How to spot fake Seiko watches on eBay
Ever since I wrote the article on spotting fake Seiko watches in this blog, I’ve received many inquiries from readers asking me to verify whether the watch they are looking at on eBay (or have recently purchased) are genuine or otherwise. Although most of the watches are not really that expensive, they still have the right to be concerned as they want to know whether their hard earned money went into buying the real deal or a counterfeit.
The good news is that most online sellers don’t peddle in fake Seiko watches as eBay is strict with sales of counterfeit goods on the auction site. The bad news is that with so many upcoming new sellers registering themselves as merchants, there’s bound to be a few bad hats that whether knowingly or otherwise that are passing off fake Seiko watches as genuine ones.
Although eBay does screen newcomer sellers of the stuff that they sell, not every item escapes their attention. For example, how can they tell a fake Sony MS Pro Duo or Sandisk Extreme memory card from the originals? Or engineering sample and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) tray Intel computer processors from the retail boxed ones for consumers like you? What about distinguishing fake camera batteries from genuine ones?
Obviously eBay’s staff responsible for vetting sellers’ merchandise need to be trained in spotting fake goods in the first place. The other way would be acting on complaints by eBay buyers duped into purchasing counterfeit items and conducting an investigation.
Well, in this post, let’s learn how to spot eBay sellers dealing in fake Seiko watches.
Grey market Seikos are NOT fake watches!
Buying online is an entirely different matter as you’re buying a watch sight unseen. You look at the pictures on the web page and have to trust the seller that the watch you’ll be getting is a genuine one and not a fake. Seiko’s customer service is not going to determine for you whether a particular seller is pushing the real product. For the two obvious reasons above, they’ll make it very clear: as long as you don’t buy online, you’re safe.
Before we go further, you need to comprehend the difference between “grey market” Seiko watches from fake ones.
In a nutshell, grey market Seikos are authentic watches except that they are parallel imported rather than sourced from the country or regional authorized distributor. Often than not you will not receive an official Seiko warranty. This is because warranties are issued through authorized dealers, who in turn receive them from their respective authorized distributors. Authorized dealers in Southeast Asia for example, are strictly forbidden to sell Seiko products online. Grey market sellers are by the watch manufacturer’s definition, NOT authorized Seiko dealers.
Fake Seikos on the other hand are…well…fake. The watches are definitely not made by any Seiko factory but by some third party backyard watchmaker, often in China. Whether the seller is aware that the watches they’re peddling are phony is a different story. What is alarming is that many buyers don’t know what they’ve received are bogus watches that look like the real deal. They think they got a very good bargain for a watch and then post a positive feedback for the transaction.
Are replica and fakes Seiko the same thing?
Technically, they are similar. Both are bogus and definitely not original Seiko watches. The difference is that replica Seiko watches sold by online replica watch sites do not try to pass of their products as genuine ones.
I mean, come on – if you’re buying one from Replica-Watches-R-Us, you are knowingly purchasing a replica Seiko! In my old article on replica Seiko watches, I’ve mentioned that some sellers irresponsibly use stock photos of original watches so that you don’t actually see what you’re going to receive.
Others have no qualms in showing the watch that you’ll exactly receive. Thus you cannot expect to demand a refund because you are aware that you’ve bought a phony Seiko from a replica watch seller.
Replica Seiko watches often use off-the-shelf movements from movement manufacturers in China. They may look almost exactly like the real ones, but you will not get the same features as with the original ones. For example, the Seiko 7T92 quartz movement has a 1/20sec resolution sub-second register. A replica may not necessarily provide the same features as they use generic movements. What matters more to replica makers is the external appearance.
These pictures I lifted off a replica watch site certainly raised my eyebrows. They are made almost exactly like authentic Seikos that if I didn’t know they were replicas, I could have mistaken some of them as the real deal.
See for yourself:
Above: Almost perfect fake/replica Seikos from an online replica store.
Well, at least the knock off watch site is honest enough not to claim that what they’re selling are originals. Personally it’s none of my business if you deliberately buy one of these – don’t say you’ve never been warned! 
What is more worrying is unscrupulous sellers on eBay getting hold of such replicas and passing them off as authentic Seikos. Replica Seikos usually look more convincing than “fake Seikos” although from the copyright perspective both are rip off Seiko watches.
