Seiko Watch Corporation is proud to announce the creation of the Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater. It is the first minute repeater watch ever built by SEIKO and, alongside the Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie, marks another milestone in the developing tradition of SEIKO as a leading manufacturer of ‘complication’ timepieces.
The miracle of pure sound
In every aspect of its creation, total purity of sound has been the goal. The result is a lingering, clear and haunting sound which has a uniquely Japanese character. This beautiful sound has been achieved by the magic of the totally silent Spring Drive mechanism allied to the use of a special steel forged by a celebrated Japanese steelmaker, Munemichi Myochin. For fifty two unbroken generations, members of his family have been master blacksmiths and they have been making steel for over 850 years.
The Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater
The silence of high technology
To preserve the enchanting purity of the traditional wind bell sound, SEIKO’s Micro Artist Studio used two high-level technologies that ensure that the movement is completely silent. First, the movement is Spring Drive, the only mechanical movement in the world to measure time silently and continuously with no tick. Second, an ingenious and unique ‘silent governor’ uses the viscosity of air to control the speed of the striking gongs. Together, these technologies, both unique to SEIKO, provide perfect timekeeping in perfect silence so that the beauty of the minute repeater’s sound is never compromised.
The Myochin Wind Bell
The craftsmanship of the Micro Artist Studio
The Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater has no less than 660 components. All the major components are handpolished by the master craftsmen in the Micro Artist Studio and are visible through the sapphire crystal and case back. Of particular beauty is the high-speed ‘flight’ of the blades of the silent governor, visible from the front, and the striking of the hammers which can be seen through the case back.
The striking of the hammers can be seen clearly through the sapphire caseback.
Exquisite, but also a joy to wear.
Of course, it is the beauty of the sound and of the watch’s appearance that strike the observer first, but on closer inspection, it becomes clear that this astonishing new timepiece is a truly practical watch. The crystals, front and back, are sapphire and it has a safety system that prevents malfunction if the crown is pulled out when the minute repeater is activated. It is moderate in size, as the case is just 42.8 mm in diameter, and it is practical to use as it has a power reserve of 72 hours when the minute repeater mechanism is not used.
The first Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater will be available in December. Just three pieces can be produced in the initial year.
Source: Seiko Watch Corporation
