Gérald Genta-designed Locomotive reborn for Credor's 50th anniversary
Credor as a brand was born in 1974 and stands for precision in watchmaking and Japanese aesthetics. The name comes from the French expression ”crête d’or” and the English ”crest of gold”, which would suggest that Credor stands for the highest level of the watchmaking art.
Text: Britta Rossander
Credor as a brand was born in 1974 and stands for precision in watchmaking and Japanese aesthetics. The name comes the French expression ”crête d’or” and the English ”crest of gold”, which would suggest that Credor stands for the highest level of the art of watchmaking. From the beginning the brand was only available in Japan, but for some years now it has been available outside Japan as well. Right from the very start Credor created extraordinary watches that did not resemble any other brand. For the anniversary they have gone for the most important model, the Locomotive designed by Gérald Genta, in a limited edition of 300 examples.
The relationship between Gérald Genta and Seiko goes back to the 1970s. Genta visited Japan many times and built up a close relationship with the Japanese watch manufacturer. He gladly took on the assignment of drawing a watch for the company, and the Locomitive thus became a symbol of friendship and respect between Genta and Seiko.
–My husband always had contact with Asia and its culture, says Evelyne Genta, widow of Gérald Genta.
–His love of Japanese culture, its wish to achieve excellence, the attention to detail and the great value placed on craftsmanship was what meant a lot to him.
The original model was first launched in 1979 and the anniversary watch is based on Gérald Genta's original sketch with he bold and unmistakable design codes, for example the two indexes at 12 o'clock that we can see on Genta's original sketch.
The Locomotive's iconic hexagonal case with six screws remains, but they are adapted to be functional rather than just decorative. The case and the bracelet are made in titanium.
The crown is placed at four o'clock andd the black dial, which is meant to make us think of steam locomotives, has a pattern based on Genta's original sketch with around 1 600 lines. The new bracelet takes its shape from Genta's sketch with hexagonal centre links, which gave the original its distinctive character.
In the case sits Credor's thin movement Caliber CR01, a new automatic movement exclusive to Credor. It is lower than 9 mm, which allows the new model to keep a slim profile and elegant proportions like Gérald Genta's original, which contained a quartz movement.
Credor Locomotive Limited Edition
Calibre CR01, automatic winding
Power reserve – 45 hours
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Screw-down crown
Water resistance: 10 bar (100 m)
Diameter: 38,8 mm; Height: 8,9 mm
Recommended price in Europe: 14 000 €
Limited edition of 300 which will be available from August 2024.
