The Credor GCBD997 with Artist Akira Yamaguchi

Thanks to the recent introduction of the revived Locomotive watch, made with Gérald Genta, many might have finally got to know about Credor, the high-end watch brand owned by the Seiko Watch Corporation, alongside Grand Seiko. For now, its fame mostly came from the splendid Eichi models, as well as the ultra-complicated minute repeaters and grande sonneries. But there’s more to this mostly Japan-exclusive watchmaker, including many artistic watches with métiers d’art dials. The latest in line, the Credor GCBD997, is the result of a joint work with Japanese painter Akira Yamaguchi. 

Let’s start with the bad news… While Credor starts to open to the world – it used to be a JDM-only brand for decades – this new limited edition, as fascinating as its dial can be, is once again reserved for Japan. Is it worth a trip to “the Land of the Rising Sun” to get one? I’ll let you be the judge of that. The second issue is that we’re talking about a highly limited watch. So, the chances of getting one are low. But let’s spread the word and make sure that Credor continues its strategy of global expansion.

The originality of this new watch comes from the collaborative work with painter Akira Yamaguchi. Born in Tokyo (1969), he graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts in 1996 with an MA in Oil Painting. In 2013, his book Hen-na Nihon Bijutsushi won the 12th Kobayashi Hideo Award. In 2017, he was appointed as the first artistic ambassador of his hometown, Kiryu City. He uses oil painting techniques in a traditional Japanese style. He is known for painting bird’s-eye-view cities and battlefield scenes, along with working in a variety of media, including sculpture, manga, and installation.

This new Credor is all about the dial and the work done by the Japanese painter. As for the case, it is as classic as can be. Made of polished steel, the case of the GCBD997 is compact and thin, measuring 38mm in diameter and 8.4mm in thickness. It’s topped by a curved sapphire crystal and is water-resistant to 30m. The caseback adds a touch of originality. Mostly closed, it has a small round sapphire aperture revealing part of the regulating organ and is engraved with geometric patterns representing “the rhythmically moving balance wheel as a moon, from which a field of silver grass spreads out. The grass then unravels into autumn wildflowers, transitions into flowing curves, and ultimately connects to the elliptical orbits of celestial bodies”.

The dial is where things become truly interesting. It is based on a design concept called suki mechanical. Suki refers to a deep appreciation for the elegant and the refined. The watch illustrates the balance wheel as the origin of movement and life, spreading ripples that give rise to all phenomena. To demonstrate this, the dial is partially opened between 6 and 9 o’clock, with a transparent sapphire layer placed between the movement and the dial, decorated with mechanical motifs on its surface. Various techniques were applied to the glass, creating a layered effect where two-dimensional and three-dimensional elements seem to overlap.

Yamaguchi also incorporated classic indexes on the dial of the Credor GCBD997, but in unusual positions to create a rhombus pattern – one of the traditional motifs in Japanese painting. To create this design where light and shadow reverse depending on how the light enters, a total of 60 indexes, in 11 different types, were developed to compose the pattern. These indexes are arranged three-dimensionally, overlapping with various rhombus patterns on the dial, giving a sense of depth to what is essentially a flat surface.

Inside the case is the Credor calibre 6899, using the well-known architecture of the Seiko 68 family of movements – ultra-thin hand-winding movements produced since 1969 by Daini Seikosha. This movement, measuring only 1.98mm in thickness, beats at 3Hz and stores a relatively short power reserve of 37 hours.

Worn on a brown crocodile strap, the Credor GCBD997 is a limited edition of 15 pieces reserved for the Japanese market. Let’s hope to see more of these handsome watches on other international markets soon. It is priced at JPY 3,300,000, equivalent to approximately EUR 19,700. For more details, visit www.credor.com.