Phillips will feature a very rare Ref. 6154 “Small Egiziano” in their Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR. Between the different Vintage Panerai references, the 6154 is one of the rarest and most attractive because of its unique flat case design and only a small number of watches existing today. The auction lot includes a Guido Panerai & Figlio leather strap with “GPF – Mod. Dep.” pin buckle, a depth gauge and a rare underwater torch, known to be used by Egyptian frogmen in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

This particular watch can be traced back to the year 1995 when it was auctioned at Antiquorum in Geneva. Two years later, in 1997, it was published in the book “Militari da polso” on page 60. The watch was also published in our book “The References” (2009 edition) on page 197 and again – in detail – in our new book “The References” 1950’s-1960’s on page 808-817. The watch appears with brown faded “Radiomir Panerai” dial, 8 mm Rolex crown and Rolex 618 / Type 1 movement.

Read the historical background on watches and instruments from Guido Panerai & Figlio used by the Egypt frogmen in chapter VII and IX of “The References” 1950’s-1960’s, including rare photos of an Egyptian frogmen wearing Guido Panerai & Figlio instruments (page 794, 1064 and 1068). 

Further info on this watch (lot 153) can be found here.

We hope that also this watch will find a good new home and remains surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world. [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann]

[Photo with kindly permission / courtesy of www.phillips.com]

View on the inner caseback of a Ref. 6154 “Egiziano Piccolo” – the unique and beautiful decorated Montres Rolex S.A. Symbol, different to the other references made for Panerai in the 1950s (6152, 6152/1).

You can find an overview on the differences in the inner caseback of the three references 6152, 6154 and 6152/1 here.

Ralf captured the wonderfully aged brown “Radiomir Panerai” dial of this Ref. 6154 “Egiziano Piccolo” (small Egiziano). Faded Colors and cracked luminous markers and numbers are giving this watch a very Special appearance and unique look. In its flat 47 mm stainless steel case, it is today one of the rarest Vintage Panerai watches. The reference 6154 was produced for the Egyptian Navy in 1954 in very small numbers – until today only a few watches surfaced into the Vintage Panerai world.

Compared with the references 6152 and 6152/1, the 6154 is even more elegant and almost “streamlined” which gives it a special nickname in the Vintage Panerai world: “the Maserati amongst Ferraris”.

Ralf captured his stunning Ref. 6154 “Egiziano Piccolo” in a bright afternoon sun last summer. Today I stumbled over another photo of those which he sent me for use in our blog – the view from the side shows the unique  flat 47 mm case  and the wonderful dial.

Without a doubt this reference is one of the greatest watches produced by Panerai. It was produced for the Egyptian Navy in 1954. The brown aged “Radiomir Panerai” dial and the 8 mm Rolex crown gives it an striking appearance.

You can find a photo of the inner caseback with the special Rolex decoration here.

A very rare Vintage Panerai watch will be up for auction at Christie’s on december, 14th in New York, Rockefeller Plaza: LOT 268, a very rare Ref. 6154 “Small Egiziano” aka “Egiziano Piccolo”. The watch is part of Sale 2610 Important Watches. 

Since our book “The Reference” was published in 2009, only a few more pieces of this famous reference surfaced and were added into our database, which makes it one of the rarest Vintage Panerai models today. It appears as one of the Ref. 6154 watches which have been supplied with a Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2 movement, aside the other half of the today existing watches of this reference is supplied with Cal. 618 / Type 1 / Type 1 mod. movements.

Features of the watch:
Reference: 6154
Dial: “Radiomir Panerai”  (sandwich, engraved)
Case number: 997603
Movement: Rolex Cal. 618 / Type 2

We hope that this watch will find a good new home and remains surfaced in the Vintage Panerai collectors world.

[Photos with kindly permission of Christie’s · courtesy of E. Catenazzi / www.christies.com]

The Panerai Ref. 6154 “Egiziano Piccolo” in good company: compasses, depth gauges and it’s “big brother” GPF 2/56 “Egiziano Grosso” in the background.

Even with an impressive case size of 47 millimeters, the Ref. 6154 watch looks pretty small compared to the instruments around, which have a case size of 70 x 90 mm.

A set of vintage Panerai instruments – the so called “Trittico”

Left: depth gauge (30 meters)
“Radiomir Panerai” dial, coated 70 mm case.
Center: watch (Ref. 6154)
“Egiziano Piccolo” with “Radiomir Panerai” dial, 47 mm case.
Rigth: compass
Dial divided into 22.5° sections, coated 70 mm case.