Tuesday, December 30, 2025

AUTENTIC VINTAGE ENICAR STAR JEWEL GENTS WRISTWATCH
















AUTENTIC VINTAGE ENICAR STAR JEWEL GENTS WRISTWATCH


BRAND/JENAMA: ENICAR

MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS

CIRCA/TAHUN: 1960's

MODEL: STAR JEWEL

CRYSTAL/CERMIN: MINERAL GLASS 

MOVEMENT/ENJIN: ENICAR 17 JEWELS AUTOMATIC WINDING MOVEMENT INHOUSE ENICAR AR CAL.1140

DIAL COLOR: DARK BLACK BROWN

FUNCTION/FUNGSI: DRESS

HANDS/JARUM: RAISED GOLD BATON HANDS 

MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: RAISED GOLD TONE BATONS MARKERS

CASING : GOLD PLATED TOP AND STAINLESS STEEL BACK

LUGS: 20mm 

MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 36mm DIAMETER EXCLUDING CROWN and 38mm LUG TO LUG WITH CLAW LUGS

DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: -

CROWN: GP

STRAP/TALI: BROWN LEATHER BAND

SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"

EXCELLENT CONDITION, WORKING, KEEPING TIME, DISCONTINUED MODEL VERY RARE AND HARD TO FIND

PRICE/HARGA: USD200 (NEGOTIABLE)

BRIEF HISTORY OF ENICAR SHERPA

The creation of the brand name seems a bit funny. Enicar was founded by Artiste Racine (Racine Watch Co) in 1914 in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, known as a mecca of swiss watchmaking and watchmaking tradition. If you spell R A C I N E backwards you will have E N I C A R. Complete name: Manufacture d`Horlogerie Enicar SA.

The business objective - when starting up the business - was the production of lever watches with a wide selection of movements. 

Later the factory moved to Lengnau (Longeau), the german speaking part of Switzerland. Here a specialization took place, Artiste Racine got specialized into sports watches which have been sold unter his trademark „AR in a Pentagon“

Starting in the 30's ENICAR sold watches under the following brand names:
* Longeau
* Alprose
* Etsira
* Savillon.
These watches have been less expensive but weren´t of the same quality the top brand watches have been. "Swisbaby" was a wrist alarm watch made by ENICAR SA (pin lever movement 500).

In the 60ties (around 1962) ENICAR started to produce automatic movements of their own, the „Rubirotor“ is one example of Enicar´s timepieces out of that time period. Till that time ENICAR watches haven been fitted with "ebauches" made by A.Schild (AS).

ENICAR watches haven been known for their durability, they have been made to extremly high standards as many went to export to China where there has been only little watch making/servicing knowledge. 
In 1956, members of a swiss Himalayan expedition relied on Enicar watches and as the history will tell you the expectations were fully met. The „Sherpa“ models have become world wide known after that; to name some models: Sherpa, Sherpa Seapearl Diver, Sherpa Time (with world timer bezel), Sherpa Ultradive (with inner dive time wheel), Serpa Star, Sherpa Jet.

VINTAGE HELBROS INVICIBLE DAYDATE GENTS WRISTWATCH










BRAND/JENAMA: VINTAGE HELBROS INVICIBLE DAYDATE GENTS WRISTWATCH
MADE IN/BUATAN: WEST GERMANY
CIRCA/TAHUN: 1960's
MODEL:  INVICIBLE 
CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC CRYSTAL 
MOVEMENT/ENJIN:  RARE GERMAN MADE CHRONOMETER GRADE PuW CAL.463 MANUAL 17 JEWELS MOVEMENT
DIAL COLOR: GOLD TONE FULL OF CHARECTOR PATINA FLAKES
FUNCTION/FUNGSI:  HOUR, MINUTE, SWIPE CENTER, NON QUICK SET DAY AT 9:00 AND DATE AT 3:00
HANDS/JARUM: GOLD LUMINOUS HANDS
MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: RAISED BATON MARKERS
CASING : BASE METAL GOLD PLATED TOP AND STAINLESS STEEL BACK
LUGS SIZE: 18mm 
MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 36mm DIAMETER EXCLUDING CROWN 42mm LUG TO LUG 
DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: HELBROS LOGO~BASE METAL BEZEL ~ STAINLESS STEEL BACK
CROWN: UNSIGNED GP CROWN
STRAP/TALI: ORIGINAL NEW  RED TEXTILES WEAVED STRAP BAND
SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"
EXCELLENT CONDITION, WORKING, HARD TO FIND
VINTAGE - NO BOX NO PAPER 
PRICE:  ESTIMATED USD150 (NEGOTIABLE) 
LISTING RM1,500 SOLD RM1,500
BRIEF INFORMATION ON HELBROS WATCHES

I've been doing some research on a Helbros watch . Today Helbros is owned by Jules Jurgensen, they have had the relationship since 1913.  There was history record that Helbros is a New York based company. Elgin Watch was a subdiary of Hebros Watch Co. Elgin Watch Co being organized in Delaware suggests that it is more likely that Elgin was a division Helbros. The Elgin National Watch Company changed it's name to Elgin Industries and stopped making watches in the 1960's. Helbros made some watches themself but were much more of an assembler/marketer than a manufacturer. Because of contract manufacturing you can find vintage Helbos watches from Germany, Switzerland, and even a few from France. I know it's not much but I there isn't much out there.

