Model: Credor “Ice at Dawn” GCCD993 / 6L75-00C)
Year: July 2019
Limited Edition: 60 Pieces
Features:
The Makers. The aptly named and beautifully textured Ice at Dawn - or GCCD993 if you want to be less poetic - is the work of Ando Cloisonne Company. Based in Nagoya, Japan, and founded in the 1800s, it is one of Japan’s 33,000 Shinise businesses - companies that have remained in continuous operation for over 100 years.
The Range. Ando Cloisonne’s expertise has appeared on a number of Seiko watches ranging from the SARX059, with an MSRP of over $1,200, to the GBBY999, with an MSRP of over $37,000 - with today’s watch falling somewhere in the middle. Talk about refusing to be pigeonholed.
The Showcase. There’s something incredibly admirable about hiring the same craftsmen to cover your entire gamut of price points - not because it’s the cost effective thing to do, but because you want to showcase the absolute best of what Japan has to offer. And it’s something we’ve seen Seiko do before, with artists like Isshu Tamura and his Urushi Lacquer dials that have found themselves inside Seikos ranging from $1,100 to $39,000.
The Dial. The dial’s fumé design perfectly complements the hypnotic swirls that have been cast into the enamel. And it’s admittedly hard to notice unless the lighting is just right, but the blackened edges aren’t just black - they’re a deep purple. In my opinion, it’s these hard-to-notice minutiae that make hand-crafting such a worthwhile endeavour in watchmaking.
The Collection. The case is one of Seiko’s most interesting modern offerings. The impressively funky lugs make the GCCD993 an immediately identifiable part of Credor’s Linea Lux collection (often styled as Linealx or Linearx). Serving as a successor to its neo-vintage Node collection, the Linea Lux line sought to update Credor’s design language.
The Meaning. Node watches, with their 24/7 motifs, are intended to remind wearers to make every second count. Linea Lux watches have been designed with the same layer of Japanese symbolism, but it’s slightly more subtle this time around. The case shape was inspired by interconnecting circles that represent your past, present and future. This style of case is far removed from Grand Seiko’s Grammar of Design, but it should be exactly what you want from Credor. Distinct, slightly polarising, and visually engaging. As I always maintain: if a Credor doesn’t catch your eye at first glance, it probably isn’t doing its job.
The Calibre. Powering the Ice at Dawn is the 6L - Seiko’s thinnest automatic calibre. With the movement at just 3.69mm thick, the entire watch is 10.1mm tall, making it thinner than the Omiwatari, Grand Seiko’s thinnest Spring Drive. It’s not aiming for dress watch dimensions, but it’s going to feel noticeably sleek on the wrist.
Specifications:
Condition: In great condition overall. No marks of any real significance, other than on the caseback.
Scope: Full box and papers
Movement: Credor Automatic 6L75
Dimensions:
- Case Width: 38.5mm
- Lug to Lug: 45.6mm
- Case Thickness: 10.1mm
