Enicar "Tiger" ref. 167-01-39 with "Anticorodal" aluminium case

[VintageEnicarEnthusiast]

Good morning everybody,

new in my collection is an Enicar "Tiger" ref. 167-01-39. Perfect NOS condition including original strap and box. According to the reference-code starting with "167" I assume that the movement is an Enicar cal. 1167.

In fact, in a 1972 brochure I can verify the model as "167 01 39". Just shown with a slightly different dial there, but definitely this type of watch. The comment says that the case material is "Anticorodal" (which is some kind of specially resistant aluminium alloy).

Unfortunately, I cannot find any further information neither concerning "Anticorodal" watchcases nor concerning the model-series "Tiger".

Does any of you guys know anything about these subjects?

Thanks and best regards

 

[hurmen]

Cool watch in excellent condition!

Regarding the Anticorodal case a quick Google search gave me:

Characteristics of anticorodal aluminum
Anticorodal aluminum belongs to the 6000 series of aluminum alloys, a category created through heat treatment. It is composed of magnesium (with a percentage varying from 0.4 to 1.7%), manganese (from 0.5 to 1%), and silicon (from 1 to 5%).

Its characteristics include:

• corrosion resistance
• high weldability
• great workability with machine tool
• excellent technical anodizing and great decorative anodizing

 

[VintageEnicarEnthusiast]

Cool watch in excellent condition!

Regarding the Anticorodal case a quick Google search gave me:

Characteristics of anticorodal aluminum
Anticorodal aluminum belongs to the 6000 series of aluminum alloys, a category created through heat treatment. It is composed of magnesium (with a percentage varying from 0.4 to 1.7%), manganese (from 0.5 to 1%), and silicon (from 1 to 5%).

Its characteristics include:

• corrosion resistance
• high weldability
• great workability with machine tool
• excellent technical anodizing and great decorative anodizing

Many thanks for your comment! The watch is a very nice thing indeed, and in reality the brown colour looks even more lively than in the pictures. As we can see, the 1970s didn't just have all their typical trendy designs in bright and loud colours like orange etc. Other than this, a combination of gold and brown was rather thought to be some kind of "elegant". Somehow reminds me of the room-setups done in dark mahogany wood and brass, which I think were in vogue in the late 1970s / early 1980s.

As to "Anticorodal", the material properties explained in your posting in fact are calling for using this material to build watchcases made from it. Yet it seems that, due to whatever reason, in the end this material didn't make its way in horology. It would be interesting to know why, especially what was the destiny of Anticorodal within the production range of Enicar.

Also still a riddle is the product line Enicar "Tiger".

 

[Joe_A]

Is the band made of aluminum as well?

I'm asking because the watch case and the band look like they are anodized.

When one anodizes aluminum, it becomes somewhat harder on the surface and is a bit more corrosion resistant.

Aluminum can be anodized in a variety of colors.

Anodized Aluminum: Types, Uses, Features and Benefits

Multi-chapter guide to Anodized Aluminum describing: materials used, types of Anodized Aluminum, treatments and processing, coating classes, and uses.

www.iqsdirectory.com

Common colors are black, red, gold, blue and various shades of brown.

 

[VintageEnicarEnthusiast]

Is the band made of aluminum as well?

I'm asking because the watch case and the band look like they are anodized.

When one anodizes aluminum, it becomes somewhat harder on the surface and is a bit more corrosion resistant.

Aluminum can be anodized in a variety of colors.

Anodized Aluminum: Types, Uses, Features and Benefits

Multi-chapter guide to Anodized Aluminum describing: materials used, types of Anodized Aluminum, treatments and processing, coating classes, and uses.

www.iqsdirectory.com

Common colors are black, red, gold, blue and various shades of brown.

The bracelet is made from brown rubber. It has a metal folding clasp, inside encryption says "ENICAR Stainless Steel". The outside element of the clasp is in the same brown colour as the watchcase. All together, this obviously what the brochure means saying "Spezialband" ("special bracelet").

The case back is also stainless steel in the typical ENICAR way. Only the case as itself seems to be made from "Anticorodal".

As to the techniques of applying the brown colour to the watchcase and to the clasp, I do not know how this has been done. Anyway, the coating seems to be damageable: There are some very tiny peelings at one edge of the clasp. The watchcase is perfectly unhurt, but most pictures in the Web show exemplars with battered edges.