Having had dozens of requests for a podcast and exploring the idea of recording an audio thing like this… Tony Traina doing so last year convinced me not to bother. So when I saw you post this I couldn’t help but chuckle 😂
My own aversion to podcasts like this within Substack is that they are akin to voice notes on WhatsApp: Annoying AF.
I come to Substack to read stuff. I go to Spotify for podcasts and I do that at a different time… which is perhaps why it doesn’t work well for me.
Having said all of that… my own point about “many people requesting podcasts” likely implies you’ll probably find this will become a successful initiative and kudos to you for trying something new.
I saw you saying you’ll add music… why!? When have you ever heard intro music and NOT wanted to hit the fast-forward button to get on with it?! 😂
Nothing like honest feedback :-) and I take your point about the music to heart. Just looking at the standard trappings of 'professionalism' but perhaps the bare bones approach will suffice.
I can send this to Spotify/Apple etc as well so hopefully the platform issue - which I totally understand - will be negated.
Trying new things is my mantra for 2026. Let's see what works!
Came from a good place, I swear :) If I truly didn’t give a sh1t I’d simply say nothing. Spotify feed would be perfect - in which case, I’m now quite excited about this 😁
Enjoyed it a lot Chris! It probably needed a listen back to catch the edits where the speaking overlaps or runs into each other a bit, and the gap shortly after 11 minutes. :)
That aside, I think Credor is a really interesting subject – in the West, perhaps thanks to Hodinkee and some of their early articles on the brand, we seem to think of it as strictly "above" Grand Seiko in the Seiko brand hierarchy. This is probably because the pieces that Credor promotes and sells in the west are things like the Eichi and Eichi II and the Spring Drive sonnerie and minute repeater watches. These watches have the famous Micro Artist Studio hand-finishing and artisanal dials (e.g. in porcelain, with hand-painted markers and logo on the Eichi II). The three lines listed on the English-language website are those Masterpiece watches, the Genta-invoking Locomotive, and the Goldfeather dress watch line (within which this new release sits).
However, historically in its home market Credor is really Seiko's premium jewellery watch brand and operates at a wide range of price points. Check out the Japanese website and this is immediately obvious. Many of their watches are priced well below Grand Seiko and exhibit a lower grade of movement, less stringent adjustment and simpler movement finishing. A large proportion are quartz-powered. Lots are gem-set. Simply put, GS is traditionally much more about fine watchmaking, design and chronometry, while Credor is about elegance and the jewellery side of things. The Micro Artist Studio is effectively independent of Credor and GS, and serves both brands.
Seiko may have painted themselves into a bit of a corner by attempting to position Credor consistently above GS in the West, as that rationale doesn't really hold with this new Goldfeather. It's kind of like a very elevated Presage – which, in Japan, is pretty much what it is (and that's not to put the watch down at all).
I probably need to brush up a bit myself, having just had a look at the Japanese Credor site for the first time in a while it does look as though they've significantly rationalised the product offering (way fewer SKUs) and raised the price floor – things start around £3000 in the Signo line, so a little above an entry level quartz GS.
Vintage Credor is still very cheap on eBay though…
Thanks Chris - great listen - looking up that lederer right now!
I like the format. Short and sweet updates are great. Thanks
Having had dozens of requests for a podcast and exploring the idea of recording an audio thing like this… Tony Traina doing so last year convinced me not to bother. So when I saw you post this I couldn’t help but chuckle 😂
My own aversion to podcasts like this within Substack is that they are akin to voice notes on WhatsApp: Annoying AF.
I come to Substack to read stuff. I go to Spotify for podcasts and I do that at a different time… which is perhaps why it doesn’t work well for me.
Having said all of that… my own point about “many people requesting podcasts” likely implies you’ll probably find this will become a successful initiative and kudos to you for trying something new.
I saw you saying you’ll add music… why!? When have you ever heard intro music and NOT wanted to hit the fast-forward button to get on with it?! 😂
All the best with this new endeavour.
you hate my voice that much? 😭
😂
Nothing like honest feedback :-) and I take your point about the music to heart. Just looking at the standard trappings of 'professionalism' but perhaps the bare bones approach will suffice.
I can send this to Spotify/Apple etc as well so hopefully the platform issue - which I totally understand - will be negated.
Trying new things is my mantra for 2026. Let's see what works!
Came from a good place, I swear :) If I truly didn’t give a sh1t I’d simply say nothing. Spotify feed would be perfect - in which case, I’m now quite excited about this 😁
Enjoyed it a lot Chris! It probably needed a listen back to catch the edits where the speaking overlaps or runs into each other a bit, and the gap shortly after 11 minutes. :)
That aside, I think Credor is a really interesting subject – in the West, perhaps thanks to Hodinkee and some of their early articles on the brand, we seem to think of it as strictly "above" Grand Seiko in the Seiko brand hierarchy. This is probably because the pieces that Credor promotes and sells in the west are things like the Eichi and Eichi II and the Spring Drive sonnerie and minute repeater watches. These watches have the famous Micro Artist Studio hand-finishing and artisanal dials (e.g. in porcelain, with hand-painted markers and logo on the Eichi II). The three lines listed on the English-language website are those Masterpiece watches, the Genta-invoking Locomotive, and the Goldfeather dress watch line (within which this new release sits).
However, historically in its home market Credor is really Seiko's premium jewellery watch brand and operates at a wide range of price points. Check out the Japanese website and this is immediately obvious. Many of their watches are priced well below Grand Seiko and exhibit a lower grade of movement, less stringent adjustment and simpler movement finishing. A large proportion are quartz-powered. Lots are gem-set. Simply put, GS is traditionally much more about fine watchmaking, design and chronometry, while Credor is about elegance and the jewellery side of things. The Micro Artist Studio is effectively independent of Credor and GS, and serves both brands.
Seiko may have painted themselves into a bit of a corner by attempting to position Credor consistently above GS in the West, as that rationale doesn't really hold with this new Goldfeather. It's kind of like a very elevated Presage – which, in Japan, is pretty much what it is (and that's not to put the watch down at all).
Thanks Sam! Yes I am really annoyed about that section at 11 mins! Really was even more rough and ready than I'd expected.
Appreciate your wider context on Credor. Will brush up, as it does seem like it's finally following GS into the global market.
I probably need to brush up a bit myself, having just had a look at the Japanese Credor site for the first time in a while it does look as though they've significantly rationalised the product offering (way fewer SKUs) and raised the price floor – things start around £3000 in the Signo line, so a little above an entry level quartz GS.
Vintage Credor is still very cheap on eBay though…