The new Credor Goldfeather GBBY969 and GBBY971 with Enamel Dials

While Grand Seiko is now well-established all around the world as the higher-end brand of the Seiko Watch Corporation, Credor remains far more niche and has just begun its global expansion, primarily with the Locomotive collection, based on a vintage watch once designed by Gérald Genta. Credor, another high-end brandwithin the group, employs a more classic approach with watches that are more elegant and focused on artistic craftsmanship. The brand’s latest releases, the Goldfeather GBBY969 and GBBY971, once again demonstrate this concept with refined enamel dials, crafted by renowned artisans using an ancient technique known as “basse-taille”.  

The new Credor references GBBY969 and GBBY971 are part of the Goldfeather collection, compact, ultra-thin dress watches. In markets outside Japan, this collection is relatively small and sits alongside the Locomotive and the Masterpieces, which includes the stunning Eichi II models and complex watches such as the Spring Drive Minute Repeater and even a Grande Sonnerie. If you visit the Japanese version of Credor’s website, you’ll discover that the Goldfeather comprises many more references, and the latest ones, with their handsome métiers d’art dials, do not disappoint.

What we’re looking at are two classic dress watches, with luxurious polished 950 platinum cases. Dimensions are near-perfect for such watches, with a 37.4mm diameter, a length of 43.2mm and a thin profile of only 8.3mm. The case features a box-shaped sapphire crystal on top and a screw-secured caseback with a see-through sapphire window. The watches are described as “water-resistant” without an indication of depth, so expect nothing more than a brief exposure to humidity.

The real deal with these Credor Goldfeather GBBY969 and GBBY971 is the dials, which are manufactured by Ando Cloisonné, a long-established maker of Owari cloisonné enamel – also known as Owari Shippo in Japanese, a technique that we’ve already encountered in the Seiko Presage collection. The dials, produced with the “basse-taille” technique, consist of a solid silver base that is then decorated with a bas-relief pattern (here, a swirling motif) and then coated with multiple layers of translucent enamel. Available in “Tomekon” navy blue (GBBY969) or “Hatoba” dark purple (GBBY971), the enamel has a delicate gradient effect that allows light to pass through the centre, revealing the underlying engraved motif.

Inside the platinum cases beats the calibre 6890, an ultra-thin movement measuring only 1.98mm in thickness. This hand-wound calibre, with 22 jewels, runs at a 3Hz frequency and stores about 37 hours of power reserve. The see-through caseback reveals nicely curved bridges with large stripes, chamfered edges and blued screws.

Worn on crocodile straps with a 950 platinum pin buckle, the JDM-exclusive Credor Goldfeather Tomekon GBBY969 and Hatoba GBBY971 will be available from October 10, 2025, in Japan, for JPY 4,950,000, including taxes, or about EUR 26,000, excluding taxes. I’d say that it’s either a good reason to travel to the Land of the Rising Sun or time for the brand to expand its distribution. For more details, please visit www.credor.com.