GBLT997, Echi II, 'Ruri' Blue Dial, Platinum

This is the Eichi II ‘Ruri’—the first chromatic dial within the Eichi II—featuring a blue dial of unrivaled depth. Although Ruri is Japanese for lapis lazuli, this dial is only lapis in tone. Its depth and shade were achieved by building up many layers of porcelain glaze by hand. Where Grand Seiko stresses precision and durability, Credor stresses elegance and immaculate handcraft. Nowhere is that handcraft more evident than in this GBLT997 ‘Ruri’, introduced in 2021 for Seiko’s 140th anniversary.

Japanese porcelain traces to 17th-century Arita and its hand-painted blue and white. The Eichi II dial blank is built up through multiple porcelain glaze layers in-house, unlike the Eichi I’s outsourced Noritake dial, by Tetsuo Oguchi. The Ruri glaze took two years to develop and needs more layers than the white equivalent, each fired separately. Surface tension domes the dial and thins the glaze at rim and centre, so the blue lightens at the edges. The indexes and logo are then painted freehand by Oguchi, who trained for three years to do so, with bespoke Hakuhodo brushes. A white dial takes a full day; the Ruri’s extra firings add nearly an additional day for each.

After the creation of its dial, every Eichi is crafted in the Micro Artist Studio—set up in 2000 inside Seiko Epson’s Shiojiri plant, where about a dozen craftsmen work under master watchmaker Yoshifusa Nakazawa, at Seiko since 1978. The case is 39mm in platinum, with specialized Zaratsu polishing and restrained lugs.

In 2002 Credor brought in Philippe Dufour to teach its watchmakers hand finishing. His technique relies on gentian wood to burnish bevels. In Japan the plant grew only at a hospital in Hokkaido that cultivated it for research, and Credor struck a deal with it to grow more for watchmaking. That same technique shapes the broad bevels of the immaculately finished 7R14. Calibre 7R14 is a cousin of the 9R02 Spring Drive: the mainspring drives the train and powers a glide wheel held to a quartz reference by an electromagnetic brake, rated to ±15 seconds a month. Its Torque Return System recycles surplus energy for 60 hours of reserve, shown on the movement side. The bridges form the stem of a bellflower barrel, two petals revealing the glide wheel, finished with the wide, rounded bevels learned from Dufour. The GBLT997 is unnumbered; of roughly 25 Eichi II made each year, Credor has never said how many are Ruri.

The Eichi II ‘Ruri’ is a mesmerizing time-only, elegant in the extreme with a depth that reveals itself over time. It is the product of a compilation of various handcrafting methods, each meticulously perfected within Seiko’s Micro Artist Studio. Its calibre 7R14 combines one of Seiko’s most cutting-edge technical solutions, the Spring Drive, with traditional hand-finishing methods, while the Ruri dial is a captivating display of traditional porcelain production. It is, quite simply, an elegant display of Japanese ingenuity, consideration, and unyielding attention to detail.

This Eichi II presents in excellent overall condition. Its porcelain dial is immaculate, showing no signs of patina or wear. The Zaratsu polished case has only occasionally light hairline scratches and no marks. The case geometry is sharp and original. The watch is running well within spec on our timing equipment. It comes with its full set.

This example is modelled on an average-sized 7-inch wrist.