Enicar Sherpa Diver (2 Crown Models)

Enicar Sherpa Diver (2 Crown Models)

INTRODUCTION

Enicar Sherpa 2 Crown Diver Collage

An earlier article covered the single crown Enicar Sherpa diver models.

In 1964 Enicar announced a new two crown dive watch, and this article moves to the two crown models based on the automatic AR1145 calibre movement.

Two crown Enicar Sherpa diver watches had been rarely seen before.  Below is a model with Enicar in Saturn and 4 hands with a rotating bezel, and arrow pointer.   This was possibly a GMT watch.

 

Dr Hans Hass was a well-known researcher who featured in advertising using the single crown Enicar diver models. Since the Divette was their single crown brand, Enicar used the brand Super Divette for the two crown model. And, Dr Hans Hass also featured in the advertising.

Introductory Ad for the Enicar Sherpa Diver
A 1964 advertisement released as an introduction to the 2 Crown Enicar Sherpa Diver

 

The watch below is an Enicar Sherpa diver watch but does not carry the Super Divette model name, rather it has no model name. It appears identical to the illustration in the above advertisement, but the watch has an extra GMT hand as in the model above. The hands are baton-shaped, with broad inverted T lumes at the ends. The outer bezel is identical with that in the advertisement, with a split trapezium at the 60-minute marker, and dot minute markers from 20 to 60.  All the 2 crown Sherpa dive watches have supercompressor Seapearl bayonet cases, discussed in an earlier article, and these will not be discussed here.

Early Enicar Sherpa Diver

ENICAR SHERPA SUPER DIVETTE

An early Super Divette model with the divided 60 marker on the bezel is shown below. As in the advertisement above it has lines for the markers from 0 to 20 minutes, and dots for the markers from 20 minutes to 60 minutes. The dial reads 17 JEWELS beneath ENICAR at 12 o’clock. Seapearl oyster caseback, numbered 125/005.

Image courtesy  of Jonathan at Crown & Caliber

 

Another early Super Divette model with the divided 60 marker on the bezel is shown below. This model has the markers on the bezel as uniform in height, while the advertisement above has dots for the markers from 20 minutes to 60 minutes.

This is a 33 jewel model, with calibre AR1145, and has automatic under the Enicar logo. The early divided 60 marker models are numbered 125/004 but the more general model number is either 145/003 or 144-35-01.   A Sherpa 600 supercompressor case was used on the model below, with a thin second hand.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette
Image courtesy of chronocentric user Marcel

 

This model below has a second hand with a lollipop dot.   Original bracelet, Serial no. 665137, Case no. 126/002 125/004.

Image courtesy: Kaplans Auktioner

 

This model also has the split trapezium marker at 60 on the bezel, but this also has uniform markers.  Again an automatic 33 jewel model.   Seapearl case engraved 126/002 and 125/004 beneath.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette 33

The model is 36mm diameter without crowns. The crowns were usually 3mm, but some replace these with 4mm crowns.

The lumes on the baton hands are broad inverted T lumes as in the advertisement above.

The bezel ceased to have the split trapezium at 60 at about this time, and the markers from 0 to 20 are longer than the other markers on the bezel. The second hand is a dot lollipop.

The model is Super Divette “T”, meaning that Tritium has been used for the lumes.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette
Image credits: thewatchforum.co.uk user DaveE (left), chronocentric user Shane (right)

 

Below is a 33 jewel model, without automatic on the dial and marked T < 25 mc (25 milli Curies).

Tritium was used for lumes from the 1960s until the late 1990s. Like radium which it replaced in 1960, it is also radio-active.

The half-life is approximately 12.3 years and after that, Tritium (in most cases) will not glow anymore.

There were two types of Tritium employed at the time:

  1. a) dials emitting radio-activity of less than 25 mC. Dials were often marked “SWISS T < 25”
  2. b) and more commonly, dials emitting radio-activity of less than 7.5 mC. Dials often marked “T SWISS T” or “T SWISS MADE T”.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette 33 black dial

This model below has a thin pencil lume added to the minute hand.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette
Image by watchuseek forum user: 3pointross

 

A cream dial model above, and below a gold dial model was less common, but tropic dials also exist.

