Credor Movements: Quartz, Mechanical, Spring Drive

cazalea · 2018-08-14T14:05:44Z

Explore the diverse range of Credor movements: quartz, mechanical, and Spring Drive. Learn about their decoration, accuracy, and production facilities.

cazalea

WPS member · Seiko forum

13 replies22633 views54 photos

Cazalea offers an in-depth guide to the diverse movements powering Credor timepieces, building on previous posts about the brand's men's and ladies' lines. This comprehensive overview details the quartz, mechanical, and Spring Drive calibers, highlighting how Credor movements prioritize decoration and style over the more functional aspects often seen in Grand Seiko.

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Over the past month I have been introducing the Credor line of timepieces. The first two posts presented the higher-priced Credor men's and ladies' lines of watches, and I showed a few of the Credors that I have owned.

In this post I propose to acquaint our community with the movements used in Credor watches. Like Grand Seiko, Credor offers quartz, hand wind and automatic mechanical, as well as Spring Drive calibers. Because Credor focuses more on style than Grand Seiko, there is more focus on decoration and less on functions like GMT and sport cases (dive, explore, etc.)

Here's a summary of the movements you are likely to find in a Credor. When compared with the equivalent Seiko units, they are plated differently or engraved with different style of decoration. Some movements claim longer running time and/or higher accuracy. Presumably this is due to small quantities being produced, and more care in regulating the movements.

QUARTZ MOVEMENTS

1E70 Hours, minutes

2J80 Hours, minutes

4J80 Hours, minutes

4J81 Hours, minutes, seconds

4N70 Hours, minutes

5A70 Hours, minutes (rectangular)

5A74 Hours, minutes (round)

7771 Hours, minutes

7T72 Chronograph, date, alarm

8J80 Hours, minutes

8J81 Hours, minutes, seconds

8J82 Hours, minutes, seconds, date, HAQ

8N81 Hours, minutes, seconds

9570A Hours, minutes

MECHANICAL MOVEMENTS

6810 mechanical first version

6830 Tourbillon

6870 Hours, minutes

6898 Small seconds, normal finish

6898, decorated finish

NOTE: I never knew they made a half-hunter caseback model!

6899 Skeleton / decorated

4L75 Hours, Minutes, Seconds

4S76 Date, Day of Week, GMT, Power Reserve

4S77 Date, Day of Week, GMT

4S79 Small Seconds, Power Reserve

6S74 Chronograph, Power Reserve, manual wind

6S77 Chronograph, automatic

6S78 Date, Chronograph, Power Reserve

6S96 Chronograph, Power reserve

6S99 Chronograph, Power Reserve, Skeletonized

NOTE: I was amazed to find this manual wind skeletonized chronograph!

8L36 Hour, minute, seconds, GMT

8L75 Hour, minute, seconds, date

SPRING DRIVE MOVEMENTS

5R77 Moonphase

NOTE: When I visited the Micro Arts studio, I asked why they used a Spring Drive in the sonnerie and minute repeater - due to the $100-400,000 prices, it seemed an unusual choice. The reply was swift "It is our best movement and it is totally silent; all the better to hear the chimes". Keep in mind that the Eichi and the chiming watches are produced in VERY LOW quantities - perhaps 5-50 units over a 3-5 year span of production. Essentially these are the finest money can buy. And thanks to the studio collaborating with Mr Dufour on finishing techniques, the detailing on these watch movements is just about as good as you can get.

7R06 Sonnerie

7R08 Eichi I

7R11 Minute Repeater

7R14 Eichi II

7R87 Big Date

7R88 Date

SUMMARY

Despite Credor having a focus on fashion and stylish products, there is no shortage of choices when it comes to movements!

However, there is a shortage of good images available, especially in regards to the quartz movements. Please buy a Credor, please open it up, and please share your photos!

Cheers,

Cazalea

About the Seiko Credor Ref. 6899

The Credor 6899 is a distinguished ultra-thin mechanical movement produced by Seiko's Micro Artist Studio, known for its exceptional craftsmanship and precision. This caliber is often found in Credor's most refined dress watches, emphasizing elegance and slender profiles. It represents the pinnacle of Seiko's traditional mechanical watchmaking capabilities, showcasing meticulous finishing and assembly.

This manual-winding movement is designed for extreme thinness, allowing for very svelte case designs. The finishing typically includes polished bevels, Geneva stripes, and blued screws, executed to a high standard. Its compact architecture and precise regulation contribute to its performance within Credor's high-end offerings.

For collectors, the Credor 6899 signifies a commitment to traditional horological artistry and technical mastery. Watches featuring this movement are often limited in production and highly sought after for their discreet luxury and the artisanal skill involved in their creation, making them significant pieces within the Credor lineage.

Specifications

Caliber: 6899

Key Points from the Discussion

Credor and Grand Seiko watches are produced by different divisions within the 'Seiko Watch' virtual company, with Seiko Instruments' Morioka Shizukuishi Watch Studio handling mechanical movements and engraving for Credor, and Seiko Epson's Shiojiri plant focusing on Spring Drive for both.
The author's series of posts has significantly increased understanding and respect for the Credor brand.
The impending retirement of masters like Sakurai-san (assembling) and Terui-san (engraving) highlights the artisanal nature of these movements.

The Discussion

Watchlover78

Aug 14, 2018

Thank you for such a detailed and informative report on Credor

Best, Baxter

MichaelC

Aug 14, 2018

Unique positioning for 1 main brand to offer sub brands with different quality levels

Makes sense. Grand Seiko has my attention, I need to learn more about Credor.

David Kang

Aug 14, 2018

thanks for sharing! [nt]

KIH

Aug 14, 2018

Looks-wise, 7R88 is by far my favorite. Overall, 68xx caliber is something to own in a long run...

... as the both masters (Sakurai-san for assembling, and Terui-san for engraving) are this close to retirement.... Thanks as always, Mike! Ken

Tony.A.

Aug 15, 2018

Thanks for all the interesting posts! [nt]

Spencer Karrington

Aug 15, 2018

Thank you!!!

After reading your series of posts, I have learned so much more about Credor and I respect the brand so much more as well! Can you please tell me, are their movements finished/made at a separate facility from where the Grand Seiko movements are made or are they just finished at the Credor facility? Thank you