There is a concept in Zen Buddhism referred to as Sunyata, a type of meditative awareness of the emptiness of existence meant to transcend the corporeal realm, thereby achieving a liberated state of being. As I look at the milky porcelain dial of my Seiko Credor Eichi II, I am lost in the myriad layers and swirls of white that reminds me of this concept. The dial is deliberately devoid of embellishment, and yet its seeming emptiness belies a depth and sophistication that can only be appreciated in the metal.

Seiko’s Micro Artist Studio at Shiojiri, nestled in the Northern Alps of Japan, is composed of roughly ten master watchmakers, each of whom specializes in a particular skill. The dial of my Eichi II, for instance, is hand painted by a single artisan at the studio who spent three years perfecting their craft. Under magnification, each individually painted index and letter reveals microscopic irregularities resulting from the human hand and imbibing the watch with a personal connection not commonly associated with the Seiko brand.

Whereas the dial is a study in simplicity, the movement of the Seiko Creador Eichi II is almost baroque in its detailing, meant to evoke the bell flower that is the symbol of the city of Shiojiri. Famously inspired by Philippe Dufour, who helped train the Micro Artist Studio artisans, the anglage on the bridges displays a perfection in execution and dimensionality that I have never personally seen in any other watch. The movement very obviously provides a valid reason for why only about 20 of these watches are made per year.

Even though the Eichi II is not strictly a mechanical watch, employing a patented spring drive technology, the winding experience is one of the most pleasurable of any mechanical watch that I’ve ever owned. True to its name, there is a springiness to the wind that can only be appreciated in person. In addition, the watch uses a unique Torque Return System that results in 25% increase in the power reserve over a traditional spring drive movement. The way that this is accomplished is well beyond the scope of this review, but definitely worth exploring as it is truly fascinating.

The Seiko Credor Eichi II, at 39mm in diameter, wears on the wrist with good, but not overwhelming, presence. The platinum case gives it the pleasurable heft that is familiar to owners of the noble metal. At just over 10mm in thickness, it easily slides under a cuff, yet feels solid in construction. Overall, I feel incredibly privileged to be one of the fewer than 200 owners of this exquisite timepiece.