That is to say, it’s not like any version of Glashütte Original Panoreserve is listless. The case of each of them pack a lot into their 40 mm, both in features and styling. Let a little touch of style. In Pano line, Glashütte has established a way, which means we can look forward to an eccentric dial like we have here, which means less time to see the main show. Interestingly, when I really did not read any problem. Hands stand out against brittle dial (either black or blue), assisted by those hands luminous paint on illustration. Conversely, for the sub-seconds dial is big, because it is (relative to the master) it is not a distraction in the watch. Of course, it is there, so you can see the seconds to ensure that the watch does not it took to run on your ears, but it does not occupy a dominant position of the dial. Instead, it quietly and effectively do its job.
Next to that sub-seconds dial is where the Pano part of the Glashütte Original Panoreserve comes into play – the date display. I have had time with this date display on other Glashütte Original models, and it has quickly become one of my favorite implementations of a large date display. The numbers are bold and crisp, and the gap between the two digits is all but negligible. Yes, it is there as a fine line, and you can see it up close. When you are wearing the watch and actually using it? You do not even notice it, the date presents as a single block.
That leaves us with one other aspect of the dial on the Glashütte Original Panoreserve to talk about – the power reserve. Again, given the relative size, you might be tempted to think that it would dominate things a bit, but I did not find that to be the case as I wore the watch. As with the sub-seconds dial, it simply did its job, letting you know how much of the 42-hour power reserve remained in the 65-01 calibre movement.
Taking a step back and viewing the dial as a whole, it really surprised me that I liked the Glashütte Original Panoreserve as much as I did. I tend to favor symmetry a great deal in a watch, and this one is anything but. But while things are off-kilter a bit, it is not done in a chaotic manner that we may sometimes see from a brand trying a form that is non-traditional. No, here, things are cleanly and logically laid out (credit the German roots of the brand for that), and I think that is what ultimately made the dial work well for me.
Of course, a watch is not only a dial. Flip the watch over, and you are greeted with a very open view of the aforementioned 65-01 movement. While the large (and nicely finished) 3/4 plate does dominate what you see, the lower portion does give you a sort of cherry on top, so to speak. While there is certainly a utilitarianism to most of the movement, when it comes to the exposed balance wheel and adjusters, some artistry is allowed to shine out. In some ways, this is an appropriate place to focus the extra finishing, as it is the most kinetic part of the movement. Sure, we may “ooh” and “ahh” over a full hand-engraved and exposed movement, but we rarely see the whole thing. Here, we end up with a very solid implementation with some extra visual kick on it for when we flip the watch over.
Rounding out the full package is one of the more interesting straps I have had the pleasure of experiencing. While the red gold version of the Glashütte Original Panoreserve features a regular alligator strap, the galvanic blue dial is paired to a nubuck Alligator strap, also in blue. I seem to have been drawn to some of the more exotic leather straps of late, and I have been intrigued by these softer treatments, be they suede or nubuck. Here, it made for a rather delightful feel, and given its dark matte finish, it, well, just looked different than any strap I have had on the wrist, short of some tweed ones I played with last year. While I do not generally call out stock straps for their desirability, this one definitely makes the cut. As with other Glashütte Original models I have reviewed, the strap is installed the reverse of how you would expect. With the deployant clasp, it’s not as much of a concern, as you just need to adjust your muscle memory to release it in the opposite direction.