Enicar Sherpa Super Divette Gold and Tropic
Images by chronocentric user: Massimiliano

 

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette Close up
Image by forumamontres forum user: lepacha91

 

 

Above is a Divette 33 model with T < 25mc on the dial

 

Mark III Sherpa Guide type hands also existed as below, with a thin pencil line down the minute hand and a lozenge lume on the hour hand. Triangular second hands fitted in with this hand change.

 

Image by uhrforum user: Helmet

 

Lollipop second hand

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette with lollipop hands
Image by forumamontres forum user: lepacha91

 

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette
Image by uhrforum user: Tiga

 

The next model change was to provide a bezel which had markers of the same size but was coloured to 45 minutes. Some models had a red triangle second hand, as in the Mark III Sherpa Guide.

The bezel had markers of the same size but was coloured to 45 minutes, and featured a triangle at 60 minutes.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Divette with coloured rotating ring
The crowns on this model are not cross hatched. Images by uhrforum user: Tiga

 

Below is a NOS Super Divette, model 144-35-01, with a red triangle second hand.

 

 

super divette
But lollipop second hands persisted.

 

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette yellow and white inner bezel
Image by uhrforum user: helmet

 

Model 144-35-01 with later hand style and lollipop dot second hand and crosshatched crowns and a Seapearl case.

Image by uhrforum user: doc-rudi

 

SUPER DIVETTE MKII

The Mark II model has the pillowcase or short lug style, and a late 1960’s model is shown below model 165-35-05.  The Saturn logo now has 2 rings and a dot on the bezel at 60 which is coloured to 45 minutes.

Movement: Enicar Cal 165 or rarely Enicar 1147 BD automatic, the latter being day/date.

Case without crown: 38mm, and lug to lug: 42mm

Sherpa Diver: Super Divette Mark II
Images by chronocentric user: Mark Houten

 

A yellow bezel model.

super divette 165-35-05

There was also a black (PVD) anodised version as shown below.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette Mark II pillow cushion case
Sherpa Super Divettes on different cases (Image by uhrforum user Käfer)

 

A rare yellow black anodised model.   Image : Leroy Kaman

 

ENICA SHERPA 600 LADY DIVER

In the late 1960s Enicar released the Sherpa 600 Lady Diver.

It was a small watch based on the AR765 movement, in an oval case without lugs. The dial was so small that it could not accommodate the Saturn logo. The watch was 26mm inside crowns, and 29mm long, and was 12mm between lugs.

It featured a bezel coloured red from 0 to 15, similar to the Super Divette above, with red markers at the 5-minute markers. The indices were narrow and partly coated with lume.

Enicar Sherpa Lady Diver
Images by uhrforum user: manrooster

 

SUPER DIVE

SUPER DIVE MARK I MODEL

The Super Dive at 42mm is larger than the Super Divette.

This is Enicar model number was originally model 125/006 with the AR1125 movement, and then 145/006 (but this changed to 144-35-02) and dates from early 1965, with the AR 1145 movement.  The 125/006 model had thinner crowns, “T SWISS MADE T” on the dial and a Seapearl caseback.  The 145/006 models had thick crowns.  Later 144-35-02 models had Sherpa 600 case backs.

Shown on the left in the image below left is a rare dauphine hand model and on the above right the most frequent model with baton hands.

All markers on the bezel are the same height from 0 to 60 minutes, with a trapezium at the 60-minute mark.

Enicar Sherpa DIver: Super Dive Mark I
Images by watchuseek forum user: Dogen

 

 

 

Dauphine hand model above and baton hand models below, with Sherpa 600 case back. The watch on the left is one of the last models of the series and has a triangular tapered second hand, and hour hand with lozenge lume.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Dive Mark I variants
Image credits: watchuseek forum user Dogen, 1st photo, forumamontres user charlp3

 

Below are images from a September 1966 model, 144-35-02.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Dive Mark I variants
Images courtesy of kaplans.se

 

Three Super Dive models are shown on the left of the photo below for comparison.