Therefore it’s the sellers that are pushing bogus Seiko watches and advertising them as genuine ones that I’m against. That’s outright cheating.
“If it’s too good to be true, it usually is”
Many people select a seller based on low average winning bids or BIN (Buy-It-Now) prices without giving forethought whether they would be getting the real thing. It’s only fair to say that it’s only human to look for the lowest prices possible. Who wouldn’t?
However, one has to draw the line when it comes to paying low prices for a genuine item and a fake one. No matter how cheap the winning bid is, you’re not getting your money’s worth if you inadvertently buy a fake Seiko.
Look out for tell tale patterns, like winning bids that consistently fall below the average market price for the same model. For a base line Seiko 5 automatic, the median should be between USD50-80 depending on the bidding activity (how popular an item is). As a reference, the average price of a contemporary Seiko 5 model is about USD95, without shipping. Seiko 5 Sports watches usually cost more than USD110, depending on the model.
Therefore the age-old common sense – “if it’s too good to be true, it usually is” applies when it comes to buying new Seiko watches online. No seller who auctions genuine Seiko 5s will tolerate consistent winning bids of USD30 or below, unless they’re prepared to head for bankruptcy.
Look for established eBay Power Sellers if possible
eBay sellers that have built up a good reputation over time are not likely to peddle in fake watches. Trustworthy sellers are in for a long term business. They have a lot to risk by mixing fake timepieces with original ones. Their business and reputation would be put at stake if they are caught passing fake Seiko watches as real ones. There’s nothing gained by auctioning fake Seiko items.
There are clues that you can look for. Check the number of transactions they have conducted and how long they have been an eBay seller. Those that have been around for several years with thousands and tens of thousands of sales transactions done are more likely to be trustworthy sellers.
Beware of newcomer sellers with just a few hundred transactions done. This is not to say that all new eBay sellers are hawking fake Seikos, but the likelihood coming across fake Seiko sellers increases if they’re relatively new in the game.
Look out for the vendor’s PowerSeller logo on eBay. Note that not all established merchants carry this logo.
While the presence of the eBay PowerSeller logo is a good indication of the seller’s reputation and trustworthiness, not all established sellers have earned this status or updated their respective eBay store websites.
Feedback rating from buyers
Another way to gauge whether an eBay vendor is pushing legitimate watches is to look at their positive feedback rating. As a rough yardstick, a seller that scores at least 98% positive feedback generally are trustworthy, but there are exceptions to this rule.
Fake Seiko peddlers on eBay can easily manipulate the feedback rating. They usually resort to the old trick of getting their friends and contacts to bid on their items. They can even register themselves as bogus buyers (often with very few feedback) and self-bid on their auctions. This practice is illegal by eBay’s terms and conditions but with the mushrooming of new eBay watch sellers every month, it’s a difficult task for eBay to track the fake peddlers.
Of course, if a particular watch is not won by a genuine buyer the actual item is not really “sold” but tagged as a legitimate transaction. The seller’s contacts or their phony buyers would pay for the item and leave a positive feedback. In return the seller would reciprocate by leaving a positive feedback.
This gives the appearance that there’s no hanky-panky involved in such transactions from eBay’s point of view. Remember that eBay only acts on complaints by bona fide buyers – it is logistically impossible for them to monitor each and every transaction made every day. Since the seller and their cohorts are in the game of deception, all of the bogus transactions will have positive feedback for certain.
If you’ve watched celebrity street magicians perform tricks for a live audience on television, some of their amazing tricks involve “random” people working closely with the magician, who are deliberately planted into the crowd. This leads to unsuspecting observers into thinking that the individuals selected by the magician are truly randomly picked.
In some tricks the whole audience on TV is part of the whole illusion! Ever seen the guy who literally walked across a swimming pool? All of the people in the swimming pool were in collaboration in order to successfully deceive the audience watching the show on television.
Top: A celebrity street magician performing his famous walking-on-water illusion.
In the same vein, in an effort into getting unwary buyers to bid on their fake Seikos, such eBay sellers use bogus bidders to give the impression that there is genuine interest in their auctions. This is nothing new as the practice of planting “customers” giving scripted testimonials have been around for a long time. You may have watched infomercials on television or street vendors at flea market promoting some miracle product with paid “actors” blindly agreeing with the presenter.
