A sick thing happens when you are involved with watches too much. You begin to anthropomorphize them to a degree; at least I do. Or in some instances the effect is less than anthropomorphism, but an animal-pomorphism. So I am treating this watch like a dog in need of a home. Only the watch will live a lot longer! And does not shed.

Credor is Seiko’s ultra high end brand. They even have a $70,000 watch that I will discuss in the next few days. That’s right $70,000 for a Seiko. Seiko’s Spring Drive movement found its way into a few Credor watches, with this ref. GCLL997 Moonphase watch being a prime example. Style is similar but distinctly different than that of the Grand Seiko or Seiko Spring Drive watches that typically contain the movement. Further, Credor watches have never, and will probably never see American soil. At least from an official distribution standpoint.

So right now, straight outta Hong Kong comes this splendid number that needs your love. That’s right folks, this immaculately made high end Japanese watch is looking for a new owner, that could be you. If you’ve never had the opportunity to experience a high end Japanese watch, they are very different from their European counterparts. For example, to get the fit and finish you see on Japanese high end watches, you’d need to spend roughly 3-4 times (and up) for a comparably finished European watch in most instances. Look at the images of the Credor closely and tell me you aren’t impressed by the details.

There is something very “Eastern” in the design of the GCLL997. Some of it looks Middle Eastern to me, while other parts are pretty distinctly Japanese. The Credor logo almost looks Arabic, which is kinda cool. While it is hard to tell from the photographs, the dial is extremely well finished with a lot of texturing applied faceted markers, and materials that give off the richest of feelings. The case itself is a thankfully large for Asian watches at 43mm wide. None of this 35mm nonsense. And inside is of course a Seiko Spring drive movement. Functions include the time, moonphase, and a power reserve indicator.

The original price for this watch was over $6,000. The one needing a home on eBay is about $4,200, but you can make an offer on it. I suggest offering about $3,400, and then agreeing to $3,600 if there is a back and forth over price. Oh, and don’t miss the mirror finish on the steel around the bezel; it is stunning.

See Grand Seiko, Spring Drive, and Credor watches on eBay here.

See Grand Seiko watches on Amazon here. [phpbay]credor | spring drive | grand seiko, num, “”, “”[/phpbay]