Exhibiting at Watches & Wonders in Geneva for the first time, Seiko’s high-end marque Credor is rolling out the Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon Engraved (ref. GBCF997).

While the latest Credor is only a cosmetic variation of an existing model, but the latest Goldfeather Tourbillon is nonetheless a top-of-the-line model in both technical and decorative terms: the ultra-slim movement features a tourbillon, while the dial and movement are hand engraved.

The hand-engraved cal. 6850

Initial thoughts

Though this year’s Goldfeather Tourbillon is identical to last year’s edition save for decor, it looks strikingly different, underlining the different decorative techniques employed. While last year’s model was ornate and figurative, the latest version is clean and almost monochromatic.

The lack of colour belies the complexity of the dial decoration. The entire dial is engraved, right down to the radial graining. Instead of conventional brushing, the radial pattern is achieved with a manual engraving technique.

The stylistic different continues onto the movement, which is equally finely decorated, and also impressively slim. While the strength of the artisanal execution and ultra-thin watchmaking are obvious, the Goldfeather Tourbillon is fundamentally a facelift to a movement that’s been around for a long time. To go as far as its sister brand Grand Seiko, Credor would have to do something more novel.

Fine lines

The Goldfeather Tourbillon Engraved is self descriptive: it is all about engraving. The engraving on the dial and movement is almost entirely comprised of lines of varying widths and dots of different diameters, yet the result is nuanced and vivid.

The two piece dial is finished with a fine linear engraving in a radial pattern, giving it the appearance of a conventional brushed dial, at least at a distance. The Roman numerals are similarly hand engraved, as are the dots for the minute scale.

The bridges of the ultra-thin cal. 6850 are finished with similar techniques. A range of lines and dots cover the bridges in a radial arrangement, creating a sense of motion originating from the tourbillon.

As with Credor’s other extra-thin watches, engraving the bridges is especially challenging due to the slimness of the parts, which are as thin as 0.25 mm. The bridges are set in a specially designed vice and then engraved to ensure flatness is preserved; even the slightest distortion of the bridge will result in a misaligned pivot.

Aesthetics aside, this Goldfeather Tourbillon is identical to last year’s model, being the same slim platinum specimen that’s just 8.6 mm high.

Key facts and price

Seiko Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon Engraved
Ref. GBCF997

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: 25 pieces
Availability: At Credor retailers starting August 2026
Price:

For more, visit credor.com

In the run-up to Watches & Wonders, a new crop of emergent independents is making its debut. But even within a crowded field, the Cleguer Inspiration One manages to stand out with an ambitious proprietary escapement and clever construction. It’s a promising start for founder Mathieu Cleguer, an engineer who’s had a hand in developing several calibres for well-known independent brands.

Initial thoughts

The artisanal, highly finished time-only watch is a well-worn trope among independents, but occasionally one breaks from the pattern. The Inspiration One from Cleguer Horology is one such watch. Mathieu Cleguer is an industry veteran who has worked as a movement construction consultant and now produces watches under his own name.

The opening salvo in what is planned to be a larger ‘Inspiration’ series designed to explore alternative escapements, the Inspiration One is built around the so-called innate escapement, a fresh twist on Breguet’s natural escapement.

The system is Mathieu Cleguer’s own design, and from initial analysis it exhibits a surprising degree of ingenuity and is original in its execution.

Discreet signature on the interior bezel.

The open design — an off-centre dial with exposed escapement — is a familiar arrangement among independents, but the delicacy of the components gives it a refined quality. The 38.5 mm case is well-proportioned, though the 12 mm height borders on tall.

While there’s room to develop a more cohesive design language going forward, particularly in consolidating the elements on the dial, there are some promising details. The logo, for example, is a reference to Cleguer’s native Brittany, where this Blason de Bretagne motif is part of the region’s cultural identity.

The initial souscription series of 12 pieces was cased in titanium, and is already sold out with deliveries planned for late 2026. Cleguer will then produce 48 pieces in a range of precious metals, along with capacity for 20 unique commissions. In precious metal, the Inspiration One is priced at CHF95,300 — somewhat high for a time-only watch, but a good value considering the intellectual value of the proprietary escapement.