Photos and description of the watch
Legitimate grey market Seiko sellers on eBay generally take the trouble to show their watches from several angles – front, rear and and from the sides. Some will take close up pictures of the bracelets and instruction manuals. They have nothing to hide and the multi-angle photos are available for the potential buyer to scrutinize.
On the other hand, fake Seiko eBay sellers will try to hide the tell tale signs that their watches are phony buy posting just one picture of the watch, usually from the front. With only a single view of the product, they’re hoping that informed buyers won’t catch anything amiss. Of course, inexperienced consumers are unlikely to be able to tell the difference anyway and this is the market the fake sellers are capitalizing on.
The description of the watch is equally important. Trusted sellers always include the actual model reference numbers of the watch being auctioned and give a detailed description. Even if their watches are grey market ones, genuine Seiko watches will have the model tag tied on the bracelet.
Above: Screenshot of a completed sale of a fake Seiko 5 Sports on eBay with a bogus model reference no.
Fake Seiko peddlers will resort to describing their phony watches with as little information as possible, often leaving out the reference number. Even if there’s a model reference number, it’s a bogus one that does not conform to Seiko’s standard nomenclature or numbering convention.
As this article is written, it has come to my attention (thanks to a blog reader) that there is an unscrupulous fake Seiko seller on eBay auctioning rip off Seiko watches. I will only mention that this seller is based in Singapore with just a few hundred positive feedback. The seller has just several Seiko 5 and Seiko 5 Sports watches up for grabs and I’ve determined that they are all fake.
If you’re curious, just look at these made-up, bogus reference numbers the seller is using:
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SKW633J
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SKNW168J
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SKNS309K
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SKNS791K
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SKNW866J
Further to the above, Seiko does not and never has used “SKW”, “SKNW” or “SKNS” as prefixes for their Seiko 5 family. I suspected just as much, because Seiko also has a 7-character limit for their watch models. “SKNS309K” and “SKNW866J” puts it at 8 characters in total – a sure sign of a phony reference number. Furthermore, all genuine Seiko 5 Sports models with the 7s36 movement start with the characters “SKZ”.
This particular seller also posts just one small picture of the watches per listing that he or she is auctioning as you can see below:
Above: Very convincing counterfeit Seiko 5 and Seiko 5 Sports models.
I must admit that they looked pretty convincing at first, but upon closer scrutiny I noted the dial text fonts don’t look like the ones that Seiko actually uses. These are good quality forgeries and can easily pass off as originals to the uninitiated.
Payment methods
One way of determining whether an eBay seller is one that you can trust and buy from again is to check his or her payment methods, warranty and return policies.
The safest and preferred way of paying would be through PayPal. Although there had been numerous grouses against PayPal for its slowness of handling complaints and refunds, it is still better than direct bank-in payment methods and wire transfers such as Money Gram and Western Union.
When in doubt, never pay through direct payments into the seller’s bank accounts or use services like Western Union. Direct-to-account and Western Union payment methods are one way. In the event that you are dissatisfied with the watch you’ve received or even worse, got a fake Seiko watch you have no way of getting your money back.
More often than not a fake watch seller will cook up plenty of excuses not to accept refunds. Such watches are usually won at unrealistically low prices and some consumers would rather accept their misfortune rather than going through the trouble to reclaim their thirty bucks down the drain.
PayPal, despite its shortcomings is the safer way to pay for eBay purchases compared to Western Union unless the seller is trustworthy and with a solid track record.
This is NOT to say that all eBay sellers that offer Western Union are bad guys. Some buyers don’t have PayPal accounts or prefer other methods of payment so the trustworthy sellers also include Western Union as an option.
However, if a seller offers a discount on payments made through Western Union (e.g. 30% off), this raises a red flag. Thirty percent discount is just too irresistible for some people (thinking they’re getting a great deal paying by Western Union), forgetting that once the payment has been made that’s the end of the story. You’re at the mercy of the seller once or she gets your money and you end up with a fake Seiko.
Trusted eBay sellers never offer discounts for payments made through Western Union. Why should they? They have a lot to lose if they offered a 30% discount on sales of authentic Seiko watches paid via Western Union. So you pay the same amount, regardless whether you use PayPal or other modes. Don’t forget that as a buyer, it is you who is remitting the monies to the seller. With Western Union, it is the remitter who has to pay the service fees for sending the funds to the recipient.