Sunday, December 14, 2025

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE MONARCH ARTDECO HIDDEN LUGS GENTS WRISTWATCH















AUTHENTIC VINTAGE MONARCH ARTDECO HIDDEN LUGS GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS
CIRCA/TAHUN: 1930'S
MODEL: ARTDECO
CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC CRYSTAL
MOVEMENT/ENJIN: 17 JEWELS PESEUX CAL. 112 MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT 
DIAL COLOR: BLACK TWO TONE GOLD AND DARK ORANGE GOLD TONE BLACK ARABIC MARKERS
FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR, MINUTE AND SUB SECOND AT 6:00
HANDS/JARUM: ORANGE COLOR DAUPHANE HANDS
MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: GOLD TONE BOLD ROMAN MARKERS


AUTHENTIC VINTAGE ILLINOIS STEWART GENTS WRISTWATCH




















AUTHENTIC VINTAGE ILLINOIS STEWART GENTS WRISTWATCH
MADE IN/BUATAN: USA
CIRCA/TAHUN: 1920's
MODEL: ILLINOIS STEWART
CRYSTAL/CERMIN: SCRATCH FREE ACRYLIC CRYSTAL
MOVEMENT/ENJIN: ILLINOIS LADY STEWART 15 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT GRADE 34
DIAL COLOR: WHITE CREAM
FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR, MINUTES AND SUB SECOND AT 6:00
HANDS/JARUM: LUMINOUS BLUE METAL HANDS
MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: LUMINOUS ARABIC MARKER
CASING : 10K GOLD RGP
BEZEL: 10K GOLD RGP
LUGS: 20mm
MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 32mm DIAMETER w/o CROWN and 35mm LUG TO LUG
DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: NONE
CROWN: ORIGINAL UNSIGNED ONION CROWN
STRAP/TALI: GENUINE GOLD PLATED STRECTH BANDS
SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5" FULL LENGHT
CONDITION: WORKING AND KEEPING TIME, EXCELLENT CONDITION
MY PRICE/HARGA :USD300 (NEGOTIABLE)
LIST USD300 SOLD USD

BRIEF HISTORY OF ILLINOIS WATCHES

Illinois Watch Factory
Illinois Watch Factory
The Illinois Springfield Watch Company was organized in 1869 primarily through the efforts of J. C. Adams. The first company Directors were J. T. Stuart, W. B. Miller, John Williams, John W. Bunn, George Black and George Passfield.
John Stuart was a Springfield lawyer and former partner of Abraham Lincoln. John Williams was president of the First National bank of Springfield. William B. Miller was a local merchant. John B. Bunn owned a grocery business.
Though the first movements were produced in 1872, the company really didn't achieve full production until 1875. By serial number, the first watch made was the "Stuart" model, followed in order by the "Mason," Bunn," "Miller," and finally the "Currier. The first stem-wind watch was produced in 1875. The early Illinois models were key-wound and key-set and are quite collectible today. Illinois later produced an extensive line of extremely fine and accurate Railroad-grade pocket watches like the "Sangamo Special," "Bunn Special" and "Santa Fe Special" (just to name a few).
Illinois: A Great American Watch Since 1870
Illinois: A Great American Watch Since 1870
In 1879, due to financial difficulties, the company was reorganized and the name changed to the Illinois Springfield Watch Company. By 1885 the company name was changed yet again to the Illinois Watch Company.

Purchased by Hamilton

The Illinois Watch Company was purchased by Hamilton Watch Company in 1927, but continued to produce Illinois watches under Hamilton management until 1932 (the year the last "true" Illinois watch was made). Hamilton continued producing Illinois watches in the Hamilton factory until 1939.
The Illinois Watch Company produced watches under contract for several different brands, including Burlington Watch Company (Chicago, Illinois) which operated primarily as a mail-order business, and Santa Fe Watch Company (Topeka, Kansas). There is some question as to whether Burlington was actually a subsidiary of Illinois. Watches produced under the Burlington name include some very fine (including some railroad grade) watches, which are nearly identical to Illinois movements. Illinois also produced watches for the Plymouth Watch Company (Sears Roebuck) and the Washington Watch Company (Montgomery Ward).