Panerai wristwatch photo blog: Panerai PAM219 Luminor Base Destro

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Panerai PAM219 Luminor Base Destro

The Panerai PAM219 is a so called Destro watch. Destro watches are designed for left-handed people and intended to be worn on the right-hand wrist. I'm not sure but I think that Panerai was first to use the term Destro as Panerai are an Italian company and Destro is Italian for Right. The only real difference between regular watches and destro watches, is that the winding crown is on the left side of the case (at the 9 o' clock position) which allows a left-handed person to wind it while holding the watch in the right hand.

Panerai PAM219 Luminor Base Destro

Winding a Panerai Luminor watch on the wrist is possible, but it's not very convenient because of the crown protector. There are quite a few people that are not left-handed, but that still buy and wear destro watches. Perhaps because of the unique design, and look and feel. Or perhaps it is their rarity that makes these models more collectible for some. Destros can of course be worn on either wrist. If you wear it on your left wrist the crown is obviously facing up.

Display back

The PAM219 is a hand-wound mechanical base watch - just hours and minutes. The case is 44mm, it has a sandwich dial and it has a display back. Its depth rating is 30 bar or 300 metres - despite its case back crystal. The movement is Panerai's OP X calibre - which is a modified ETA 6497 movement with a swan's neck regulator. Panerai introduced this movement in its watches in 2002. It is a reliable movement that can be maintained by many watch makers. It is currently used in the Panerai Luminor models PAM219, PAM112, PAM114, PAM176, and PAM116. The following Radiomirs also have the OP X calibre; PAM210, PAM231, PAM232, PAM249 and PAM262.

Close up of the crown at the 9 o'clock position and the sandwich dial

Panerai has produced relatively small numbers of the PAM219. Production started with 500 units in 2005 (H-Series). In the following years Panerai produced 200 units for the I-series, 400 units for the J-series and another 400 units for the K-series (2008-2009). The production numbers for 2010 are not finite to my knowledge, but the watch is still in production.

Besides the position of the crown, the 219 is the same watch as the Panerai PAM112 Luminor Base (below).

The PAM219 next to the PAM112

There are other brands that sell destro watches but to my knowledge not as many models as Officine Panerai. One of the more sought after Panerai destro watches is the Panerai PAM217 Destro Marina Militare. The PAM217 is a special edition (2005) with a 47mm 1950's style case. Only 1,000 pieces were made. The watch is sometimes referred to as the Destro Fiddy (PAM127).

The PAM217 Destro Marina Militare 47mm

And then there's of course the infamous PVD PAM26 that was original produced in 1998 and 1999 only (200 and 500 units respectively). Panerai produced a Special Edition re-release of the 26 in 2008 (1000 units). Other Vendome era Panerai destro watches are the PAM22 (700 units total in the A and B series), the PAM56 (800 units total in the C and D series), the PAM115 (800 units total (E, F and G-series), the PAM117 (300 units in the E-series) and the PAM123 (800 units in E, F and G). Panerai launched the first left-handed version of one of their models during the 1950's. That vintage wrist watch is now a part of the Panerai museum collection.