Warranty and return policies
There are usually no official Seiko warranty cards issued with grey market Seikos. This is because only authorized brick-and-mortar Seiko dealers can issue the warranty cards, which they get from their local authorized Seiko distributor. These dealers are strictly NOT allowed to sell their stocks to re-sellers (in essence, most grey market sellers on eBay are re-sellers) but directly to you, the end customer. To evade detection, authorized dealers that supply eBay vendors with their stock do not issue Seiko warranty cards.
Due to the absence of warranty, grey market Seiko sellers on eBay will give a warranty up to 3 days in case the watch received is defective or can be proven to be not authentic. A few established companies that sell Seikos online are willing to give their in-house, 1 or 2-year warranty. Creationwatches is one of the veteran grey market Seiko vendors that has an overseas representative in the U.S (Middletown, Connecticut to be more precise) and provides a two-year in-house warranty for its watches.
If something goes wrong with the watch, you have to send it back to the seller for free repair or exchange during the warranty period. You cannot take the watch to your local Seiko repair center for claims as you don’t have a valid international warranty to begin with.
Unfortunately, fake Seiko sellers on eBay can also use the catch phrases like:
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100% brand new and authentic Seiko
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Money back guarantee if watch is not authentic
The problem is that once you’ve realized that you’ve bought a phony Seiko watch, it’s your word against the seller’s. Even if you claim that you’ve taken the watch to your Seiko service center and determined that it’s not original, the seller can counter-claim otherwise too.
Also note that fake Seiko watches will not come with genuine Seiko boxes, if any is provided. Seiko watch boxes are generally issued by authorized Seiko dealers.
What kind of Seiko watches can be found as fake ones?
I get this kind of question a lot from my blog readers and it’s a perfectly legitimate question to ask. But first we have to get into the mindset of the counterfeit maker/distributor as which watches they are likely to rip off.
The counterfeit watch industry has these goals in mind:
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Quick turnover and high sales of fake watches
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Highest profits in the shortest period possible
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Marques and models that are very high in demand
Customarily, the famous name brand Swiss watches have always been their market. This is evidenced by flea market sellers hawking fake Rolex and Omega watches, for example. On the Internet, there are too many online replica Swiss watch sellers to count!
Above: Two counterfeit brands that are perpetually high in demand: Rolex and Omega.
Could they make a copycat Seiko Kinetic or Spring Drive? Sure, they would consider investing into the design and fabricating tools to duplicate phony Kinetics and Direct Drives if they wanted to. However, the cost in copying Kinetic and Spring Drive movements would be very substantial even if they ever succeed in replicating them.
High production costs translate into high end retail prices, which will deter consumers from buying fake Seiko Kinetics and Spring Drive watches. Add to the fact that replica watch buyers aren’t remotely interested in buying costly phony Seiko watches. The price of a genuine Seiko watch is not really much more than fake ones – therefore the whole exercise would be not worth it.
In a nutshell, counterfeits would rather spend more effort and investment in copying high end Swiss watches.
Top: Seiko Kinetic and Spring Drive watches are currently, not feasible for counterfeiters to copy (borrowed images).
So that leaves the low end Seiko 5 family watches which could be copied as cheaply as possible. That is why fake midrange and flagship Seiko watches don’t exist. There’s just not enough demand for them to make counterfeiting such models feasible or profitable.
This actually spells good news for Seiko buyers as they are not likely to inadvertently buy a fake Seiko Kinetic. That also goes for Seiko sub-ranges such as Velatura, Arctura, Sportura and Premier as such models are neither cost effective nor profitable to copy.
Just remember the counterfeiter’s mind set: large profit margins in the shortest turnaround time possible.
Who are the good guys then?
The number of “legitimate” online Seiko watch sellers on eBay have grown since the early 2000s and it’s impossible to keep track of them all.
The long established ones, such as Pokemonyu, Time Paradise, Premierworld, Capital Mall and Watches59 to name a few – are all 100% trustworthy and I have personally bought from most of them. For some strange reason, Watches59 have stopped dealing in Seiko watches for some time.
As I cannot possibly evaluate all the eBay vendors that have cropped up lately, I listed only the ones that I have experience with. This post serves as a guide in weeding out the bad from the good. I hope you find this article useful in guiding you if you come across unfamiliar eBay sellers! 