The innate escapement

In keeping an in-depth analysis of the innate escapement for a future story, we can still stick to the basics and discuss a few core traits of this novel system.

Glimpses of the innate escapement

Mathieu Cleguer cites both the Breguet natural and the Fasoldt chronometer escapements as inspirations behind his design. The mirrored double-escape wheel system is clearly a descendant of the Breguet concept, while the imparting of impulse is tangentially done through a multi-functional lever — much like in Charles Fasoldt’s chronometer.

The system has a number of subtleties, but it can be best described as a a double-wheel, indirect-tangential impulse escapement. The same description applies to the Rolex Dynapulse too — making Cleguer’s innate escapement functionally identical to the Rolex’s advanced mechanism.

That said, the execution of Cleguer’s innate escapement is very different from that of the high-tech Dynapulse, as the artisanal watchmaker resorted to a quintessentially traditional construction, with steel chronometer-like escape wheels and ruby impulse and locking stones. The innate escapement is rather clever in several ways, and will be the subject of an in-depth future story.

Solid engineering and solid finishing

Powering the Inspiration One is the appropriately named calibre I1, a carefully finished movement that is also well-engineered. The open architecture is now a familiar choice among independents, minimising the dial’s footprint while exposing as much of the mechanics as possible.

The Inspiration One is decidedly openworked, with a small off-centre dial positioned at roughly 2:30. Against the champlevé grand feu enamel, two stubby hand-finished hands repeat the Blason de Bretagne motif featured in the logo.

In contrast, the long and slender central seconds hand ticks in deliberate steps toward the chronometrically oriented escapement, which beats at a classical 2.5 Hz.

The dial side is deliberately asymmetric: part of the barrel drum is visible behind the small dial, while the exposed balance wheel floats in isolation at 7:30. A small power reserve indicator peers from beneath the barrel, adding to the movement’s strongly layered construction.

The oscillator is slow-beating but extremely well-crafted, being free-sprung and paired to a blued Breguet overcoil hairspring. All in all, it’s a worthy oscillator for the innate escapement, which sits largely hidden underneath.

The movement is equally impressive on the case back-side, starting with the large barrel click-wheel, which directly incorporates a Maltese cross stop-work. Mr Cleguer argues that only the chronometric portion of the reserve should be used — a philosophy shared by makers such as Roger Smith and Charles Frodsham, which also limit the power reserve to 36 hours to encourage a habit of daily winding.

The Inspiration One is richly finished, as the pricing demands. The predominant technique is soft graining, with the movement’s layered architecture creating a pleasing play of textures. Steel components are mirror polished throughout, with rounded bevels applied wherever the geometry allows.

The click wheel receives particular attention, combining solarisation with sharply bevelled and polished ratchet teeth. The driving wheels of the innate escapement are held in place by a black-polished steel bridge — a construction that brings constant motion to the rear of the calibre.

Key facts and price

Cleguer Horology Inspiration One
Ref. I1

Diameter: 38.5 mm
Height: 12 mm
Material: Souscription in titanium; choice of precious metals available for future series
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: I1
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds power reserve and innate escapement
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 36 hours

Strap: Leather strap with matching buckle

Limited edition: Yes, 12-piece souscription sold-out; total production of 80 pieces.
Availability: Directly from Cleguer.
Price: CHF95,300 excluding taxes

For more information, visit cleguer.com.

Building on the success of its retro wristwatch, Raymond Weil is marking its 50th anniversary with the Millesime “The Fifty”. While it retains the familiar “sector” dial of the Millesime, the Fifty boasts upgraded mechanics in the form of a “new old stock” Valjoux 236 dating from 1976, the year of brand’s founding by the eponymous Raymond Weil.

The Fifty combines the vintage movement with a thoughtful design that includes an appropriately sized 37 mm case – steel but with a white gold bezel no less – and novel texturing on the “sector” dial. Notably, the Fifty is also priced well at under CHF9,000.

