This Purpose-Built Dive Watch Boasts a Rare Feature That Used to Be Everywhere

On paper, it sounds like a terrible idea to build a new brand around one line of watches from a defunct brand that hardly anyone outside of the collector community has even heard of.

Fortunately, German engineer Martin Klocke went ahead and did it anyway.

Sherpa

Kloche founded Sherpa in 2019 as a passion project to recreate a genuine super compressor dive watch. The brand name and dial appearance both come from the Enicar Sherpa, a collection of dive and GMT watches introduced in 1956.

Enicar, along with Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hamilton, IWC and many other brands, used the super compressor case system produced by Ervin Piquerez SA (EPSA). It was invented in 1954 to use the increased pressure on a dive watch as it descends to improve water resistance, rather than fighting against it.

Sherpa

Sherpa only makes two watches, but they are both so well designed that a color refresh on occasion is all the brand needs. The Ultradive, named after the original Enicar super compressor dive watch, was introduced in 2022.

Sherpa

It is now available in the icy blue ‘Atoll,’ reminiscent of 1970s divers from brands like Doxa and Squale, and the 1950s-faithful ‘Tuexedo,’ with a radial brushed dark steel dial and a black rotating bezel.

A genuine super compressor

EPSA developed the first compressor watch case in 1953, followed by the improved super compressor in 1954, to extend the longevity of the water-resistant sealants used on watch cases.

Sherpa

The caseback is held firmly in place under atmospheric pressure, but the sealant gasket is under minimal pressure. When the watch descends underwater, the increased pressure compresses the caseback into the case and tightens the gasket seal, improving water resistance.

EPSA’s super compressor improved upon the original with the EPSA-STOP Bayonet caseback locking system. Where the original compressor caseback snapped into place, this system is an advanced version of the now-common screw-in caseback.

Sherpa

Rather than using metal and sealants to fight against increased water pressure, EPSA utilized the force to protect watches. But as metallurgy and chemistry introduced stronger materials toward the end of the twentieth century, the super compressor became obsolete.

Fortunately, brands like Christopher Ward, Yema and Sherpa now make the fascinating horological engineering accessible outside the vintage market.

A timely dial

The Sherpa Ultradive is essentially a reproduction of the Enicar by the same name. The dial is a detail-specific reproduction with Sherpa’s logo replacing Enicar’s (which is kind of a bummer since Enicar had a rad Saturn logo).

Sherpa

The beveled baton hour markers with alternating lume tips, the double-lume-dot seconds hand and the red-on-white date wheel are all spot on. Sherpa even stuck to the 40mm steel case size with the block crown guard covering both crowns, which are faithfully engraved with a crosshatch pattern.

Sherpa

The internal bidirectional rotating dive bezel, another EPSA invention, is operated by the crown at two o’clock. As part of the EPSA case design, the Monoflex crowns retain water resistance without being screwed down.

The Ultradive runs on a heavily customized top-grade Sellita caliber SW200-1 automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve called the Mantramatic MM01. Its name comes from the Tibetan Buddhist mantras laser-engraved on two movement wheels.

Sherpa

Sherpa’s authentic super compressor dive watch is more of a love letter than a ripoff. Since Enicar went bankrupt in 1987, Sherpa is doing its best to keep the brand’s good name alive.

I appreciate that Kloche cites all of his sources on the Sherpa website, offering in-depth details on the history and engineering of the super compressor. He isn’t attempting to pass off his brand as a direct revival of Enicar but more of an ode.

Availability and price

The Sherpa Ultradive in ‘Atoll’ and ‘Tuexdo’ are available now from Sherpa for $6,700.

Both watches come on a vulcanized rubber tropical strap in white, black, gray, olive or orange. Sherpa offers a three-link steel bracelet for an additional charge.

The purchasing system is very old-fashioned. To place an order, you must fill out an order form on the brand’s website, and then the rest of the transaction is done over email.

Sherpa

Sherpa Ultradive ‘Atoll’

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	Mantramatic MM01 (Sellita cal. SW200-1) automatic
Water Resistance	200m

• $6,700 at Sherpa

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