Model: Credor GCBK981 / 6S37-00D0
Year: September 2012
Features:
The Rarity. The last automatic chronograph made by Credor. Don’t worry, as I’m sure Credor will revisit this type of movement eventually - but it has been a while. The GCBK981 on offer today was released in 2011 and discontinued in 2013, marking a 12-year absence of a chronograph in Credor’s lineup. That’s only slightly surprising, given the brand's increasingly dressy direction in recent years. It seems Credor has moved on to Big Dates and ultra-thin Spring Drives, leaving the chronographs to Seiko. I’m largely fine with that, but it is nice to see Credor’s level of finishing applied to sporty watch.
The Dial. Despite being part of the Singo collection, rather than the Pacific, the sub-dials feature a ship’s wheel motif similar to the one etched into the GCBZ999, which I assume is a tribute to Japan’s maritime legacy. The internal metal accents have all been coated in titanium nitride, giving them an iridescent sheen reminiscent of mother-of-pearl. The purples and turquoises produced by the coating are hard to capture in photos, but you can catch glimpses of them in a few of the shots above.
The Finish. The stepped rehaut is quite literally a mirror. I didn’t even notice it until I pulled out the macro lens - a small detail, but a brilliant demonstration of the lengths Credor goes to when finishing a watch. To be clear, mirrored rehauts aren’t unique to Credor, but finding one this distortion free is rare. I had the pleasure of handling an AP recently, and despite its merits and overall quality, even its rehaut wasn’t free from slight distortion in places. Obviously not deterred by the philosophical notion of a tree falling silently in the forest, Credor’s dedicated watchmakers take a huge amount of pride in their work, even if some details will only be seen by a tiny percentage of people.
The Movement. It’s powered by the 6S37 - the direct successor (and upgrade) to the 6S78 that TAG took inspiration from. It features more jewels, tighter tolerances, and a decorative finish. Credor sensibly opted for an exhibition caseback, giving you a clear view of the Geneva stripes on the bridges and rotor. And while the quoted daily accuracy is the modern Credor standard of -10 to +15 seconds per day, these 6S chronographs are well known to outperform that. My timegrapher certainly agrees with the watch running at +0 seconds per day.
The Bracelet. Adding to the eye-catching design is the impressively polished “waterfall” bracelet, with links that seem to cascade seamlessly from one to the next.
Specifications:
Condition: Just serviced. In great condition. No noticeable marks anywhere.
Scope: Full box and papers.
Movement: 6S37 Automatic Chronograph, with Power Reserve Indicator. 12-hour and 30-minute Chronograph.
Dimensions:
- Case Width: 39.5mm
- Lug to lug: 45.8mm
- Case Thickness: 14.1mm
