First Enicar, which also is my first manual wind watch

Iceman 7

New member
Sherpa
Hi everyone, I'm Dean, and I got myself a vintage Enicar Seapearl 100/93 from a antique store in Melbourne, the watch itself is in a working condition, however the case has lost some gold plating and there's corrosion on the case. Your advice will be appreciated much on how to tackle the issue, as I've been to two different watchmakers and they reject my watch when I want to service it, citing difficulty in sourcing spareparts and the aformentioned corrosion in the case.

Thank you.
 

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Iceman 7

New member
Sherpa
More photos on the corrosion on the lug.
 

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Hugger69

Member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
Hi and welcome to this forum and congrats to a beautiful and early Super Compressor case Enicar! 🤗

First of all I’m no expert on plated watches but your “corrosion” looks like ordinary wear ‘n tear to me and something that’s called patina in the vintage watch community! 😜

Patina gives your watch a soul and something that can’t be bought in any nearby shop! 🙏🏻

I sad to hear that you’ve run into such ignorant watchmakers becaus there’s no problem with a service on your watch but it has to be done by a real watchmaker, and not a so called watchmaker that just change a battery or sent the watch away, that knows his or hers stuff!😱

Spare parts is to be found all around the world and is no problem as long as you have an internet connection! 🤣

So my advice is to search on the net for vintage watch lovers near you and ask them about reliable watchmakers nearby! 🙏🏻
 

jbcollier

Member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
Ditto, it's not corrosion, just normal wear and tear and also very common on older gold plated watches.

Ask around in the local vintage watch community. There will be someone who services older watches. Parts can be difficult to find at times but the watch is running so a CLA is probably all that would need to be done.
 

Iceman 7

New member
Sherpa
Thanks for your input, the most likely part that I'll want to change is the crown, as the crown is an unsigned type and get an CLA like you said.
 

SteveHarris

Administrator
Staff member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
Welcome to the forums Dean! I'd echo exactly what the guys have said. I've always noticed that rubbish watchmakers will fob you off with statements like that as they don't know what they're doing. It's not difficult to source parts and a proper watchmaker will not have a problem sorting it out.

The only Enicar Aussie I know is Adam Shand. He's not on here but is on the Enicar Sherpa International Club group page on Facebook or on Instagram under adamshandwriter.

Steve
 

Iceman 7

New member
Sherpa
@everyone

Thank you very much for your kind feedbacks on the issue, and I'll seek some proper watchmaker, and one more question, do you think the original crown is a signed one, as I believe it a signed one, and the crown is a bit wobbly when I touch it and not staying in place and is it a sign of a likely damage?
 

SteveHarris

Administrator
Staff member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
John is right, sometimes these had signed crowns and sometimes not! Always looks better with I would say.
 

Iceman 7

New member
Sherpa
Update:

Right now the watch is service by Bob Shao, before I sent it to service, I ask first whether he'd handled the brand before, and he said he'd handle that brand before, and it'll take two weeks time for it.
 

jbcollier

Member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
Two weeks!!??

That's quick. I have a Heur Rallymaster set and I dropped it off at my local watchmaker. He was a little reluctant but he done lots of good work for me so I ignore the warning signs. Two years later I asked for them back. I then approached a nationally famous watchmaker. He agreed to do the work, even seemed interested. That was 7 months ago and still waiting. Most of my Enicars are done within 3 months, some are approaching the two year mark. That all said, he is busy and I typically have 5 or more watches with him at any given time.
 

Hugger69

Member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
You have to find yourself a new watchmaker @jbcollier! 😂

Two weeks is normal or maybe even too long for my excellent watchmaker to make a full service at a very reasonable cost I’ll ad!

The only time it takes more an a few days is if he has to wait for parts.....🤷🏼‍♂️ and if he doesn’t get hold of correct parts and it’s ok with the customer he makes the missing parts himself since he has like a masters degree in watchmaking and also is a former teacher at a watchmaker education!🙏🏻
 

jbcollier

Member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
If I lived where you do, absolutely. Where I am, it is what it is. Not much you can do. I can get the Rallymaster serviced by TAG Heuer but they would charge in the range of $1500 for EACH gauge. My current estimate is half that so I wait patiently.
 

Iceman 7

New member
Sherpa
Sorry for the late update, right now the watch has been serviced and working well, and the case remains unpolished as it was, and my next step is to buy the signed crown.
 

Massong

New member
Sherpa
Are you actualy in Melbourne? Thats where I am right now and for the next 2 years. Maybe it is time for a catch-up!
 

jbcollier

Member
Enicaristi
Sherpa
There isn't a clear photo of the crown so it's hard to judge if it is original or not. Not all Seapearls came with signed crowns.

These chaps have water-proof, signed, gold crowns of the correct type for a Seapearl:

 
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