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Enicar Ultrasonic (Ref. 125/001), 1960s — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Enicar Ultrasonic (Ref. 125/001), 1960s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Enicar (maker)
Date
1960s
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 35 mm
Stock no.
ENUS125001
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (ENUS125001)
Catalogue title (original)
1960s Enicar Ultrasonic (Ref. 125/001) (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number ENUS125001), this is a wristwatch by Enicar, made in Switzerland, dated 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 35 mm. 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 — Craft & Tailored

Many Enicar watches host the word ‘Ultrasonic’ beneath the iconic Saturn logo below the 12 o'clock. While the 'Ultrasonic' marker does not indicate a specific reference or style of Enicar, it is actually the name of a technological procedure which they began using in 1953 in their factory in Oensingen, a city located in northern Switzerland. The 'Ultrasonic' process was designed by the Federal Institute of Physics in Zurich. The method was used to clean watch movement parts before assembly, using ultrasonic waves. The institute then further enhanced the technology by formulating a special chemical coating, which was applied to each piece of the movement. The coating prevented lubrication from diffusing throughout, which kept the lubrication in its intended locations within the movement. This process added a significant lifespan to their watches, minimizing an owners need to seek frequent watch service. This special lubrication process was one of Enicar's prized innovations. Stock # ENUS125001 Brand Enicar Style Ultrasonic Model 125/001 Serial N/A Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Silver Millimeters 35mm Bracelet Enicar Beads of Rice Bracelet CASE & BRACELET This handsome case with curved lugs has been lightly polished in the past and exhibits a striking mirror-like finish. The acrylic crystal is in excellent condition. The original crown is adorned with the Enicar logo. The caseback engravings remain crisp and clear. The original beads of rice style bracelet is in stunning condition exhibiting only very mild stretch. DIAL & HANDS The beautiful silver sunburst dial reveals minimal signs of age. The four lume plots (at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock) have acquired a creamy yellow patina and show normal signs of age under U.V. inspection. The silver indices and date window show very little signs of age. The original tritium Dauphine hands match the dial nicely and show no degradation under U.V. light inspection. ACCESSORIES

Historical context

Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)

Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.

The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking

Atlas type guide

Wristwatches

Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.

After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.

What to look for

  • The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
  • The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
  • Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
  • Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.

Dating clues

  • Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
  • Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
  • Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.

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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