ENICAR SHERPA GUIDE 600 GMT – SOLD
Description
With an impressive Everest connection, the complex looking Enicar Sherpa Guide 600 GMT makes a great talking point. It was watches from this Sherpa range which were worn by the Swiss Himalayan expedition to Everest in 1956.
It is argued that Enicar provided the first watches ever taken to the top of Everest, and not Rolex. However, poor documentation of the expedition has left that accolade open to conjecture. However, forget the question mark – this is an exciting watch.
Item description: Enicar Sherpa Guide 600 GMT for sale. This iconic ‘Everest’ connection watch has a large robust stainless steel case. The dial in sunburst silver and with the Enicar brand name, along with the Sherpa Guide designation. Calender set to the conventional 3.00 position. There is an outer rotating section of the dial area coloured in white & black, allowing for a quick world time position. This rotating section is moved from the upper crown. The watch has an outer black world time bezel with major cities, and an inner red pointer. These can also be pre-set to give a world time reading. Both crowns with typical cross-hatched finish bearing the Enicar logo. Automatic movement. Complete with a black leather watch strap and non-branded stainless steel buckle.
Case size: 53mm x 45mm
Condition report: Case in excellent to near mint condition with a nice polished finish remaining. Dial original and with a nice ‘soft’ age patination, inner rotating section fully operational. Bezel in fully working condition, the red pointer ring also fully operational. The bezel in particularly good condition with all the cities still readable (note the photography tends to blank out one half of the cities). Case-back clean and free from any major scratches. Movement particularly clean and in working condition. The movement has been recently serviced (no warranty implied). The timepiece may have been opened, so it should not be used near moisture or water without being checked by a qualified watchmaker.
Background to the Enicar Sherpa 600 GMT: Back in the 1950s / 1960s, the Swiss watch manufacturer, Enicar, were well known and respected for their range of robust diver, and GMT aviation watches. It was watches from this range which were worn by the Swiss Himalayan expedition to Everest. It is argued that Enicar provided the first watches ever taken to the top of Everest, and not Rolex. However, poor documentation of the expedition has left that accolade open to conjecture. In homage to the 1956 Swiss expediation, Enicar launched their aptly named range of Sherpa Guide watches, the Sherpa Guide 600 being their flagship model. The Enicar Sherpa Guide 600 GMT has a quick use GMT inner rotating bezel, along with an outer world time bezel with inner red pointer for setting world time. Its GMT facility, and robust case, made this watch a favourite of mountaineers and aviation pilots.
Special notes: Enicar watches are in the midst of a resurgence in popularity. The brand has a solid following for their vintage watches, especially models such as the Sherpa series, including the Sherpa Jet, and Sherpa Super-Jet, and obviously the sought after Sherpa Graph. For over 70 years Enicar have produced watches that have been worn by mountaineers, the racing fraternity, U.S. Navy divers, and even a Russian rocket scientist.
Additional notes: The vast majority of all Sherpa Guide 600 watches had black dials. Just a few left the factory with sunburst silver dials, most of which were for use within the avaiation industry (commercial pilots etc). Rare to find in todays market.
Provenance: n/a
Ordering: shop@jensenmuseum.org or telephone: +1694-781354
