PAM341 Egiziano history facts,info,Review and PICTURES!

[SubKing]

having some fun with my brothers new camera



















side by side of the egi and my brothers breitling bentley GT

here is a great story about the panerai egiziano being no information on this watch can be found. until i purchased the watch i didnt know anything myself except it was made for the egyptian navy at only 100 pieces.



this book came with the watch to tell you the story behind it. also, the reason for lack of information on this watch is because when panerai was manufacturing this watch for the eygptian navy, they were building it exactly to the eyptians spec. it was considered a top seceret commision.. after the watches were completed, the navy took back all blue prints of the watches design to ovoid information leaks to other companys and or countrys.. they wanted the reason behind the watches function to remain classified. My guess? I would say naturally they wanted to stay one step ahead.. these watches were made so large for the reason being back then the dive suits were so think and large, visibility was minimal. their tools that were attached to their wrists via a watches strap included a compass or meter gauge on one arm, and the egiziano on the other.



they were not for fashion.. it turns out panerai mad 50 of these watches with the luminor print on the dial as they used lume material that was less toxic but had a shorter glow time. on the other 50 they printed radiomir as that was the more toxic material used, but in return had a longer and briter glow time.



we are used to seeing current production radiomirs with no crown gaurds and a different case design.. but thats what also makes the egi so special, it had the grown gaurd and all other features of a luminor model but it was marked radiomer.

OT: another interesting fact:
back in the day they used to have a group of women called "the radium girls"
that used to paint the dials with a toxic material.. of course they were told the material was harmless and infact could even be eaten and no harm would be caused...
The girls would paint their faces with the material to make their faces glow or paint their teeth to have fun inbetween breaks...
few months later they got very sick and all of them died..
this is a true story and if you google radium girls, you should be able to see a picture of them in the dial shop.

ok back on topic, as we all know panerai used to make more than just watches, they used to make tools.

many people think the new egiziano is just an over priced knock off of the original.. i can see where they would think it's overpriced.. but think about the time it took and the R&D panerai had to do inorder to make this watch happen. they had no blueprints no parts, nothing but a couple original pieces that they took apart piece by piece to recreat each part exactly to that of the original and make minor minor improvements. they studied the original up and down. here is a shot of the original and the current.







they only made 500 and then the project was done. they no longer have a use for the equipment they created to make this watch. they will never produce them again...
now im sure if they would produce 1,200 every year then it would all pay off..

they made this watch for the die hard panerai fans such as myself. to bring a little piece of history into the now. the watch is not a fashion piece. infact, the watch is so light weight and the lugs have a nice curve that fallows the wrist, it's not bad to wear at all and is not uncomfortable in anyway. yes it's pricey, but i think panerai price's their watches fair compared to other high end brands. ofcourse i wish they were less in price but they charge what they charge like rolex charges what they charge. i'm sure this watch was not cheap to produce. most of their limited editions are made on the current case design but have little differences than the regular line up which makes them special. the 1950's case is now used on all inhouse movements, when back in the day anything in a 1950's case was considered special edition. but the 341 case, dial hands, strap, clasp, plastic large crystal. everything is larger scale and different. most of the machinery used won't be used again as this is a one time production watch.

anyways with all that being said. i hope you all enjoy the story and pictures.

[gameson]

Nice info, especially about the Radium Girls!! But upon google, radium girls is for USA term, maybe for italian Ragazza Radium !

[mfer]

A great collector's piece. Interesting about the machinery used to make it? Where did you get that information? I would have thought is would be simple rotary equipment that is interchangable. I mean the movement is a regular production, hands are a little larger, but can't be that hard to make? Interesting...

[SubKing]

Originally Posted by mfer

A great collector's piece. Interesting about the machinery used to make it? Where did you get that information? I would have thought is would be simple rotary equipment that is interchangable. I mean the movement is a regular production, hands are a little larger, but can't be that hard to make? Interesting...

i got that info over a year ago at a panerai dinner my local Ad invited me to. they had the big egiziano there which is the first time i got to actually hold the watch.. i had asked Heddi who worked for panerai, why the watch was so high in price compared to panerai's other special editions.. she gave me that answer.

it's not like they used mill machines to make the case. i'm sure at some point they might use a mill for certian area's of the case, but how panerai developed this watch exactly is a mystery..

but just think about how ever they had to make the larger crown gaurd or hands or dial etc, they had to make only a low production one time run of 500 only, it could get pricey as apposed to setting up production for 500 yearly.. it makes sense.

also, what effects the price a bit as well is titanium is more difficult to work with than steel is. so for a case this large and thick, god only knows how they went about making it.. i feel that's the reason behind its VERY delayed launch and slow release of pieces.. it also would explain why they told me repair times on this watch would be from 6 months or longer and the watch would have to be sent back to switzerland only and not USA richemont..

in past servicings with my other panerai watche's, standard US service from richemont was around 1 to 2 months or longer depending on parts needed.. one time my watch was was diffective and they needed to replace the case and caseback. the case back had to be re made and re printed. it was almost 5 months before they had received the new parts... it seems any parts from panerai are very limited, it seems to me they don't stock pile parts like other company's. i just dont know why they don't stock parts cases etc.. every part is a special order and takes a longg time.. maybe it's just simply because, they don't make many watches yearly compared to other companies.. actually compared to rolex, who makes hundreds of thousands of watches of each model yearly, and panerai's runs of 500 to 2000 per model takes a big part in availablility in production of parts.

i wish they had more parts stocked. i wish service times were faster.. on other forums, you will hear many complaints about richemont service and how long it takes.. just thinking about my watch being in service half way around the world for 6 months or longer makes me a bit queasy. the watch movement is their simple 8 day inhouse. the case construction is pretty much simple, why so long for service and why have to send it all the way back to switzerland? i would love answers to these questions... but at this point i can only assume all of the above.

i would also like to know, what if 10 years from now i service the watch, what if i need a new bezel, or dial. can panerai replace it? who knows.

[TSW]

A cool PAM with a great history!
Too bad it would look pretty silly on my thin wrist

Love too see some more shots when you get a chance buddy

Thomas

[Shade]

Thanks for sharing, it's definitely a great piece. The Big Egi is definitely large... and honestly, despite it's lightness being Titanium and all, I just don't find the picture on the wrist is "appropriate". The case itself (the lugs) seems to "spill" out of the wrist...

Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to insult or being offensive, it's just that the Big Egi is really a unique watch that not anyone can pull off. And well, not anyone can see it being pulled off too (like me).

Unless perhaps people like Arnold and Sly... And maybe The Rock too..

[SubKing]

Originally Posted by Shade

Thanks for sharing, it's definitely a great piece. The Big Egi is definitely large... and honestly, despite it's lightness being Titanium and all, I just don't find the picture on the wrist is "appropriate". The case itself (the lugs) seems to "spill" out of the wrist...

Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to insult or being offensive, it's just that the Big Egi is really a unique watch that not anyone can pull off. And well, not anyone can see it being pulled off too (like me).

Unless perhaps people like Arnold and Sly... And maybe The Rock too..

i see your point. you're right, not everyone can pull it off... i know i can.. but who ever the collector is that owns this piece doesnt have to pull anything off. the egi is what it is. its history.