Opening Enicar Case

[ausimax]

Just picked this one up in a batch of 20, have not made any serious attempts at opening and thought I would ask before destruction.










My assumption is that it is a press on case back and that to open you would turn the back and the tag would climb the ramp and lift the back off, Is that the way it is done?

It is a goer and should clean up to be a nice unit when done.

Thanks,

Max

[Adrian-VTA]

Assuming that cam is supposed to be there, which it appears to be, that would be the process.

[Deleted]

This is a screw off case back. I have a couple of Enicars with this style. I just use my two prong case back opener and it works fine.
Too bad someone has damaged the case

[Adrian-VTA]

Depends who made the case, I've got a few here with some wacky systems.
 

Jan 24, 2018 18:23:34 GMT -8 @penguinbce said:

This is a screw off case back. I have a couple of Enicars with this style. I just use my two prong case back opener and it works fine.
Too bad someone has damaged the case

[philsinclair]

Hi. Someone has really butchered this and it’s a shame because the 30j movement made and in-house and I think maybe the one used as the base movement by chronoswiss. I think you will find this case is quite different and requires about a quarter of a turn then lifts off. Cheers Phil

[philsinclair]

Sorry meant one tenth. Cheers Phil

[ausimax]

Thanks for all your input, soon after I posted curiosity got the better of me and I decided to try and open it, just used a 2 prong case opener and gave it a turn, and as I suspected the tab climbed the ramp and lifted the back off.

Pleased it came loose without any trouble, not mad about these Breitling style case backs, the opener dies cost an arm and a leg, OK if you are working with them all the time but for the occasional one if it is too tight looks like the glued nut or a cold chisel.
 
The case hasn't been damaged, just wear from opening I think and can't be seen when a band is fitted, should clean up well when the case and crystal are polished, not mad about GP cases but that is in most cases what makes them affordable, and cheapskates can't choosers!

[philsinclair]

Hi Max. These cases are really good once you get used to them. I suspect Enicar were using them before Breitling. Anyhow, I would rather have a nice condition Super Test or Sherpa than a Breitling. Cheers Phil

[small]

Yes these can be a bit deceiving. I have a few "dive watches" that have the same shape that just pry off, "snap Back" and yet others that screw off. I did have a goofy one like Phil said that just took a slight turn to have it come loose.... 
Any chance of a movement pick now that the backs off?

[Deleted]

This is one possible movement that the watch might have...

or this older type...

[stevenjohn]

So the dial lies?  

[philsinclair]

Hi. It should have a 30 jewel automatic in house movement. The later 30 j movements were AS automatic movements. These 30j movements were their quality dress watch range. They did make a 17j handwinder like those above and were well made, sold some millions of them in Asia.Cheers Phil

[ausimax]

This is what lurks within:








According to Ranfft:


"1955: Nr.1940, AR 1034, U, Enicar Watch Co, Swiss, Chronometer, Adjusted to Temperature and 5 Positions, 30 Jewels; Incabloc"

[philsinclair]

Yeah. As expected, this is their chronometer grade movement as is as good as anything available at the time. It’s the forerunner of the super test models. Although it’s difficult to say any enicar is rare, this would have been a relatively low production number watch. The decoration of the movement is quite good and must have looked great when new. The super test movements have a gilt finish and don’t look as good in my opinion. Cheers Phil