Who do you use to service your Enicars?

[SteveHarris]

I'm in the UK and would prefer not to send abroad but would be very interested to hear if there are any Enicar specialists anywhere?

I've booked an appointment to pop in and see James from Harris Horology - www.harrishorology.com (no link to me unfortunately!) in London next week. They seem to be highly recommended for vintage watches but not Enicar specialists per se.

Steve

 

[SteveHarris]

Dropped off 3 Enicars this morning, 2 of them for a service. I'll post up some before and after photos for the services.

Their workshop was quite amazing as they had a private museum of electric clocks. Fascinating to see!

 

[Joe_A]

Steve,

Glad you have found someone who looks to be first rate.

I was going to suggest someone in the the UK, but someone with whom I have no experience!

The first Sherpa Graph I bought is no longer in my possession. I bought this piece from A Collected Man:

Sherpa Graph 'Jim Clark' Chronograph 300 | MK III | Steel

Buy this vintage steel Enicar Sherpa Chronograph 300 MKIII sport watch online A Collected Man London. This is a beautiful example of an increasingly sought-after, collectable vintage watch. It has a Valjoux 72 calibre, the same column wheel chronograph mechanism famed for widespread use by...

www.acollectedman.com

I had it for about a month. Below you see it as it once appeared on my wrist.

So why did I not keep it? And what does this have to do with making a recommendation?

The reason I did not keep it despite its obvious beauty is that it was a good watch in every way, but the serial number on the case back - and the back itself of course, was from a Mark IV watch and was dated 11-68. To their credit, not only did ACM take the watch back, but they returned the cost of shipping both ways and refunded the cost of my converting the original USD to GBP as well. The process cost me nothing but a bit of inconvenience and I wore the watch for about a month. During the process I became somewhat acquainted with the watchmaker who originally turned a wreck of watch into the watch you see below. About the only thing I noticed they did "wrong" was to paint the entire lollipop red.

Steven Hale Watch Restoration , Servicing and Sales

The guy I worked with at ACM used to work for them, so I make the suggestion with multiple disclaimers.

Here in the States, I have only had one Sherpa Graph serviced and I can fully recommend RGM Watch Co.

(They also have service my 1963 JLC Memovox and currently they have my Gallet MC12H "Jim Clark" in for service.)

RGM Watch Co.

Roland Murphy not only services watches as a factory authorized agent, but he builds fine watches as well. I covet a Corps of Engineers watch and perhaps one day I will buy one.

Now then . . .

RGM did not have a tool to properly open the EPSA case and I suppose this would be a red flag to some. I'm told he's worked on many Valjoux 72-based watches and usually he can open them up with a Bergeon friction press - but not in my case.

He has in his facility, various 3D printers as well as CNC milling machines and so, rather than make a poor attempt to open the watch with a 3-sided tool and therfore risking more scratches, he manufactured a case opening tool and I purchased it from him. See below. The tool did not come with a handle and so I made one in my hobbyist machine shop.

Cheers,

Joe

Edited to properly indicate Ervin Piquerez S.A. compressor cases

 

[SteveHarris]

Thanks for all that Joe. A good read

I tried Steven Hale funnily enough but they never got back to me which was disappointing as I'd read they're work was very good.

James at Harris Horology has good reviews online too and when I spoke to him it gave me a lot of comfort that he would do a good job for me. He removed a dial for me on one of the watches whilst I waiting and it's amazing how quickly a trained watch repairer can take a watch to pieces!

I'll have a full report and some before and after pictures in a few weeks I think. The two I'll be posting about will be an Ops that really needs some love and a Super Dive that I picked up fairly cheaply that needed a little TLC.

 

[Joe_A]

When I originally worked with Robert Barham over at ACM, I spoke with him a couple of times. When I'd asked whether I could have a written report on the service SHWR performed on the watch he laughed as I remember it, and stated that it's next to impossible to get anything in writing from them despite the good work that they do. The suggestion was that they were very busy and written communication was not their forte.

Later, I contacted SHWR myself asking about whether they could possibly restore the hands of my second Sherpa Graph, and I discovered for myself that one gets a response only if one asks the same question three times over the space of three weeks.

When they do answer it's very brief, something like: "Yes we can work on your watch."

Good you found someine who seems to be excelent and with whom you can communicate easily.

 

[Tgprem]

Anyone that's looking for a good servicer in northeast of U.S. is Grand Central Watches right past track 38 in Grand Central Terminal, New York City, NY. The owner is very knowledgeable, mostly deals with vintage, has a clean room with filtration system and ideal environment for servicing. They aren't cheap but do an excellent job if you're in the metropolitan area. He serviced my Sherpa Jet and did an excellent job. It came looking and working way better than going in.

 

[Joe_A]

Tgprem,

What kind of turnaround time did you have for the Jet?

I'm in and out of the City pretty often.

Part of the allure with RGM for me is in making a weekend of it out in Amish country, dropping a watch off and then coming back to pick it up perhaps 8 to 12 weeks later.

I'll be picking up a watch and dropping another off in a couple weeks . . . I hope.

 

[Tgprem]

Hi Joe,

Forget what it was last time... I think around 2 weeks?! I can let you know the turnaround time exactly tomorrow. I’m taking my Sherpa Guide MK1 for servicing, gaskets, pressure test and ultrasonic cleaning tomorrow.