Visiting Seiko's Haute Horlogerie Micro Artist Division

Seiko is in my opinion the most diverse watch manufacturer on the planet - particularly since 2000 when its own style of haute horlogerie was called to life The company's president at the time owned a filigreed mechanical watch made and sold under the aegis of the Swiss Jean Lassale brand, which had been owned by Seiko since 1979 Located in Seiko's Shiojiri factory in central Japan's Nagano prefecture, the Micro Artist Studio is right next to the division that specializes in the Spring Drive - which is fortuitous, for the Micro Artist Studio uses the Spring Drive movement in its extraordinary creations.

Shiohara became greatly interested in the history of mechanical watchmaking, fascinating to him because it was a horological style that allowed a watch to last for generations, and began researching by inspecting vintage mechanical Seiko watchmaking from about 1960 In 2014, Seiko introduced the Credor Eichi II, an even more more puritanical take on the ideal of the Eichi with a time-only porcelain dial that is crafted right in the Micro Artists' studio When you consider that the craftsmen found in the Micro Artist division didn't learn how to finish movements during their educations, nor was it part of the company culture of Seiko, it becomes apparent what a huge achievement these developments are.

Credor masterpieces of the Seiko Micro Artist studio. . Source