This Spring Drive Complication is Exclusive to Credor
Credor once again asserts its dominance over Grand Seiko
The Precursor
I unashamedly champion Credor, and will continue to do so until I run out of interesting variants. Well strap in, because we haven’t even hit the midpoint of this journey yet - I have several other Credors planned for upcoming newsletters, but I’m confident you won’t be sick of seeing them. Today, I’m featuring what I believe to be one of the last 24/7 models that you haven’t already seen before. Last but definitely not least.
Credor “Big Date” GCLP999
There are no Grand Seiko Big Dates. Whether we’re talking about mechanical movements or spring drives, the only high-end Seiko movement with a Big Date complication is the 7R87 Credor Spring Drive. And even more surprisingly, there are only a handful of models that even use that movement… and they’re all discontinued.
Hopefully, you’re just as confused as I am. Everyone loves Big Dates, don’t they? Seiko certainly used to think so. In the 2000s, they had a huge range of Big Dates on offer, but in recent years, they’ve all disappeared, leaving the Seiko GPS Astron to carry the Big Date flag.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Astron. It’s essentially the most convenient watch on the planet - it automatically adjusts the time, accounting for daylight savings, based on your GPS location. There is no better frequent flyer watch. However, that convenience comes at the cost of never getting to satisfyingly manually adjust those double-digit date wheels.
Click click click…
The dial was recently described to me as resembling the lines you might find in the sand of a Zen garden. Given the GCLP999’s current lack of a nickname, I think “Zen Garden” fits perfectly. The raised concentric circles and ripples neatly frame the dial and its complications, while the floating effect of the Credor text is a subtle yet delightful touch. The champagne coloured Big Date has clearly been designed to standout from the face of the watch. Heat-blued hands and zaratsu polishing are surely expected on a Credor, so you don’t need me to highlight them.
Like other 7R Credor movements, the 7R87 Spring Drive is incredibly thin. At 9.7mm, it’s slimmer than every Grand Seiko Spring Drive watch. However, the Big Date complication has slightly increased the thickness of the watch when compared to the 9.2mm 7R88 Spring Drive.
Did you spot it? The the perfect segue…
The Credor GCLP999 is available to buy on our website.
In great condition overall. No marks of any real significance. No box or papers.
Credor “24/7” GCLH989 Spring Drive
Is black and gold the “night mode” version of blue and silver? I recently covered the world’s thinnest Spring Drive watch in another newsletter - click here if you missed it the first time. At the time, I hesitated to declare it definitively the thinnest Spring Drive watch. However, my claim has existed online for several weeks now without correction, which, in internet terms, basically means it’s passed an intensive peer review.
The contrast between rose gold and black is striking, much like the pristine mirror finish on the 2, 4, and 7 markers. The finishing on these Credors is immaculate - far beyond what you’d find at this price point with other brands.
At 9.1mm thick, it’s firmly adjacent to dress watch territory, something few Spring Drives could even dream of. Any debate about its dressy credentials surely ends when you see it on the wrist. A closely linked bracelet wraps the high-contrast dial snugly around your wrist, ensuring a secure yet comfortable fit. Its manual-wind nature also makes it much lighter and quieter than your average Spring Drive - the perfect everyday piece.
The Credor GCLH989 is available to buy on our website.
In great condition overall. No marks of any real significance. No box or papers.
Seiko Porcelain SARX061
This is as affordable as porcelain watches get. Hiroyuki Hashiguchi, a Japanese master craftsman from Arita, was tasked with overseeing the Arita Porcelain arm of Seiko’s 110th Anniversary celebration. The collection aimed to highlight Japan’s finest craftsmen and the unique materials they work with - vitreous enamel, Urushi lacquer, Shippo enamel, and Arita porcelain.
To keep the focus on the dial, the overall watch design is beautifully simple. The Roman numeral markers are painted with 10 layers of paint, giving them a noticeable height against the glossy porcelain surface.
Everyone seems to describe the hands as "heat-blued," but I don’t think that’s right. Under macro, you’ll notice soft, uneven rounded edges - not the sharp lines typical of heated steel. Their neon glow resembles the surface of Shippo enamel, and I’d be willing to bet they’re hand-glazed with enamel paint before being heat-treated.
The Seiko SARX061 is available to buy on our website.
In great condition overall. No marks of any major significance, other than the caseback. No box or papers.
Custom Watch “Black Waves”
Hopefully a welcome return. It’s been a while since I put together any watches, but I’ve been busy working on a few different custom projects behind the scenes. The first of which is the return of the “Black Waves”. I’ve made just over a handful of these, so this is your chance to get one before they’re listed more publicly next week. If you’d like to buy one through the website, use the code “FREESH” at checkout for free shipping.
The dial features an etched sun and clouds, revealing the 18k gold-plated surface beneath. The lower half is adorned with black Seigaiha waves, while a textured, snow-covered Mt. Fuji sits to the left of the pinion.
The Custom Black Waves is now available to buy on our website.
In unworn condition. Assembled and tested by yours truly.
Seiko Flightmaster SBDW011
A very literal split bezel insert. This titanium GMT Flightmaster from the early ‘00s has become a sought-after collector’s piece, thanks in part to its dual-textured ceramic bezel. A rarity in Seiko’s lineup - and in watchmaking generally - the textured surface was designed to allow pilots to make adjustments even in low-light conditions.
As much as this has become a desirable collector’s piece, its heritage is obvious. The high-contrast orange GMT hand, pink 24-hour markers, lumed hour indices, and four lumed hands all reinforce its purpose as a serious pilot’s watch. From a decorative perspective, the caseback has been engraved to look like a jet engine turbine, and you’ll also notice the dial is also dual textured.
As is only fitting for a pilot’s watch, it features a “True” GMT movement, meaning the hour hand jumps and is set independently.
Powering the watch is the Seiko 5M65, a hybrid Kinetic movement that converts motion into electrical energy. When fully charged, the capacitor can store up to six months of power. A small pusher above the crown serves as a power reserve indicator, showing the remaining charge up to the six-month maximum. With a lifespan of around 10 years before requiring a capacitor replacement, it’s an ideal companion for frequent travellers.
The Seiko Flightmaster SBDW011 is available to buy on our website.
In very good condition overall. Various small hairlines can be see across the case, but the crystal and bezel insert are in great condition. There’s a small speck on the dial, visible in some photos.
Previously Featured Assorted Watches
Last but by no means least. In a bid to condense the newsletter, I’ve decided to group together watches that I’ve previously covered. From top left to bottom right, please click on the respective link below to read more about them:
- Seiko SARY159 Honeycomb Cocktail
- Seiko SCVE001 “Sunnyside-Up” Yellow Dot
- Campanola CTR57-1102 “Urushi Green” Minute Repeater
- Seiko LJAL600 Laurel
- Seiko LJAK600 Laurel
- Campanola CTU57-0821 “Urushi Blue” Minute Repeater
All of the above are now available to buy on our website.
The condition of each watch can be found on their respective page.
Don’t forget to follow my Instagram to see all of the watches above in full cinematic glory next week.
I have a Credor 7R88A, and it's one of my favorite watches.