Tropical 1964 Enicar Sherpa Super Jet GMT (Ref. 146/003) Silver Dial

Enicar today, though still relatively unknown, is known for being one of the more creatively designed vintage “golden era” watches that are still reasonably priced for the quality they offer. Enicar started its roots in La Chaux-de-Fonds Switzerland in 1913, however, it’s their sports models of the 60s and early 70s that collectors today cherish the most. Enicar was an early adopter of the EPSA-designed Super Compressor case and created watches with numerous applications for flying, diving, and racing.

The Sherpa Super Jet was Enicar's straightforward GMT wristwatch design and was a sturdy one at that. The Super Jet model is generally understood to be slightly more uncommon than its smaller sibling model, which is aptly named just the Sherpa Jet. The  40mm Super Compressor case is creatively utilized in the application of the Super Jet, while the watch retains the same waterproof capabilities of the Super Compressor case as other Sherpa watches, altering the inner rotating bezel to a 24-hour bicolor scale effectively transforms the classic Sherpa into a robust GMT. 

Patented in 1956 by Ervin Piquerez SA (EPSA), the SuperCompressor case possessed a unique sealing system that set it apart from other dive watch cases of the day. When exposed to higher water pressure, the spring-loaded case back of the SuperCompressor case is sealed even tighter. Another innovation of the SuperCompressor was its approach to securing the bezel. As most diving watch timing bezels of the era rotated outside the case, the Enicar Super Compressor’s timing bezel rotated internally and was operated externally through a secondary crown. Dozens of other brands released dive watches with SuperCompressor cases, the most notable being Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, Enicar, Benrus, and Wittnauer.