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Comments
Hi Pavel,
The Premier SRH009P appears to be 100% original. The seller has a very good feedback rating with 100% positive feedback and thousands of transactions done. They also highlighted that they are not an official Seiko dealer, therefore warranties are with the seller and not with Seiko.
For the asking price of USD456 for a Kinetic Direct Drive, that is pretty cheap!
Quartzimodo
Quartzimodo
Thank you for your response and for the excellent and useful story about the clock! I wish you all the best!
Dear Quartzimodo,
How do you think, what the package would arrive at these Seiko, in the original or not? Thank you for your reply!
I’m afraid not, Pavel. Only Seikos sold through authorized dealers come with original Seiko boxes. This is because original boxes are issued by the authorized Seiko distributor and not the Seiko factory. The seller states that a generic gift box will be given. But then, for less than 500 dollars for a Kinetic Direct Drive you can’t really complain.
Quartzimodo.
Thank you!
That is it, a normal situation, that there is no original box, if not buying from an official dealer? And what you say about this watch and the package offered by this seller?
The box from Jacobtime is a generic cheap Seiko USA gift box, but it’s not a Premier box. As Premiers are considered upmarket watches, Seiko usually gives a special watch box for Premiers. That goes for other Seiko ranges like Velatura, Arctura and Sportura.
But don’t worry, it’s still a Seiko box.
Thank you for your comments Quartzimodo!
If you would be interested, I can send you a detailed photo report as soon as I get this Seiko.
Once again, thank you!
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for the post, it is helpful.
Can you help please with this watch? Is it genuine seiko 5?
Thank you!
Sorry, placed link at wrong place.
To the previous question:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250608590607&ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT
Hello Ivan,
That Seiko 5 watch appears to be genuine but I have not seen this model before. Seiko makes new models for their Seiko 5 range that it’s very difficult to keep track of them all. The hands, dial and caseback pictures suggest that this is an original Seiko.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Dear Quartzimodo,
first of all, thank you for the great posting!
I am currently interested in purchasing Seiko Premier from jacobtime.com (http://www.jacobtime.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=9077&keyword=Seiko+Kinetic+Premier+Perpetual+Calendar+Mens+Watch+SNP001). Some people from rating sites complain that jacobtime.com sends defectives, and some say they are great sellers. what do you think? is it worth trying to buy the watch from them?
Hi Kevin,
With hundreds of weekly transactions, there are bound to be defects with certain models from any seller. You may find it amusing, but some people don’t even know how automatic watches work and they complain to the seller that the watch isn’t accurate like quartz. A friend of mine who sells vintage watches on eBay even had to amend his description of his watches to be as idiot-proof as possible. For every 100 satisfied customers, there will be bound to be a few who are dissatisfied.
I have no experience with Jacobtime but what is more important is how they address customer complaints and make amends. Read through their return policy and ask questions before committing to a purchase.
good luck!
Quartzimodo Admin.
Is this watch a real Seiko? I’ve not seen it anywhere else on the internet, but the seller claimed that was because it’s “extremely rare” when I messaged him.
It’s not on the Seiko website in UK, US or Canada, so I’m sorta doubting its validity.
What do you think? It looks real but after reading your post above I’m not so sure anymore.
Hi Carol,
It’s a genuine Seiko ladies’ watch all right. The seller was right about saying that it was “rare”, that is – as far as UK, Europe and North America is concerned.
This watch is part of the Criteria range, which is exclusive to the Southeast Asian market, inclusive of Hong Kong. Which is why you will never see Criteria models for sale outside of SE Asia or the Seiko websites for the Western hemisphere. See for yourself here.
cheers,
Quartzimodo Admin.
Hi Quartzimodo,
Apparently Sportura replicas are available. One of the online ecommerce site based in China (which i won’t name here for legal reasons) told me they have high quality replicas.
Have you ever heard of or dealt with http://www.ModBazaar.com, which is based in Singapore?
Thanks a million for the really informative articles you have on Seiko.
Cheers!
Lee
Hi Lee,
A lot of things have changed since I first started this block in late 2007. China is now the fastest growing industrialized nation in the Far East. With genuine products being manufactured in China, it’s hardly surprising that they have turned their attention to higher end Seiko replicas. I’ve seen fake Sony Ericsson and Nokia phones at warehouse sales organized by direct importers. If they can come up with fake cellphones, they can come up with better fake Seiko watches.
