think its the perfect entry level way for PAM fans to get some wear time.
With that said, Getat sent me the 44mill PAM111 homage edition for review with some my own specifications which includes the Blue Superlum sandwiched dial and the Black Leather Strap.
I know many may find that this review is in support of fake watches, The homage and fake argument is a slippery slope that I am not going to cover.
And if the idea of Homages bothers you, then its probably not the place for you.
Here at Watchdig.org we accept homages for what they are and if there are cheaper alternatives to the high-end watch designs that offer value to watch enthusiasts then we are open to exploring those respective avenues that are not breaching clear copy write.
Many watchmakers make homage of high luxury brands like Rolex.
Their prices vary, depending on the quality and movement they use on them.
Some Panerai Luminor Marina homages that use ETA movements cost more than $500, while the cheaper alternatives use affordable Chinese automatic movements cost only $125.
Despite the presumption about watches manufactured from China, there are a few watchmakers that offer products with considerable quality and Getat is one of them.
If you’re not open to spending more than $7,000 for a pre-owned Panerai, you should strongly consider going for a homage made by Getat.
The Marina Militare Specs
- Water Resistant: 100m swimmable submersible
- Movement: Asian Unitas 6497 hand-wound mechanical, 17 jewels, Power reserve 48
- Functions: hours, minutes and small second hands
- Case: 1:1 to PAM111, 316L steel, diameter 44mm not measuring crown guard
- Crown Guard: Thick Crown Guard, Flat and long pin, lever with roller
- Thickness: 15mm
- Case Option: All brushed / Brushed case with polished bezel or PVD black
- Front: Sapphire (with Colorless AR coating)
- Dial: Black Sterile Sandwich dial with Superlume Numbers, Small second hand at 9 o’clock
- Hands: All with superlume
- Back: See-through / Solid
- Strap: See strap option
- Buckle Style: Pre-V / Premium
- Buckle: Brushed / Polished / PVD Black
The Marina Militare measures 44mm wide and 15mm thick, excluding the crown guard.
Its case is made of 316L stainless steel which is an industrial-grade material used by more expensive and luxurious watch brands.
You have the option to either have it in plain steel, have a polished case, or have it coated in black PVD for a more military look.
I went with the polished bezel with the brushed case.
The dial is matte black in color with blue superplume hour markers.
The 12 and 6 o’clock markers are written in big numerals while the rest are represented by a sandwiched luminous strip markers, similar to the Pam dial in terms of quality.
You can find a small seconds subdial located at the 9 o’clock position.
The dial is protected with a strong, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with colorless anti-reflective coating.
This is very useful for spec ops use since it prevents the watch from reflecting light and scratching of the glass surface.
However, my watch was sadly soured with a big scratch on the sapphire glass that probably happened during transport.
It has a purposeful crown guard with a flat long pin and a lever with a roller lock in place to stop the crown from opening during underwater situations that can make it vulnerable for water to enter and damage the movement.
You have the option to get either a transparent case back or one that has a solid cover.
I personally opted for the exhibition case back and I am a huge fan of case back designs.
The Marina Militare has a 100-meter water resistance rating which makes it safe to use in swimming, casual diving, and other water sports activities.
The question is if it is really water-resistant?
Probably, however, I won’t be swimming with this watch any time soon.
Design and Movement
What makes the Marina Militare from Getat special is the wide customisation options available to you.
The color of the hands can be changed to blue, black, silver, or white.
You can even choose the color of the lume to apply on the watch, with choices available in yellow, gray, white, orange, vintage beige, and aqua blue.
There’s also an option to get a model that has a power reserve indicator and a magnified date window.
There are many combinations that can be matched to your choosing, and the reason why I picked the manual wind over the automatic version is because the manual wind is a much slimmer version on the wrist.
The Marina Militare features a 17-jewel Asian Unitas 6497 hand-wound mechanical movement which can be seen from the case back.
I find it mesmerising to see how clean the movement and decorations look for the $190 price tag.
There a much more expensive watches in the register of $500+ that lack the attention to the detail of the movement.
Who is Getat Marina Militare Watch for?
I briefly touched on it in the beginning of this review however the Marina Militare from Getat is for people who want to get a feel of what it’s like to strap a Panerai-style watch on their wrist.
With its affordable price, you can consider it as a ‘trial watch’ before you get the real thing.
The Marina Militare is not just for those who want to wear something similar to a Panerai.
It’s a functional watch by itself, having 100-meter water resistance, AR coating, Sapphire crystal, clear legible sandwich dial, incredible lume and great time keep capabilities.
I think the Getat watch is great value for the money.
Its not for the high-end buyer with high expectations.
The watch arrived in a small layer of bubble wrap protection and it was partially falling out of the box when I received it and its amazing that it actually arrived in one piece and its probably the reason for the big scratch on the glass.
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons to consider in getting a Marina Militare from Getat:
Pros
- Price point is hard to beat for its features and general quality.
- Highly customizable Panerai homage
- Power reserve of up to 48 hours
- Splash resistant up to 100m
- Superlume is bright and long-lasting over many other expensive options
Cons
- Leather strap is not for small wrists and I will be changing the strap to something more wearable for a casual every day beater.
- It’s thick and bulky for small wrist wearers like myself. But I love it all the same.
Conclusion
The Marina Militare from Getat is one of the most affordable homage watches with considerable weight and quality to it (its built like a tank).
For less than $200, you can get a Panerai Luminor alternative that has a number of features available.
You can wear it on any occasion and use it as a good conversation starter.
Despite the scratch on the dial I plan to get it buffed out, change the strap to a nato for a more casual everyday wearer.
If you’re looking for a reliable watch that looks and feels like a Panerai, Getat’s Marina Militare is a strong contender and I would high recommend it.
You can get your own here
