There’s an old joke: Gérald Genta is the only person who has ever designed a watch. While this is patently not the case, Genta is really the only designer who has achieved any degree of fame above and beyond the companies that he designed for. So potent is the power of the name that a watch with a link to his legacy has a decent chance of success, something Credor is banking on with its recreation of an obscure Genta design called the Locomotive.

Made to honour the 50th anniversary of the exclusive Japanese brand (part of the Seiko family of brands), the Credor Locomotive Limited Edition bears all the hallmarks of the designer — an angular bezel, exposed screw-elements and a technical, integrated bracelet. It helps that the original dates back to 1979, right when all these design elements were en vogue the first time around, thanks to Genta’s designs for Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, among others.

The new take on the 1979 original manages to both pay faithful homage and update it for modern sensibilities. High-intensity titanium has replaced steel, and the 38.8mm case is a slim 8.9mm, ensuring the vibe of this watch isn’t too sporty. The hexagonal bezel and bracelet hew closely to the original — it would be foolish to remake a Genta design and change these most Genta of elements too much. Of course, the overall quality of all the elements has lifted significantly in the last 45 years, as you’d expect. One area that has been updated quite interestingly is the dial. Initially, this rich black dial had a hammered-type effect; here, it’s been tweaked to show off a new technique, with around 1600 radial lines engraved into the dial, creating a textural finish that leaves a conventional sunray brushed dial in the shade.

There’s also a new movement behind the remarkable dial — the CR01, an automatic calibre with 45 hours of power reserve, borrowing architecture from Seiko’s slender 6L35 that has been finished in an industrially pretty manner.

The story behind the name Locomotive is that is was a model intended to pull Credor into the future, and we can’t help but wonder if that’s the same goal of this new model. Seiko and Grand Seiko have both experienced tremendous growth and international acclaim in the last decade, while Credor has still had some real insider energy. We can’t help but wonder if Credor’s about to take off in a big way.

Credor Locomotive Limited Edition Technical Specifications

Movement: CR01, automatic, 45 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Case: 38.8 x 8.9mm, High-intensity titanium, water resistant to 10 bar
Bracelet: High-intensity titanium
Availability: Limited to 300 pieces, USD 12,000