No, I’ve not heard of that seller in question. Probably a hundred new online sellers pop up every year. What’s important for one to remember is always buy the seller, not the product.
Quartzimodo
Hi Lee,
A lot of things have changed since I first started this blog in late 2007. China is now the fastest growing industrialized nation in the Far East. With genuine products being manufactured in China, it’s hardly surprising that they have turned their attention to higher end Seiko replicas. I’ve seen fake Sony Ericsson and Nokia phones at warehouse sales organized by direct importers. If they can come up with fake cellphones, they can come up with better fake Seiko watches.
No, I’ve not heard of that seller in question. Probably a hundred new online sellers pop up every year. What’s important for one to remember is always buy the seller, not the product.
Quartzimodo
hi quartzimodo
Can you help me with this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/SEIKO-KINETIC-DIRECT-DRIVE-NEW-100M-SRG001-SRG001P2-/120574722958?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1c12d0438e
is this real? I already bought it and everythings seem to be okay bu i just want to be sure it’s not a fake one.
Hi Shizen,
You have nothing to worry about as that Seiko Premier SRG001P is 100% authentic. Enjoy your watch in good health!
Quartzimodo Admin.
Hi Quartzimodo,
May I kindly ask you to help me with this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200304115699&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Do you think it’s trustful?
Thank you so much for your help.
Regards,
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
It’s a genuine new model Seiko Sportura, part of the limited edition BAR F1 Honda Racing Team lineup. AFAIK F1 Honda Racing models are only released as a Sportura. GBP240 sounds about right for this watch as a Buy-It-Now asking price. If you’re a Honda team racing fan, this is the watch to get.
Quartzimodo Admin.
Hi Quartzimodo,
Is it possible to estimate whether this model is an authentic one? Seller put only one picture…
Regards,
Peter
Hi Peter,
If the seller described it as a model SNX997K, it should be the real deal. eBay is very strict against merchants selling fake products and if this watch turns out to be a fake (which I doubt it), you have a very strong case against the seller. I looked at the other items he sells and the Seiko watches also appear to be genuine. The ones to look out for are new sellers with very few transactions.
In this seller’s case, (s)he has done over 1,000 transactions with a strong 99.3% feedback. No worries with this seller.
Quartzimodo Admin
Hi, Quartzimodo,
And first big thanks for effort regarding those Seikos.
I’m sort of a quartz chrono watch fan, but would like to have one mechanical “every day use” also. ( Like those smooth sweeping second hand..)
Well, decent Swiss made mechanical seen a little expensive for me to start with,
but would like to have the real thing, so no replicas or fakes…
I’m totally OK with Japan products, so I go with Seiko:
http://www.21jewels.com/productsdetail.asp?getproductid=1658&start=1&getbrand=1&getproducttype=8
I have selected the supplier somewhat on your recommendation on previous
article, namely “21 jewels,com«. They also supply worldwide.
Those this recommendation still stands, sure would like to receive real thing.
They do not have boxes..?
Thanks and regards, Davorin
Hi Davorin,
Thank you for your nice comments. There are good Swiss brands that won’t cost you much, lesser known brands like Enicar and Titoni that make mechanical watches exclusively. Titoni is an old brand since the 60s (I think) and since it doesn’t spend much on advertising (unlike TAG Heuer), their watches should be affordable by Swiss watch standards.
21Jewels may deal in grey market Seiko watches, which means that you usually don’t get any box. Some grey market dealers may provide you with a box at their expense while others do not. None of my grey market Seiko watches came with a gift box anyway. However I am fortunate to know one or two watch dealers who were generous enough to give me spare boxes with every purchase I made from them.
Enjoy your Seiko 5 Sports watch in good health!
Quartzimodo
Hi, Quartzimodo,
Must admit, never heard of those two Swiss brands..
Fortunately, I’m not that keen on Swiss made, so far quite happy with
a few Citizens, Seiko’s and Sectors. All of them quartz and around
300 USD each, so I rather wont get further “ Swiss” infected..
Anyway, if the watch is real box or no box is no concern to me.
So, Thanks again and Best regards, Davorin
Hi Quartzimodo,
I want to ask you about the 7 digit Seiko product code. This is the same seller as posted earlier by Peter:
This seller is selling SNK809K2, which is a 8 digit product code. Do you think it is a fake one?
Thank you.
