Parnis Datejust Homage

Parnis Datejust

Overview

Oh Parnis, why must you tempt me? After working on a bunch of retro gaming repairs, I decided to treat myself to something real nice. In this case, a Parnis Datejust homage, with rhodium dial.

On Wrist

Just sit back and look at it for a while. A perfect balance of simplicity and elegance. If I ever have a spare 10 grand laying around, I will buy the real deal. The dial is a rhodium grey sunburst and just stunning. The markers are lume filled rectangles, applied, with the exception of noon, which is now an inverted triangle. To be honest, I prefer this to the ‘real’ Datejust, which is a crown. I prefer to know in the dark where the heck 12 o’clock is at a glance. The hands are slightly tapered stick, which extend most of the length of the markers. The lume is white in daylight and glow green in the dark and glows very well for a dress watch. The chapter ring is printed on the dial in arabic numerals. The dial markings are all printed white and the printing is limited to Parnis and Automatic Water Resistant 21 Jewels, in unobtrusive size. There is a white background date at 3 O’clock.

Bezel and Crown

The bezel is fluted and very well finished. It catches the light, just enough, to catch the light and not be too blingy. The crystal is sapphire and flat with a decent, 2.5x cyclops magnifier for the date. The case is stainless steel a beautifully polished on top and sides. The case finishing is very good, I mean, could pass for real at a glance, good. The watch is heavy. The case back is screw down and unmarked. The crown is signed with P and unscrews easily. The case is rated 50M water resistance, which is not bad, considered the real deal is 100M. No way you are diving in either of these watches. The crown is a little small to hand wind with, but this is keeping with original.

Parnis
Deployant

The bracelet, wow. Parnis outdid themselves this time. The watch is jubilee style, solid, with solid end links. The links are held with screws, not pins, and makes adjustment a breeze. The center of the links are polished, the top side is brushed, with the sides are polished. Just fantastic and solid, with NO RATTLES. The deployant is a two button style, which, again, I prefer to the real deal. It is cast, not stamped and have beautiful cotes de geneve. A nice touch. There are 3 micro adjustment holes. The deployant is also stamped with Parnis in script and well executed.

Case Back

The movement was a matter of choice for me, I went with the Japanese Miyota 8215 automatic movement. There was an option for a Chinese movement, but I wanted to try a Miyota anyway. The movement is 21 jewels, hand winds, but does not hack, 21,600 BPH.. I have not opened the case yet, but I see the slight Miyota stutter, so I am sure this is the correct movement. The accuracy is excellent so far, within a few seconds a day. The automatic rotor is uni-directional, but seems to have no problem winding quickly.

Chillin’

This is my first Parnis branded homage and I have to say I am really impressed. The finishes are impeccable, the bracelet is worth half the price I paid for the watch, and everything is just well balanced and executed. In a way, they fixed some of the issues with the real deal, including the 12 o’clock marking, two button deployant style, and reduced the markings on the dial. Rolex dials are just too verbose. The Datejust is one of my favorite Rolex watches simply because of how versatile they are. They are dressy enough to wear with a suit, but casual enough to wear with shorts or a polo shirt (as long as you go with white gold.) The size is just right, not too big, but it still has wrist presence. When I save up some more, I have my eye on an Omega homage from Parnis. đŸ™‚ For the ~$110 I paid, I could not be happier with this watch.

Case: 40mm diameter, stainless steel, 50M water resistance.

Back: Stainless Steel, Screw Down

Crystal: Sapphire, Flat, with cyclops magnifier

Movement: Automatic, Miyota 8215, Made in Japan, 21,600 BPH, can hand wind

Complications: Date

Other: Luminous Hands and Markers

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