Credor returns to its first-ever tourbillon with the Goldfeather Tourbillon GBCF999, a watch that emphasises traditional Japanese craftsmanship with maki-e lacquerwork and hand engraving. Tracing its lineage back to the inaugural Seiko tourbillon that was launched in 2016, the Goldfeather Tourbillon is equipped with an improved tourbillon movement featuring a clever twist.

Despite its elaborate decoration, the Goldfeather possesses a far more subdued look than its 2016 predecessor, the Credor Fugaku Tourbillon, which was not only decorated in maki-e and engraving but also set with blue sapphires.

Initial thoughts

Credor timepieces are almost always appealing propositions, since they usually sit somewhere between more affordable Seiko watches and high-end Grand Seiko models. While Credor is often synonymous with simple but highly decorated watches – like the famous Eichi II – its catalogue boasts truly noteworthy examples of complications.

The new Goldfeather Tourbillon is one of these noteworthy watches. It’s a relatively restrained watch but executed with an impressive level of quality, especially in its decoration that is uniquely Japanese. And the slim movement is uniquely Credor in style and finish. In terms of hand finishing inside and out, the makers of the Goldfeather Tourbillon cut no corners.

The Goldfeather’s form is inspired by a model from the 1960s; the clean case design is clearly suggestive of those times. The overall look manages to blend classical style with a lacquered dial and impressive tourbillon movement while retaining an understated aesthetic.

The restrained design is all the more striking when compared to its predecessor, the Fugaku. That was similar in many ways, but much louder in terms of design and decoration; in fact it was arguably too much and way over the top.

The Credor Fugaku of 2016

Maki-e

The face is definitely dominated by the tourbillon, but the black lacquered dial covered in colourful, stylised birds makes an impression as well. The dial is decorated in maki-e, traditional Japanese lacquering – the base is black urushi lacquer while the birds are individually applied pieces of thinly sliced abalone shell, a technique known as raden. The tiny pieces of shell are shaved down, making for a surprisingly thin dial.

Beyond the impressive craftsmanship, the composition as a whole is very appealing. The soaring birds seem to originate from the large aperture framing the tourbillon, circling around the dial as they fly upwards. The birds themselves are stylised silhouettes, but their varying sizes and askew orientations lend the flock a dynamic and realistic feel.  

The tourbillon cut-out has a gold halo encircling it that is formed by sprinkling gold powder on the wet urushi surface. The soft hue of the gold powder pairs well with the gilded tourbillon bridge that is also shaped to evoke a bird with spread wings.

The traditional finishing and techniques on the dial are reflected on the back as well, where the hand-wound movement is off-centre and encircled by a lacquered, half-moon-shaped spacer depicting a feather made of mother of pearl.

A revised tourbillon movement

As a brand that is part of the larger Seiko group, Credor unsurprisingly developed an original and respectable hand-wound tourbillon movement, the cal. 6830, which was introduced in 2016 with the Fugaku. Tourbillon timepieces are rare for the Japanese watchmaking group, with the only other tourbillon-equipped model being the Grand Seiko Kodo. 

That was reworked and upgraded to create the cal. 6850 that features an extended power reserve of 60 hours. Judging by the rather large movement spacer, cal. 6850 looks a little undersized at a 25.6 mm diameter, relative to the case diameter.

The cal. 6850 is compact and straightforward, with an ultra-thin construction and a 3 Hz balance beating inside. One shortcoming with the construction is the lack of a free-sprung oscillator, which is disappointing for a top-of-the-line watch in this price range.

An intriguing detail of the cal. 6850 is the arrangement of going train, which results in a visual illusion of seemingly unconnected hands and movement that is impressive. The hands are centred on the dial, yet the movement itself is not centred in the case. This intentional repositioning of the conventional arrangement likely explains the addition of an intermediate gear linking the tourbillon pinion to the rest of the going train.

The feather motif continues onto the movement, with hand engraved bridges forming a swirl of feathers. Engraved metal typically has a textured, organic quality to it, which works well with the glossy lacquered spacer. The deep, pronounced engraved grooves of the feather patterns does, however, look a little crowded on the small movement.

The Goldfeather is presented in a 38.6 mm case fashioned of platinum. The case does not feature any screws – the back is press fit instead – and is distinctly Japanese in execution with sharp lugs and surfaces polished to a mirror. The case is polished by hand, which is fitting given the craftsmanship-centric movement and dial.

Key facts and price

Seiko Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon
Ref. GBCF999

Diameter: 38.6 mm
Height: 8.6 mm
Material: Platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 6850
Functions: Hours, minutes, and tourbillon
Winding: Manual wind
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Crocodile strap with double fold clasp in platinum

Limited edition: 10 pieces
Availability: At Credor retailers starting October 2025
Price: 25.3 million Japanese yen including taxes

For more, visit credor.com