Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 8 days Rattraprante 47mm PAM 00319

The art of complication. Panerai announced it watch line-up for 2009 at SIHH 2009: the PAM 305, PAM 312 and the PAM 320. The most impressive new addition to the Officine Panerai line-up is the PAM 319, or the Luminor 1950 8 days Rattraprante 47mm.

Luminor 1950 8 days Rattraprante 47mm PAM 00319. The PAM 319 has a 47mm case diameter using rounded less angular the 1950 case design made of 18-ct pink gold. Like other Luminor's, the case features the distinctive Patented clamp which protects the winding mechanism, also in 18-ct gold. From this, we know we are looking at a very expensive watch.

While the 8 days manual winding movement is impressive, what makes this watch so significant it that it is a Rattraprante... or in simpler language, a split seconds chronograph. Even more impressive is that this splits second chronograph movement is built by Panerai in-house. What do you think? A six figure price tag?


What is a Split Seconds Chronograph? The basic chronograph allows the measurement of a single event. A split seconds chornograph allows for the measurement of two simultaneous events beginning at the same time. This is done by having two chronograph seconds hand, one of which could be stopped while allowing the second one to continue moving. This complication is called the split-seconds chronograph.

A split-seconds chronograph features a clutch system with clamps that connect and disconnect the split-seconds hand and the main chronograph hand. The push of a button starts the chronograph function. Another button press will stop one hand while allowing the other to keep moving.

The Panerai P. 2006/3 Movement. The PAM 319 is one of Panerai's manifaturra line of watches. Thus means that it has a movement built by Panerai, as opposed to those which have a third party movement modified by Panerai. The movement in the PAM 310 is the new Panerai P. 2006/3 calibre. This manual winding movement produces 28,800 vibrations per hour.

With the development of complications like a split second chronograph, in addition to the Tourbillon and Flyback Chornograph we saw in 2008, Panerai seems to be trying to build a brand identity like Patek Philippe and other manufacturers of intricate complication watches.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.