Five of the best Credor watches that you can actually buy

Zach Blass

While Seiko and Grand Seiko have become international names in watch collecting, the third arm of the Seiko Corporation which focuses on highly artistic crafts, Credor, has remained a bit of an enigma for most outside Japan. Until very recently, the Credor website was only available in Japanese, and the newly added option for English severely reduces the browseable catalogue from 155 models to just six. That being said, ordering Credor is a bit like ordering something off of the secret menu at Chipotle – just because it isn’t explicitly written down doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t enquire. With that in mind, here are five Credor watches that are currently available, and perhaps more accessible than you think.

Credor Kuon GCLX999

If you are aware of the Eichi II, which, spoiler alert, you will find in this list, the recently released GCLX999 will have major appeal because it’s a baby-daily-Eichi of sorts. Why? A closer look at the dial may hint in the right direction. Alongside its 30-metre water-resistant steel case that’s 39mm in diameter, 10.9mm thick, and 46.2mm lug-to-lug, the Kuon sports a white porcelain dial with blue indices to match the hand-blued handset. Furthermore, it’s driven by Credor’s hand-wound 7R31 Spring Drive movement, based on the Grand Seiko 9R31. Where Credor’s calibre differs is through its decoration. The 9R31 has a hairline-brushed finish to its bridges, while the 7R31 is striped with a wavy water pattern. The zaratsu-finished case has an intricate and attractive geometry, and the Jubilee-like (but distinct) case-matching bracelet is handsomely finished as well. Believe it or not, all this can be had for under US$10k. Price: ¥1,375,000 (~US$8,500)

Credor Locomotive GCCR999

Unveiled at the end of May, Credor continued its 50th anniversary celebrations with a revival of the Gerald Genta Locomotive. The original design was introduced in 1979, but the new GCCR999 brought Genta’s creation into the modern era with a High-Intensity Titanium case and new CR01 automatic calibre (sharing architecture with the Seiko 6L35), while the original was quartz-driven. It’s an undoubtedly polarising design, with certain elements, perhaps, borrowed from Genta’s famous 1972 design: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Nevertheless, it’s a historically significant Genta watch, and his embrace of Japan’s leading watchmaking corporation. From first-hand experience, it surpasses the original 1979 watch, as you’d expect. It may be a limited edition of 300 pieces, but it does not hit shelves until August 2024 – so, there is still time to enquire. Price: US$12,000

Credor GBBD986

We begin to get into the higher echelons of Credor watchmaking. The GBBD986 design has been around for decades, and it greatly exemplifies what the brand is all about. While Grand Seiko emphasises precision, Credor hones in on ultra-thin and artistic crafts. This  skeletonised watch features beautiful engravings on the surfaces of the bridges, all of which are handsomely chamfered on their edges. Its 18k yellow gold case is classically compact, clocking in at 34mm in diameter and 39.7mm lug-to-lug. It’s also just 5.7mm thick thanks to its ultra-thin, 68-series hand-wound movement sitting at just 1.98mm in height. That being said, the calibre is not highly regulated, nor is its 37-hour power reserve particularly laudable. But if you bask in the dial and caseback, all will be forgotten. Price: ¥2,750,000 (~US$17,000)

Credor Goldfeather UTD Engraving GBBY978

If you’re not a fan of skeletonised dials but do love movement engraving, the new GBBY978 leans into a feathered look with tons of hand-engraving. Its champagne dial has a feather-like texture with applied indices and engraved outer minutes markers. Credor explains: “The dial adopts a glossy pattern with the image of the luster of the feather, which is suitable for the theme of ‘feather dance’. It adopts an ultra-fine bar index bent along the dial, combining visibility and beauty. On the outer circumference, there are 48 scales engraved with diamond cones.” Flip the watch over, the pink gold-plated movement features engravings of a feather along with a dotted pattern that continues the “feather dance” motif. Price: ¥4,400,000 (~US$27,200)

Credor Eichi II Ruri GBLT997

Probably the most widely known watch from Credor is the second incarnation of their Eichi model (translating as “wisdom”). And boy, does this watch require a lot of watchmaking wisdom. Marking the 40th anniversary of the brand’s birth, and the 15th anniversary of the Spring Drive movement, the Eichi II launched in 2014 as a commemorative model. The reference GBLT997 is a platinum rendition of the Eichi II (also available in rose and yellow gold) launched as a 50th anniversary limited edition, packing in an extremely high degree of skill and craftsmanship to create pure simplicity at its best. This is where one can begin to see the influence Philippe Dufour had on Credor’s artisans and his exchange of methods, finishings, and techniques. Expert craftspeople polish the movement parts by hand, pursuing a brilliant shine and beauty, while at the same time improving basic functions like durability and operability.

This is a special model created by the artisans of the Micro Artist Studio at the Shiojiri plant of Seiko Epson Corporation. The main updates from the first version is the placement of the power reserve display on the back instead of the dial, giving the latter the clean symmetrical aesthetic purists crave and an unfortunate pivot away from German silver for the movement bridges (now rhodium-plated brass). Nonetheless, the current 7R14A movement has a simple, yet dynamic finish, with elaborate chamfering and anglage that stacks up to the best movement decoration in the world.

Taking it even further, the artisans hand-paint each of the twelve hour markers and Credor logo, one by one, on a dial normally made of white porcelain, reflecting the image of snow falling in Shinshu. The Ruri GBLT997 brought forth the first non-white dial model, introducing an azure blue glaze which, at the centre and outer edge, fades to reveal a whitened layer due to the curvature of the disc. Think along the lines of stretching a fruit roll up becoming more transparent as it stretches. Price: £50,000 (~US$63,400)

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Credor Raden Dial GCBE993

The GCBE993 Raden Dial is like wearing a small piece of artwork on the wrist: 37mm across with compact tapered lugs and only 6.5mm thick, this is an amazing dress offering that is sure to stand out at any watch gathering. The star of the show here is the dial. The eye is drawn to the hand-applied pattern around the sub-seconds, representing the spaciousness of the stars flowing in vast skies on the black lacquer backdrop, made of lacquer-inlaid bits of mother-of-pearl. To top things off, the indices at the cardinal points match the material of the small seconds backdrop, while the others are hand-painted with gold maki-e lacquer. The takamaki-e technique is something artisans have to train for many years, involving a pattern drawn with lacquer that is then raised and sprinkled with gold dust for a three-dimensional look. It requires a high degree of skill and concentration, as it necessitates the artisan to draw on the dial by moving the tip of the brush so slowly that it appears as if it wasn’t moving at all.

The Seiko 6869A ultra-thin movement is stunning, with its blued screws and Tokyo stripes executed to a high degree. Being an ultra-thin caliber, it still manages to include bevelled bridges that will glisten when light reflects across the surface. The GCBE993 is no longer in the standard catalogue, but when it comes up for sale on the secondary it presents an immense bargain. Price (2023 RRP, discontinued): ¥935,000 (~US$5,800)