Enicar Sherpa DIver: Super Dive models
Image by uhrforum user: Tiga

 

The Super Dive went through similar model changes to the Super Divette. Firstly the 125/006 with a split marker on the bezel at 12, larger markers from 0 to 20, and square baton hands.  This is similar to the Divette advertisement at the start of the article.

Champagne dial: Image credit: watchuseek forum user KP-99

 

Then a revised bezel and a thin pencil lume in the minute hand from about June 1965.   This is sometimes called the tuning fork hand.  This model was 145/006 in a Seapearl caseback.  The more rare dauphine hand models were from the same period.

The dauphine hand model had a Sherpa 600 caseback marked 148-35-01.

 

Enicar sherpa super dive 148-35-01
Image courtesy: Watcholdtimes

Enicar superdive 148-35-01

 

Then the Enicar Sherpa Diver model gained more rounded tipped baton hands.  Black versions also exist. The second hand is sometimes just a thin pointer.

Image on left courtesy Vintagewatchclassics.com

 

SUPER DIVE MARK I POLISH NAVY

The Polish Navy (Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) issued this model to their divers. These were engraved on side and rear of case for security. The rear case was not engraved as much at the Enicar factory as were normal production models. Both dauphine hands and baton hands were used in the production run.

Enicar Sherpa Polish Navy Mark I Super Dive
Super Dive Polish Navy models engraved MW66xx: 1966 models

MW6650 polish navy enicar

 

SUPER DIVE 33 MARK I

The models below are Enicar model number 125/006 and 145/006.

The earliest Super Dive 33 model has a split marker at 12 and bigger markers on the bezel to 20, similar to the early Super Divette. The hand are baton with inverted T lumes. Second hands are mostly thin pointer style.

Image courtesy Uhrforum user Pete at left and WatchOldTimes right

super dive 33 enicar sherpa

 

Another early Enica Sherpa Diver model, this time all black with lollipop dot second hand.  The hour and minute hands have inverted T lumes.    T < 25mc on the dial at 6 o’clock.

Image courtesy Watchuseek forum user: brettwas

 

Below is a later 125/006 model with a solid marker at 12, and uniform minute markers around the bezel.   The index markers at 6, 9, and 12 are fluted as in other Enicar 33 models.   33 jewel AR1125 movement.   Seapearl case back.

Image courtesy Uhrforum user Nuki

A black faced model.

SUPER DIVE MARK II MODEL

This is Enicar Sherpa Diver model 167.08.02. It is a 43mm diameter cushion, pillowcase or short lug style, with a change to the 2 ring Saturn in the logo was produced in 1967.  It features a day/date AR167 caliber with day/date at 6 o’clock.

The bezel is red/orange from 0 to 15 and dark blue for the remainder. There is a red chapter ring at the minute markers.  The case was a Sherpa 600 supercompressor.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Dive Mark II
Images 1st and 2nd by uhrforum user: EnabranTain

 

Below is a pillowcase version of the 144-35-02 model in a black anodised finish.  Sherpa case back and  model number 165-35-05, similar to the Sherpa Guide 165-35-05.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Super Divette Mark II black anodised version
Image by chronocentric user: Fabrizio Caso

 

SHERPA ULTRADIVE

The Ultradive at 40 mm is the same size as the Super Dive. It has an crown protection infill between the crowns to help minimise snagging.

It features the AR1144 calibre movement.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Ultradive
Image by watchuseek forum user: Dogen

 

Enicar Sherpa Ultradive ad
An old advertisement for the Sherpa Ultradive model 145.35.03

 

The early models can be seen in the advertisements above. The bezel is evenly divided. The hands are baton with a broad inverted T lume on the hour hand. The minute hand has a continuous pencil stripe, and the hour hand a pencil stripe at the tip, as in earlier Dive and Divette models. Some models have 2 dots on the second hand. The bezel is variously coloured, commonly white, yellow, or black.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Ultradive models
Image credits, from L to R: uhrforum user Tiga, watchuseek forum user i20rider, watchuseek forum user primabaleron

 

The model below has a single dot lollipop second hand.   Seapearl supercompressor case back.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Ultradive with white inner bezel
Image by chronocentric user: Michael Klan

 

Here is a later model with revised Mark III Sherpa Guide type hour and minute hands, but with a two dot second hand.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Ultradive with white inner bezel
Image by malasiawatchforum user: Rainbowfix

 

And this model also has the red tapered triangular second hand.

