Side by side

Pagani Design PD-1685vsVario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound

The numbers, the dial colors, the calibers — laid out so you can stop flipping between tabs.

PD-1685
Pagani DesignPD-1685
MSRP $171
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound
VarioEmpire Art Nouveau Handwound
MSRP $888

At a glance

11 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
PD-168542mm
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound38mm
Power Reserve
PD-168542h
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound40h
Water Resistance
PD-1685200m
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound50m
MSRP
PD-1685$171
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound$888

Full specifications

Case

6 specs
Category
Diver
Dress
Diameter
42mm
38mm
Thickness
14mm
11mm
Lug-to-Lug
46mm
38mm
Material
Stainless Steel
316L Stainless Steel
Water Resistance
200m
50m

Crystal & Dial

1 specs
AR Coating
Yes
Inner

Movement

3 specs
Caliber
Miyota 8215
Miyota 6T33
Type
Automatic
Manual
Power Reserve
42h
40h

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$171
$888

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What people say

Owners + reviewers, side by side

Synthesized for each watch independently from owner discussions, enthusiast forums, written reviews, and video reviewers.

Pagani Design PD-1685

Owners widely praise the Pagani Design PD-1685's striking white dial and attractive blue bezel, with some finding it a "looker" and feeling it generally high quality. Accuracy varies, with one owner reporting -3 seconds per day and another seeing it run 20 seconds slow after freezing, though it remained functional after rough use. Concerns exist regarding the watch's thickness and potential wearability on smaller wrists, the lume fading quickly, and difficulty reading silver hands on the white dial in sunlight. One owner experienced a misaligned dial marker and another noted a rough crown action upon arrival, with a lume pip detaching. There is ambiguity regarding the movement used, with owners speculating about NH35A, Miyota 8215, or DG2813 clones. Overall, owners rate the Pagani Design PD-1685 highly for its attractive design and perceived quality at the price point, despite some noted fit and finish inconsistencies.

Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound

Owners widely praise the Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound for its detailed, multi-layered dial featuring applied numerals and guilloche patterns, its elegant Art Deco-inspired design, and the enjoyable winding feel of the Miyota 6T33 handwound movement, often visible through an exhibition case back. The 38mm case size is considered a positive by many, and the included leather strap is noted for its comfort and quality. Some owners find the differing fonts on the sub-dials and perimeter less appealing, and the absence of a constant seconds sub-dial is flagged as a drawback. On balance, owners rate the Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound highly for its distinctive Art Deco styling and detailed dial at its price point.

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