Initial thoughts

The base model Millesime is good for what it is, combining an appealing design with an affordable price. The Fifty is more expensive, but arguably even better, because it still has an appealing aesthetic, but now with an excellent movement and a fair price.

Watches powered by a vintage Valjoux 23 usually cost more – Singer Reimagined’s equivalent costs almost double – making the Fifty a good value proposition. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that it evokes the Patek Philippe ref. 1436 “Tasti Tondi”.

But it’s more than just accessible; the design of the basic Millesime has been elaborated on in a concise and logical manner. The result is a watch that clearly resembles the standard model, but with finer details, including the linear patterning on the dial centre.

I disagree with some minor details, like the luminous hands that don’t match the luminous dial, but overall the Fifty is executed well and priced right. Raymond Weil started on the right track with the original, time-only Millesime, and is continuing in the right direction.

Marking fifty years in style

The Fifty is, appropriately enough, limited to 50 pieces. It’s a fine way of marking the brand’s 50th anniversary, and also something of a proclamation that Raymond Weil is now a more interesting brand than it was not too long ago.

The Fifty adopts the standard Millesime case, now matched with correct “pump” pushers. The case is 37 mm and steel, except for the bezel, which is 18k white gold – an impressive extra given the price of the watch and today’s gold price.

Similarly, the dial takes the design of the standard Millesime but does one better. It’s made up of four parts with a variety of finishes, including a stamped “tapestry” pattern in the centre and a grained finish on the chapter ring. Interestingly, the baton hour markers are black Super-Luminova, which preserves the vintage style of the dial but ends up being a poor match for the hands that contain conventional white Super-Luminova.

The Valjoux cal. 236 inside the Fifty dates to 1975 according to Raymond Weil. The original calibre was a high quality but workmanlike movement, but by modern standards it would be considered high end given its classical construction.

The movement here has been dressed up for the occasion, most notably with the balance cock and chronograph bridge in black ruthenium plating, giving them a contrasting finish against the rest of the movement.

Raymond Weil also notes the movement has been finished by hand, with both the bevelling and countersinks polished by hand. This is commendable, but even if the movement was decorated to a basic standard, the Fifty would still offer decent value.

Key facts and price

Raymond Weil Millesime The Fifty 37 mm
Ref. 1976-STC-65001

Diameter: 37 mm
Height: 10.75 mm
Material: Stainless steel with 18k white gold bezel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: RW1976 (Valjoux 236)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and chronograph
Winding: Manual wind
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Calfskin leather strap

Limited edition: 50 pieces
Availability: Now at Raymond Weil boutiques and retailers
Price: CHF8,650

For more, visit Raymond-weil.com.

Breguet refreshes its Tradition collection for 2026 with new colourways and expanded grand feu enamel dial options across five references, building on the momentum of the brand’s 250th anniversary year. The line-up spans four automatic variants of the Seconde Rétrograde and one manually wound GMT, all underpinned by the architecturally distinctive cal. 505 that has defined the collection since its 2005 introduction.

Initial thoughts

Inspired by an original Abraham-Louis Breguet’s montres à tact pocket watch from the late 18th century, the Tradition collection, released in 2005, was Breguet’s first major new model family under Swatch Group management.

The central barrel placement and unusual gear train arrangement perfectly captures the essence of the original pocket watches, and this aspect of the design remains as recognisable and distinctive as ever, despite the a growing number of independent watchmakers that have introduced watches with a similar layout.

In fact, the cal. 505 is so successful as a contemporary interpretation of Breguet’s work that a variation of it was adapted for use in the award-winning Classique Souscription 2025 introduced last year. For 2026, the Tradition collection has been slightly refreshed with modern colourways and more grand feu enamel dial options.

The five new models include four automatic variants of the Seconde Rétrograde, one of which features a diamond-set bezel, and one manually wound reference with a dual-time complication. Breguet carries a lot of momentum into 2026, coming off the brand’s 250th anniversary last year.