Later the bezel changed in style, with a broader triangle lume at 60 and an outer coloured chapter ring between 0 and 40 minutes and a black chapter ring for the remainder between 40 and 60 minutes.   These have a Sherpa 600 oyster case back, engraved Sherpa 144-35-03.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Ultradive orange inner ring
Image courtesy of Matthew Bain at www.matthewbaininc.com (2nd image)

 

Ultradive 2 dot second hand sherpa
This version has the 2 dot second hand.

 

Later models have the 2 ring Saturn Enicar logo.    The model had a 2 dot lollipop second hand, or a red tapered triangle second hand.

Enicar Sherpa Divers catalogue
An Enicar catalogue showing the similarity between the OPS and the Ultradive design

 

Enicar Sherpa Ultradive
Images by uhrforum user: Ebby

 

Red triangle second hand.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Ultradive
Images by uhrforum user: Helmet

 

Enicar Sherpa Ultradive
Enicar Sherpa Ultradive variants: with a two-dot second hand, and with a red triangle second hand. Image by uhrforum user: Käfer

SHERPA OPS

MARK I OPS

The OPS model also went through various versions. The photo below shows the Mark I OPS with baton hands and a 2 dot lollipop second hand, and a black date.  This had a Sherpa 600 case back.

The index markers and lumes are much broader than used on the Ultradive dial.

It had a 40mm Seapearl or Sherpa 600 Super Compressor case like all the preceding models and was Cal AR1145B. The case was black anodised stainless steel, with a crown protector between crowns as in the Ultradive.   Model number 144-35-03.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS
Images by flickr/watchuseek forum user: Dogen

 

Triangular second hand below.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS on black strap
Image by mwrforum user: JohnnyB

 

Chronosport 1969 catalogue below.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS catalogue scan

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS catalogue scan

The model below has the same bezel as the advertisement, but a tapered triangular second hand, and Mark III Sherpa Guide hands.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS
Image on left courtesy of omegaforums user styggpyggeno1

 

A white bezel version.

 

 

Non PVD version.

 

MARK II OPS

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS Mark II
Image by uhrforum user: Ebby

 

The model above has similar hands to those in the advertisement and as in the Mark III Sherpa Guide, but the bezel has highlights to the 15 minute mark. The 1/59 marker on the bezel is an orange trapezium, and the 60 marker is a silver triangle.  The model number is 144/35/03A.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS Mark II 2
Images by Rainbowfix on photobucket

 

MARK III OPS

This model has raised index markers and a 2 ring Saturn logo. The lumes are reversed in position when compared with the previous model, and those at 6, 9 and 12 are trapezoidal in shape. These are very similar to the Ultradive of the same era.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS Mark III
Images by Rainbowfix on malaysiawatchforum

 

The Mark III Sherpa OPS is similar to the Ultradive in size and in dial layout as can be seen below. The case is black anodised stainless steel.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: Ultradive and OPS
Image by Rainbowfix on malaysiawatchforum

 

ENICAR SHERPA DIVER CALIBRES

AR1145
Enicar Sherpa Diver AR1145
AR 1145B
Enicar Sherpa Diver AR1145B
AR1147
Enicar Sherpa Diver AR1147
AAR 167
Enicar Sherpa Diver AAR 167

RECOMMENDATIONS

ENTRY

The entry model is likely to be the most recent models of the Super Divette or Super Dive releases. Expect to pay $1000 plus for good models.

Enicar Sherpa Super Divette PVD
Image by uhrforum user: Helmet

 

THE KEEPER

A rare model is the Polish Navy model which is a Super Dive with scratchy hand engraving. The Navy obviously were not seeking to enhance retail value when the made sure others could see even from the side that the watch belonged to them. If you can find one of these you are likely to find you have to keep it. Because of the rarity a price of $4000 is likely.

Enicar Sherpa Diver watch: Super Dive Polish Navy

THE GRAIL

The grail would be a Sherpa OPS with the black anodised aluminium case. Expect to pay $3000 plus for a good model.

Enicar Sherpa Diver: OPS

 

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