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Enicar Star Diver Day Date Automatic Sherpa, ref. 147-05-02, circa 1972 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Enicar Star Diver Day Date Automatic Sherpa, ref. 147-05-02, circa 1972

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Enicar (maker)
Date
c. 1972
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Stock no.
vws3774
Credit line
Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3774)
Catalogue title (original)
Enicar Star Diver Day Date Automatic Sherpa - Model Ref: 147-05-02 - C. 1972 (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3774), this is a wristwatch by Enicar, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1972. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist

A Rare and Collectable Enicar Star Diver Day Date Automatic Sherpa in Fantastic Pre-Owned Condition, c.1972 Enicar, founded in 1913 by Ariste Racine in Switzerland, gained recognition for precision and innovation. The brand's name is "Racine" spelled backward. In the 1950s-60s, Enicar rose to prominence with its Sherpa line, built for explorers and professional use. Sherpa watches accompanied Himalayan expeditions and diving missions, earning a reputation for durability. Known for distinct designs and in-house movements, Enicar thrived until the Quartz Crisis, which led to its decline in the 1980s. What's on Offer The Enicar Star Diver combines precision Swiss craftsmanship with bold, stylish design. Featuring a striking blue dial, the watch exudes a sense of depth and adventure, while the stainless steel case provides durability and a sleek finish. Its automatic movement offers reliable timekeeping, ensuring you’re always on track, whether at sea or on land. The vibrant orange leather strap adds a pop of colour, creating a unique contrast with the dial and enhancing its overall aesthetic. Swiss-made for unmatched quality, the Enicar Star Diver is the perfect fusion of performance and elegance, crafted for those who appreciate both function and style. As for the condition of the watch overall, at the 25 mark on the bezel or 5 o'clock, on the case, there is a small blemish about 2 mm wide that could be described as a friction burn of some sort. There are some small scratches on the caseback, but otherwise the case, dial and hands are all in fantastic condition (9/10) and we are pretty sure you won't be disappointed with your purchase. Whether you’re diving deep or out on the town, this timepiece is designed to make a lasting impression.

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

Atlas type guide

Dive and water-resistant watches

Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.

Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.

What to look for

  • Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
  • Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
  • Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
  • Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.

Dating clues

  • Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
  • Professional dive watches: from 1953.
  • Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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