Perhaps for that reason, all five references are ambitiously priced for their level of complication. The platinum Tradition GMT 7067, for example, is priced 44% higher than the 18k white gold ref. 7067BB/G1/9W6, which is functionally identical.

Grand feu galore

The core configuration of the current crop of Tradition models is the Seconde Rétrograde, which features its namesake complication near the traditional 10 o’clock position. The smaller references, the 38 mm 7037 and 37 mm 7038, feature the running seconds scale engraved directly on the mainplate of the movement. The larger 40 mm 7097 makes room for a standalone scale made from grand feu enamel, just like its dial.

Enamel is a historically accurate dial material for the Tradition, having been used in this configuration by A-L Breguet himself. But the founder would likely not have foreseen a green enamel dial, like that found on the dual-time 7067. He would, however, recognise his movement design and the hands and numerals that now bear his name.

Materials fit for a queen

Another detail that replicates Breguet’s early work with historical fidelity is the anchor-shaped winding mass used by all but one of the automatic models. While the full rotation might surprise him, the choice of high-density platinum would not — he famously used the same material for his own high-grade perpétuelles, including No. 160, long-known as the Marie Antoinette.

The odd one out is the diamond-set 7038, which features a fan-shaped rotor decorated with guilloche. This model also features a synthetic ruby watch jewel as a twist on the typical cabochon.

Finishing

Regardless of complication and colourway, each Tradition model exhibits the same degree of high-end craftsmanship. The plates and most bridges are finely frosted, though the tops of the dial-side finger bridges now feature straight-graining, as first seen on the anniversary Tradition 7035 released last year.

Stylistically, the contemporary colour palette is somewhat at odds with the antiquated movement construction and traditional theme of the collection, but there’s no question that the quality of the finishing is competitive at the upper reaches of the industrial-haute horlogerie segment.

A warm weather-friendly GMT

Breguet may have been thinking about increasing its appeal in key Middle Eastern markets with the optional Eastern Arabic version of the Tradition GMT 7067. That might also explain the rationale for offering what’s ostensibly a dress watch on a warm weather-friendly rubber strap — a first for the model.

Breguet actually has a long history of using Eastern Arabic numerals, having built numerous watches with this style of typeface for the Ottoman market in the early 19th century.

Regardless, Eastern Arabic numerals are a calling card of the enthusiast community and, aesthetically, their use creates an appealing tension with the traditional (no pun intended) Breguet numerals used on the primary dial, which has been rendered in green grand feu enamel.

The 7067 is the only new manually wound variant of the tradition, which explains its relative slimness, being about 0.5 mm thinner than the time-only automatic 7037, despite its second time zone display at eight o’clock and day/night indicator above it. The black-coated bridges contrast sharply with the silver-coloured wheels, and the case back benefits from a discreet power reserve indicator.

Key facts and price

Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7037
Ref. 7037BB/YB/5V6 (white gold/blue)
Ref. 7037PT/N9/5V6 (platinum/black)

Diameter: 38 mm
Height: 12.7 mm
Material: 18k white gold or platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 505 SR
Functions: Hours, minutes, retrograde seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Embossed rubber with matching pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers
Price: US$59,700 (white gold), $65,700 (platinum) excluding taxes

Breguet Tradition GMT 7067
Ref. 7067PT/NM/5W6

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 12.1 mm
Material: Platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 507 DRF
Functions: Hours, minutes, second time zone, day/night indicator, power reserve
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Embossed rubber with matching pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers
Price: US$82,900 excluding taxes

Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7038
Ref. 7038BB/N9/7V6 D0

Diameter: 37 mm
Height: 11.6 mm
Material: 18k white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 505 SR
Functions: Hours, minutes, retrograde seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Satin-finish textile strap with matching pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers
Price: US$66,800 excluding taxes

Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7097
Ref. 7097BR/GB/3WU

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 11.8 mm
Material: 18k white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 505 SR1
Functions: Hours, minutes, retrograde seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Calfskin strap with matching pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers
Price: US$57,100 excluding taxes

For more information, visit Breguet.com.