We are delighted to present the initial offerings from Sherpa Watches, now open for ordering: the Ultradive and the OPS. Drawing inspiration from models crafted in the mid-sixties by the original watch manufacturer Enicar S.A. based in Lengnau, these timepieces have been revisited to adorn the wrists of those who appreciate classic dive watch designs and seek enduring quality.
The Sherpa Ultradive and OPS, esteemed by numerous professional deep-sea and military divers in the past, revered actors like Alain Delon, and contemporary global musicians like Ed Sheeran, showcase a robust bayonet compressor case measuring 40 mm in diameter (excluding crowns and crown protection). Both the case size and crown protection guards mirror the original Sherpa models from 1968, maintaining the revolutionary water-resistant technology pioneered by Ervin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA) but incorporating modern advancements.
The Sherpa Ultradive and OPS also feature the distinctive bayonet compressor case back construction, originally named EPSA-STOP, and the reimagined MONOFLEX compressor crowns, providing the complete authentic 'Compressor Dive Watch experience.' Finally, after more than 60 years, witness the rebirth of the true 'Compressor Dive Watch.'
Sherpa Watches has embraced the craftsmanship and high-quality engineering of the Swiss pioneers. Every possible effort has been made to elevate the concepts and techniques from the golden age of watchmaking into the present. The timeless designs of the Ultradive and the OPS did not require much finetuning, as their look and feel remain as outspoken today as they were half a century ago. On a technical level, the watches surpass their predecessors in terms of accuracy, water tightness, and durability. In a groundbreaking move, Sherpa Watches added a hidden gem of minuscule proportions for a significant impact.
The mechanical movement inside the Ultradive and OPS is not a regular automatic; it is a Mantramatic! Sherpa Watches microscopically laser engraved a traditional Tibetan Buddhist mantra, OM MANI PEME HUNG, which is commonly used in the Sherpa region, on two of the wheels using a custom-created Tibetan font. Following the widespread Himalaya Buddhist tradition used in prayer wheels, the wheels in the movement rotate constantly, emitting vibes of love, wisdom, and compassion from the wrist straight into the world—30 million times per year. The mantra is not noticeable to the naked eye, but its presence is felt.