Enicar - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

Enicar is a watch brand founded in 1913 in La Chaux-de-Fonds by Ariste Racine and Emma Racine-Blatt, the name being the palindrome of “Racine”.

A horological palindrome: from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Longeau

The workshop began in the family home before expanding, after World War I, to a much larger site in Longeau/Lengnau near Biel/Bienne; this move anchored the young company in an industrial cluster that would become a Swiss watchmaking stronghold. Very early on, the brand signed its dials “Enicar”, mixing in-house “AR” movements and third-party ébauches depending on the line.

The precise “birth year” differs across sources: some cite 1913, others 1914, while widespread dial branding accelerates from 1919 onwards; this minor discrepancy is acknowledged by brand historians (information not confirmed).

Sherpa: from the Himalayas to pit lanes

In May 1956, Seapearl watches accompanied the Swiss expedition to Lhotse and Everest, a founding episode that inspired the “Sherpa” name for exploration and dive lines; this field-testing strategy fixed the image of a purpose-built tool made for demanding environments. Over the following decade, more than a hundred Sherpa variants appeared (divers, travel watches, chronographs), shaping Enicar’s identity.

By the early 1960s, the Enicar Sherpa Graph had reached the racetracks and earned the esteem of top drivers; although the exact references worn by Jim Clark remain debated among specialists, the Graph’s connection to motorsport is now widely accepted; it stands as Enicar’s quintessential “racing” chronograph (with some iconographic details still unconfirmed).

“Super Compressor” cases and the “Ultrasonic” label

Technically, Enicar’s dive lines adopted EPSA twin-crown Super Compressor cases whose water-resistance increases with pressure; this easily spotted architecture—knurled crowns and an inner rotating bezel—became one of Enicar’s signatures in the 1950s-1960s. References such as the Seapearl 600, Ultradive and Super-Dive exemplify this functional maturity.

In parallel, “Ultrasonic” appeared on dials and ads to highlight parts-cleaning practice, alongside house slogans like “Star Jewels” and “Oil-Stop”; this was marketing language rooted in workshop realities but foremost meant to reassure the wearer. The overall effect supported a clear “reliable tool” positioning rather than a spec-sheet arms race.

Key families and representative models

The historical catalogue is structured into clear families, each addressing a concrete use-case; Enicar’s logic is less about one flagship and more about complementary ranges.

• Enicar Sherpa Graph — tri-compax “racing” chronograph, balanced proportions and utilitarian presence.
• Enicar Jet Graph — aviation-leaning chronograph with 24-hour reading and travel cues.
• Enicar Aqua Graph — dive chronograph with reinforced sealing and high-contrast markers.
• Enicar Sherpa Guide — travel/tool watch with inner bezel, 24-hour scale and city ring.
• Enicar Ultradive / Enicar Super-Dive — twin-crown divers with EPSA cases and inner bezels.
• Enicar Seapearl 600 — first-generation explorer/diver, the origin of the Sherpa story.

Pricing, distribution and the post-1987 fate

Like many independents, Enicar was hit hard by the quartz crisis and declared insolvent in 1987; stocks of cases and movements were purchased by Gerd-Rüdiger Lang (later Chronoswiss) and brand rights changed hands in 1988; the “Enicar” name continued primarily in Asia thereafter, without direct industrial continuity with the historical entity. Outside Asia, today’s presence is sporadic and aimed at the general public.

On the vintage market, interest in Sherpa pieces (Graph, Guide, Ultradive) has risen markedly over the last decade, while late-1950s Seapearl watches remain sought after; price dispersion is driven by details: part coherence, dial condition, and originality of crowns and bezels. Examples with clear provenance command a meaningful premium.

Selection advice (vintage): coherence first

On a “compressor” Sherpa, check for the two knurled crowns, the smooth action and alignment of the inner bezel, and the case-back markings (EPSA patents, refs); the dial/hand/case match is your best first-glance authenticity filter. Avoid “franken” assemblies and crude re-lumes that signal approximate restoration work.

For a Seapearl 600, assess dial state (lacquer, even patina), typography correctness and marker symmetry; over-polishing that eats case edges materially reduces collectability. Bracelet-wise, beads-of-rice steel or period-style rubber complements the utilitarian brief of early divers.

With chronographs, prioritise crisp sub-registers, positive-feeling pushers and a precise reset; on-wrist ease of use matters more than chasing micro-variants. A recent service history by a workshop familiar with period calibres is a decisive plus.

Conclusion

Enicar speaks to enthusiasts of honest, quietly distinctive tool-watches whose stories were written in use: from Himalayan climbs to pit lanes, the brand built a coherent grammar around legibility, intelligent cases and unpretentious dials. It remains readily identifiable through its Sherpa lines and a simple idea: a well-designed watch should serve its wearer. To decide between Graph, Guide, Ultradive or Seapearl, begin with your use-case and wrist comfort, then weigh options against Dialicious customer reviews. Owner feedback adds lived context to spec sheets and archives.

(Updated September 2025)