Enicar Sherpa Super Jet

[vintageanimation]

I got my first Enicar Sherpa. Unfortunately, it wasn't a Graph, but it still is pretty cool. Its not in the best shape, but it was just serviced and it's
running great. I got it at a great price. Could anyone give me any more details about the watch?

Best,

Mike

 

[vintageanimation]

 

[jbcollier]

Wow, great patina. Enicar tool watches were often just that, watches people used for their work. So, you tend to see a lot more in user condition than NOS. I like watches with history and I like yours as well. The only thing I would change is to find a better GMT hand as that is one of the signature design elements of the later GMT watches.

You can find more details on your watch here:

Enicar Sherpa Pilot (2 Crown Models) - The Spring Bar

The Enicar Sherpa is made for watch enthusiasts. Earlier development of the brand culminated in the Sherpa GMT and Sherpa World Time of the early 1960s.

thespringbar.com

Specifically:

https://thespringbar.com/blogs/guides/enicar-sherpa-pilot-2-crown-models/#MARK_II_SUPER_JET

 

[vintageanimation]

Thanks for the great info!!

 

[SteveHarris]

Great catch as JB has said. These are great watches and probably my personally favourite outside of the Graphs.

 

[Enicarfan]

Enicar Sherpa Super Jet was a GMT watch that was marketed by Enicar to airline pilots, airline staff, and travellers, during the dawn of the Jet Age 1950's-1960's when improvements in commercial aviation technology led to increased world travel.

Enicar's Sherpa Jet series of watches competed directly with Rolex's GMT Master which was the official watch for Pan Am pilots whom often needed to track two separate time zones. The solution Rolex developed was to make an additional GMT hand which made a rotation every 24 hours (instead of 12 hours) and a 24 hour bezel which could be rotated to the corresponding GMT hand in order to track a second time zone.

Unlike Rolex which only had a single model, Enicar produced an entire series of GMT tool watches for Pilots and travellers which included the Sherpa Guide, Jet Graph, Sherpa Super Jet, Sherpa Jet, Steward, Stewardess, Sherpa Guide, and World Time models. Enicar's GMT watches became the official watch line for Japan Airlines, SAS, Swiss Air in the 1960's & early 70's.

In addition, Enicar produced all of its own movements in-house and was similar to a vertically integrated company (like Apple Inc.) in that they did not source their movements and watch components through 3rd parties like Rolex, Patek, and many other manufacturers at that time. Although Rolex is now considered a vertically integrated company, it only became so in 1990's after they began slowly purchasing their suppliers like Aegler (movements) and Gay Frères (bracelets).

Several models also used EPSA (Ervin Piquerez S.A.) 2-crown compressor cases made for deep sea diving and could be used underwater up to 600 ft. The early Rolex GMT Master models (6542, 1675) made from 1954-1980 were only capable of being waterproof up to 50 ft as an example.

All in all, Enicar's Sherpa Jet/Super Jet models were as good if not superior to Rolex's GMT Master but whose legacy was forgotten after the company folded and faded into obscurity in the 80's.

 

[JimJupiter]

This guy would agree @Enicarfan

 

[wugod]

should be this one