Rare & Important: U.T.D. Goldfeather++, UltraThin Monocoque

WHY IT IS IN OUR MUSEUM? One of the rarest (probably less than 200pcs made) and most important Seiko / Credor and not only a horological milestone but a important piece of industry-history. "Piako: 1959 - 1969, 0.01mm (!sic)" is the relevant article in our blog -- one of the back-then (1969) most expensive and historically most important watches from Seiko.

Housing the first UTD cal68A -- the manual-movement that runs the today Credor GoldFeather -- it is one of the most interesting vintage Seikos. It seems like Seiko made this Pre-Credor as a demonstration, that not only unveils the catch-up to the so long undisputed top dogs of watchmaking, the Swiss top brands in a technological sense, beating the ultrathin Piaget cal9P by 0.01mm in thickness; but also shows the sprint of the ambitious learners from the Far East to the top in an artisanal field directly connected to watchmaking, jewellery and luxury: goldsmithing & casemaking. There is no other way to understand the similarity to the Piaget Shantung, that was proudly presented by Piaget 10y before (1959) housing their record-thin horological milestone cal9P in an excellent and highest quality goldcase as well. And there is no other way to read the 1974 appearing name Credor - Crest of Gold.

This is where the fragmentation and general outsourcing mentality in the Swiss watchindustry are taking their toll for the first time in 1969: where even Patek, Audemars and Vacheron don't manufacture cases, but outsource this art to third parties, the integrated company Seiko can excel in this field as well. In Switzerland, only Piaget played a comparable piano-overture during this era: everything was done in-house with the possibility to stand out; to excel.

This special Pre-Credor U.T.D. watch was done only in Aug & Sep 1969 -- this specific example in Sep -- and it could be assumed that no more than 200pcs in total were made during these two months.