Model: Credor “Mitsukoshi” GZBE964
Year: July 2012
Limited Edition: Exact Number Unknown
Features:
The Origin. The GZBE964 was created exclusively for the Mitsukoshi World Watch Fair in 2012, intended to showcase the blend of Japanese and European design. The watch wasn’t part of an official production, with somewhere in the region of 1–3 pieces being made - solely for display at the Fair. Typically, pieces like these are vaulted away at Seiko HQ for archival purposes or future exhibitions. How this one ended up on the open market in Japan is a mystery.
The Fair. The Mitsukoshi World Watch Fair has been held every summer since the late ’90s at the Nihombashi Mitsukoshi store in Tokyo - a Japanese equivalent to luxury department stores like Harrods in London or Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. It’s a famously extravagant looking store, and brands often create exclusive pieces for the event, making it a haven for collectors.
The Design. A solid 18kt gold Credor, featuring heat-blued hands and the ultra-thin 1.9mm 6898 movement, is immediately special at first glance. A perfect blend of the classically Swiss Calatrava and Seiko’s Japanese Laurel - it has all the hallmarks of a elegant dress watch.
The Case. At just 6.9mm thick and 37.0mm wide, the GZBE964’s 18k gold case has surprising heft despite its dressy size. The movement is revealed through an exhibition caseback, and it’s finished to an extraordinary standard, with heat-blued screws, Geneva striping, and immaculate decoration.
The Movement. While the watch has no digital footprint, the movement itself is well-known. At just 1.98mm thick, the 6898 movement is the thinnest mechanical calibre ever produced by Seiko. Each one takes two highly skilled Credor watchmakers half a day to assemble.
The Studio. Officially speaking, the 6898 movement is credited to Seiko’s Shizukuishi Watch Studio (SWS) - the team behind the hand assembly of all mechanical Grand Seikos. But it has been decorated with a bellflower, which is the hallmark of Seiko's most elite studio - the Micro Artist Studio.
The Other Studio. Given the complexity of the assembly, how likely is it that the SWS, founded in 2004, brought record-breakingly thin movements to market within a year of their founding? Not very… unless they had help, and Seiko has a history Seiko has a history of secretly combining the work of different studios to increase production ouput. If I had to sensibly guess, I suspect the Shizukuishi Watch Studio physically assembled the movements, while the Micro Artist Studio was tasked with finishing them - hence the signature bellflower.
Specifications:
Condition: In great condition. Just serviced by Credor in Japan. No major markings of any significance, other than on the caseback. Original 18k gold buckle.
Scope: Comes with the service papers.
Movement: 6898 Manual-wind
Dimensions:
- Case Width: 37.0mm
- Lug to Lug: 40.0mm
- Case Thickness: 6.9mm
