The Enicar book, an update

Last september, I went to Biel and Lengau to do research for what my be my most ambitious project to date: the Enicar book. I’ve written several reports about my trip and the many treasures I found. It helped me to speed up the creative process of getting the book out there. So here’s an update.

When will the book be finished?

I have given myself twelve months to make this book happen. That means it must be ready in October 2019. I’ve received many messages from Enicar fans who want to help me and I’m truly grateful for that. I’m supported by two of the best photographers around (Maarten Coolen and Verse Beeldwaren), Dutch Master Watch Maker Willem van den Berg, and a group of hard core Enicar collectors who share their knowledge of the brand with me.

How can you order the book?

The first run will probably be only available online. I will start a Kickstarter Campaign in spring to collect the necessary funds for the production of the book. I hope to present a mock-up by then, so you can see what you’re buying. Oh yes, there will be perks and goodies too!

How much will it cost?

This depends on a couple of things. I’m aiming for a high quality book, printed on thick paper, with many photos and well written stories, translated correctly by some one who knows what he’s doing. So it will definitely not be a five bucks book. When I have completed an overview of the content, I can do the math on the total cost of production. After that, I have a solid idea on what will be the price per book. Will the book make me a rich man? No way. I have spend a couple hundred hours on this project already and it has been great fun. My primary goal is to make a book that does justice to the legacy of Enicar. As long as I’m not losing (too much) money, I’m fine.

What’s gonna be in the book?

A lot. This is going to be the first Enicar book that will contain the complete history on the brand. It will contain interviews with people who worked in the factory, sold Enicar watches as agents or were service partners of the brand. There’s the mayor of Lengnau who shares some personal stories, as well as mister Ariste Racine, grandson of Enicar founder Ariste Racine Sr. And there is a huge source of information that came from the factory itself: 20 years of Saturn corporate magazines!

Also:

• The story about the Saturn logo
• Enicar and advertising
• Business as unusual: how Enicar conquered the world
• Enicar and professional sports, like F1, cycling, gymnastics, soccer
• The ambassadors of the brand
• The design genius of Enicar is finally revealed
• An inside view of the factory
• The complete story about the downfall of the brand
• Iconic model lines explored
• Technical information, catalogs, close ups of the best Enicar movements and much, much more

So what’s next?

I will do a write up on the book every four or six weeks. That means my regular updates on this website will be on a lower lever. The book needs all the attention I can give. So please stay tuned people!