Does the name Credor mean anything to you? If you have never heard it, you are in the right place. Today we are going to talk about this very brand, focusing on the new GCBD997 model created in collaboration with Japanese artist Akira Yamaguchi, a famous contemporary painter.
A hidden jewel of Japanese watchmaking
Credor is not a widely known brand, but it belongs to that watchmaking elite that excels in refinement and quality while remaining rather “niche.” This is partly due to the fact that Credor distributes its watches mainly in Japan or through very few authorized dealers in the rest of the world, so if you would like to have one, be prepared to buy a nice ticket to Tokyo.
1974: Credor is born
Founded in 1974 by Seiko, who still owns it, Credor was designed to create watches of supreme quality, with a focus on aesthetics. It is important to distinguish Credor from Grand Seiko: the latter is best known for precision mechanics, while Credor is where Japanese craftsmanship skills in design and artistic dimensions are exalted.
The name “Credor” is derived from the French crête d’or, meaning “crest of gold” or “golden pinnacle,” suggesting the idea of reaching the highest point in aesthetics and craftsmanship.
Over the years, the brand gained fame with the Eichi model presented in 2008, a limited series of 25 pieces, with a platinum case and handcrafted Noritake porcelain dial, powered by Seiko Spring Drive caliber 7R08. Then came the Eichi II in 2014 to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary, also handcrafted by Seiko’s Micro Artist Studio in Shiojiri, again with a porcelain dial , highly polished finish, and Spring Drive movement.
The collaboration with Akira Yamaguchi
The new GCBD997 , on the other hand, was born out of a meeting with Akira Yamaguchi, an artist known for his ‘bird’s eye’ compositions, with unusual perspectives and a bird’s eye view that combines tradition and contemporaneity. Compared to the sobriety of the Eichi, here we find a real twist, a creative touch that embellishes both the dial and the case back.
The watch features a 38 mm steel case, only 8.4 mm thick, made possible by the use of the hand-wound Credor caliber 6899, just 1.98 mm thick and capable of providing 37 hours of power reserve. The result is an ultra-thin timepiece that conveys all the manic precision of Japanese craftsmen. The strap is brown alligator with a three-blade clasp, perfectly in keeping with the overall elegance of the model.
The bottom
Through the case back, one can admire the balance wheel, which is surrounded by engravings and geometric patterns that, in Yamaguchi’s words, recall “the moon pulsing rhythmically in the sky, from which unravel fields of silver grass that in turn transform into wildflowers, flowing lines, and finally into the elliptical orbits of celestial bodies.”
An all-Japanese dial
The most striking decoration, however, is found on the dial. Here a new style called “suki
Dominating the upper and much of the lower part of the dial is a geometry of perspective cubes, made of 60 different inserts divided into 11 types, creating an interweaving of rhombuses reminiscent of traditional Japanese painting and creating a refined play of light based on how it strikes the dial.
Price and availability
The Credor GCBD997 will be available exclusively in the Japanese market, in a limited run of only 15 pieces. The price is set at 3,300,000 yen, about €19,700 at current exchange rates.
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