You maybe noticed that I updated the MK Ia section with new pics. I finally got my own super early Graph which I can explore and compare. Thanks to a good soul in Canada. The watch also has a nice history, but that is maybe something for another entry.
On first view you notice, that the watch is obviously missing lume. I thought the same and allready was ready to send it out to my watchmaker. But after a closer inspection, I changed my mind. I couldn’t see any lume leftovers inside the hands, but old matching lume on the tip of the hands.
A nice soul at Instagram reminded me of a pic my friend @vandervenus posted a bit earlier this year. A pic from the “Saturn”, the in-house magazin of Enicar. This pic, one of a few showing the 1960 lineup, is showing an early Graph with Gladius hands an no lume.
Furthermore, we all know the ad of Stirling Moss and a Sherpa Graph. And again, if you look closly (concentrate on the left sub), you will see: no lume!
We also have evidence on another, rare watch build by Enicar I just aquired. An Enicar 817CH dash timer. This watch meant to be in the cockpit of a plane. You see the similiarities? Same hand style, also no lume!
I talked with my watchmaker and to him this makes totally sense: “think about it, those hands are so big, they would cover numbers and subs when you need them in action”. This perspective makes so much sense, but I never thought about it. For us today, these toolwatches appeal our eyes, cause we like the look, the heritage etc. But back then, people really used them. Why should a racedriver need lumed hands, when 98% of the races are at daylight?
So what do we have? A lot of lumed watches out there, but just non lumed ones in the official documents. Are the lumed ones wrong? I tend to say no at this point. Many of them I saw, have absolutly (dial-) matching radium lume. It’s like so often with Enicar. Everything was possible.
On a personal view I agree with the majority. With lume looks cooler 😀
Let me know what you think!
Update 27.04.2020
In march 2020 a bunch of skeleton hands appeared at ebay from a swiss watch dealer. They have the same characteristics as the ones on my watch. I think the case is proven now, that those hands are totally legit!
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Enicar 101 
I really prefer the skeleton hands over the luted ones, no doubt!
Remember that design means shape and function working together, the function is as you mentioned above fr better without lume! Great story btw, Nico!
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