Vintage Enicar Ocean Pearl Star Jewels Automatic — Ref. 144-39-09
$295.00
WHY THIS WATCH MATTERS
Some watches reveal their best details slowly. The Enicar Ocean Pearl begins with an exceptionally graceful silver sunburst dial, gold-tone hour markers cut by dark inlays, and the soft burgundy surprise of its date wheel. Turn it over and the beautifully worn marine emblem reveals the Ocean Pearl identity; lift the back and an Enicar-signed automatic rotor adds another chapter. The original crystal was polished rather than discarded, preserving the watch's overall character while letting light back into the dial. Photographed purely and sold honestly.
THE HARD DETAILS
| Maker | Enicar, Switzerland |
| Collection / Model | Ocean Pearl; Star Jewels automatic |
| Approximate era | Mid/late 1960s–early 1970s (estimated, not factory dated) |
| External reference marking | 144-39-09 (owner-read; stamped characters faint) |
| Caseback number | 846940 |
| Interior case marking | 2319 |
| Movement serial | Not identified |
| Movement | Swiss mechanical automatic, signed Enicar Star Jewels |
| Caliber | Unconfirmed; AR1145 a comparable possibility, not proven |
| Jewel count | Not verified; Star Jewels is a brand designation, not a jewel number |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, central seconds, date at three (red numerals) |
| Case | Gold-tone case, stainless-steel back; gold plating specification not established |
| Dial | Silver sunburst, black-centered gold-tone batons and raised Enicar Saturn emblem |
| Crown | Small silver-tone fluted crown; signed/original status unverified |
| Case diameter | 33.8 mm |
| Lug-to-lug | 39 mm |
| Case thickness | 11.3 mm |
| Lug width | 17.8 mm |
| Crystal | Original domed crystal, polished |
| Strap | Brown stitched leather-look strap; believed later replacement |
| Water resistance | Not tested or guaranteed; keep dry |
OPERATING CONDITION
The owner reports that the watch runs and sets correctly. The gold-tone Enicar-signed automatic rotor is visible in the movement photographs. There is no documented timegrapher rate, amplitude, beat error, power-reserve result, confirmed date advancement or quickset test, or quantified automatic-winding performance. The base caliber and actual jewel count cannot be reliably read from the available movement photographs. Some other Ocean Pearl watches use caliber AR1145, but this has not been proven for this specimen.
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WHAT WAS DONE
The original crystal was retained and polished, rather than replaced. The exterior case was also polished. There is no documented complete movement service, cleaning, lubrication, internal parts replacement, regulation or pressure test; those services should not be inferred from the clean presentation. No dial repaint or hand refinishing is recorded.
CONDITION & ORIGINALITY
The silver sunburst dial has a crisp, largely clean appearance for its age, with minor fine specks and hairlines still visible under close inspection. Applied gold-tone hour markers with black inlays, slim gold-tone hands, and the raised Enicar Saturn emblem remain visually cohesive. The date window at three shows a contrasting deep-red date numeral. The gold-tone case has minor scuffs, edge wear and hairline scratches; the scalloped stainless-steel caseback has surface scratches. The original domed crystal was polished and may retain small age-related marks. The crown is silver-tone and apparently unsigned; its factory originality is unproven. The brown stitched strap looks later than the watch. The dial, signed rotor and Ocean Pearl caseback are visually consistent with the Enicar family, but an archived complete factory parts configuration has not been established. Not solid gold. No current water-resistance guarantee.
THE STORY OF THIS WATCH
The character of this Ocean Pearl lies in restraint. Its silver dial and finely shaped hour markers seem understated until the wine-red date numerals come into view. The Ocean Pearl name is hidden on the back with a sculpted marine emblem, where the surviving scratches give the metal a history of being worn rather than stored away. Its original crystal was carefully polished and retained, as was the basic design of the case. The resulting watch remains distinctly vintage, not cosmetically rewritten. Photographed purely and sold honestly.
REFERENCE & MODEL HISTORY
Ocean Pearl is a genuine designation stamped on this watch's exterior caseback; the separate Star Jewels wording appears on the dial and signed rotor. Enicar used the Star Jewels name for a specialized oil-retention/epilamisation treatment, not to designate a numerical jewel count. The Star Jewels name appears in mid-1960s trademark material and offers one dating clue, though the production date of this specific example is not documented. A closely related watch using exterior reference 144-39-09 has been described with an AR1145 movement, but this example's own caliber and jewel count remain unknown. The engraved shark-like marine caseback does not make this a Sherpa compressor diver, nor does the period WATERPROOF inscription confer a present-day water rating. Sources: Enicar collector research into Star Jewels and reference 144-39-09 comparison.
ABOUT THE BRAND
Enicar was established by Ariste Racine in Switzerland in the early twentieth century. The company's watches ranged from compact dress designs to better-known Sherpa sports models, and its midcentury movement treatments were marketed under names including Ultrasonic and Star Jewels. The present Ocean Pearl is a smaller automatic date watch; its subtle dial, mechanical rotor and marine caseback capture an accessible part of Enicar's history without suggesting it belongs to the more valuable Sherpa diving family. Read more about Enicar's Star Jewels history.
FOUND DETAILS
The prior owner, original retail sale and acquisition history have not been documented. The outside back bears Ocean Pearl, caseback number 846940 and a faint reference read as 144-39-09; the interior caseback is separately stamped 2319. No movement serial has been confirmed. The owner's photographic documentation includes opened-case views, a close inspection of the distinctive marine back, and images of the polished original crystal.
WHAT COMES WITH THE WATCH
The pictured Enicar Ocean Pearl automatic wristwatch on the brown stitched strap shown. No original box, warranty papers, additional straps or other accessories are documented as included.
A NOTE ON VINTAGE
This is a vintage mechanical watch. Its exact factory components, current timekeeping accuracy, measured reserve and complete movement service history have not been established. The original caseback states WATERPROOF, but this is a historical marking and should not be interpreted as a modern water-resistance guarantee. Keep the watch dry, review the photographs for scratches and age marks, and ask questions before purchasing.
PHOTOGRAPHED PURELY. SOLD HONESTLY.
These photographs are intended to show the watch as accurately as possible—the wear, the patina, the imperfections, and the details that matter. If there is something you want to see more closely before buying, ask.
