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Eichi Ⅱ in detail

ロゴ：Micro Artist

Eichi Ⅱ, a masterpiece from a remarkable studio

Eichi means wisdom in Japanese. The name reflects the fusion of traditional Japanese watchmaking skills with the highest and most advanced Spring Drive technology. From the design of every component to the hand painting of the dial, Eichi Ⅱ is the work of the elite team of watchmakers at the Micro Artist Studio in Seiko’s facility in Shiojiri in the Nagano prefecture of central Japan. Founded in 2000, this studio created the Spring Drive Sonnerie in 2006, the Spring Drive Minute Repeater in 2011 and the Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8 Day Power Reserve in 2016 as well as Eichi Ⅰ in 2008 and Eichi Ⅱ in 2014.

Photo of Hand crafted and hand painted

Hand crafted and hand painted

The movement is assembled and adjusted by hand and the porcelain dial is also made and finished by hand. Remarkably, each of the twelve indexes and the letters of the name Credor are hand painted on to the dial by one of studio’s own craftsmen.

Photo of The Torque Return System

The Torque Return System

The unique Torque Return System delivers a power reserve of 60 hours. When the mainspring has been fully wound and the torque output is at its highest, approximately 30% of the available power is not needed to maintain the precision of the watch, and is in effect wasted in a normal movement. The Torque Return System uses this energy to rewind the mainspring, resulting in an increase in the power reserve.

Photo of The Spring Drive movement. Hand polished to perfection.

The Spring Drive movement.
Hand polished to perfection.

The rims of the bridges, the holes for rubies and the screws are polished by hand with a special wooden tool to ensure that light striking each round edge enhances the metal’s natural beauty with no distortion. The fine, precise and delicate polishing needed to achieve this finish requires a level of skilled craftsmanship that can only be achieved after many years of experience.

Photo of a special wooden tool

Photo of Hands that are tempered to a perfect blue

Hands that are tempered to a perfect blue

The hands on the two white dial Eichi Ⅱ creations are in blued steel and are the result of a process that has over twenty steps. Each hand is tempered individually by a single craftsman. As heat is applied to the mirror-surfaced parts, the surface color changes to blue. As this blue coloration only occurs after a specific time that is different for each hand, it requires great skill to know exactly when to remove the hand from the flame to achieve the exact shade of blue required. Not only the hour, minute and seconds hands but also the power reserve hand and the screws are tempered in this way.

Photo of Hands that are tempered to a perfect blue