AD
Hi AD,
You’re confusing the watch serial number with the reference (model) number. They’re not the same thing. SNK809K is the reference number for this watch. The 6-digit serial number is at the back of the watch, which you can’t see. All watches of this particular design and color are called SNK809Ks, but every SNK809K will have a unique serial number.
BTW, the watch is a genuine Seiko.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi quartzimodo
Can you help me with this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/Seiko-Sportura-Black-Alarm-Chronograph-Watch-SNAA95P1-/120480849281?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1c0d37dd81 this watch
original or replica?
Hi man, please answer my quastion this watch http://cgi.ebay.com/Seiko-Sportura-Black-Alarm-Chronograph-Watch-SNAA95P1-/120480849281?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1c0d37dd81
is it replica or not?I am asking becourse on the replica watch site wolesale this watch have a same price.
Hi, Quartzimodo,
Firstly, thanks for your informed and interesting article!
My question is about a Seiko 5 SKXS77 auctioned on ebay at http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260630737925&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT. What concerns me is that the seller shows several pictures of the watch but the SEIKO emblem does not appear on the face in some of the pictures. Seems odd! Any advice would be most welcome.
Hi Ray,
The Seiko emblem is actually there but it’s made of reflective metal. Because of this, depending on the angle of lighting sometimes it seems to be invisible. If you look at the rest of the pictures, the Seiko logo is visible. This is a genuine Seiko 5.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi Misha,
AFAIK Seiko watches sold by Dabrands on eBay are genuine and not replicas. USD300 is about right for a Sportura SNAA95P 7T62. Sorry for the late reply
cheers
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for your quick response, much appreciated! I’m going to buy it.
Best regards,
Ray
Great column! I just bought a Seiko 5 Sport SNZG11K1 (8 digits?) from PremierWorld and when it arrived in a plastic bag I grew concerned about it being a fake. But after reading your informative article I feel better. Thanks so much for helping us eBay buyers out.
Keep up the good work,
Ralph
Congrats, Ralph!
Seiko reference numbers are actually 7 characters. The “1″ denotes the strap or bracelet type. Generally Seiko enthusiasts refer your watch as SNZG11K and not SNZG11K1. Any watch that begins with “SNZ” would be a 7s36 powered Seiko 5 Sports.
Quartzimodo
Hi!
Hi, can you tell me if this site has a watch that is an original or a fake?
http://viewitem.eim.ebay.se/SEIKO_DAYTONA_F1_RACER_CHRONO_WATCH_D3B/290449514544/item
I’m also considering this watch:
http://www.chronograph.com/store/mli_viewItem.asp?idproduct=2823
Thanks
Hi Thom,
After doing some searching around the ‘net, I found out that the SND703P does exist. For some reason this model is released to Europe first and not Southeast Asia. A comparison to stock photos from Seiko Australia’s site revealed that the eBay seller’s watch is genuine.
Any watch sold by Chronograph.com is guaranteed to be 100% genuine and they have been in the online watch business for many years. No worries buying from Chronograph.com, ever. They’re one of the good guys and many would readily vouch for this online seller.
Quartzimodo Admin.
Hello, Quartzimodo,
Thank you for the great work you’re doing.
I would like to ask about this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170515801171&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123
It’s just arrived.It seems genuine to me but i would like to hear your opinion too.And what about the guarantee?It has a seiko card but it is for 1 year international guarantee.
After that??
Thanks again
Hi Titus,
Congrats on owning the new Premier Moonphase Kinetic 5D88. This is a very recently introduced caliber and has lots of complications. By that I mean the caliber is complicated and not problems. It’s 100% genuine, so don’t worry about it. I’ve yet to see a replica Seiko Kinetic as it’s very difficult to come up with a Kinetic movement. Quartz movements are easy to source and replica Seikos are more likely to be quartz models. If you receive the official Seiko warranty card then all is well. Only Seiko USA offers a 3 year warranty, but it’s a local and not an international warranty.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo Admin
Thank you very much…
I almost freaked out when i’ve learned that there are a lot of fake seiko in e-bay.
Thanks again…
Keep going great work
Hi Quartzimodo,
It was perfect timing that I found your website and all of your great advice. I have been considering buying from two sellers that pass some of your criteria, but they always have the same stock pictures up for the same models, which is now a big concern. I have been considering the same models from the same sellers for a few months as they seem to have a large stock of them. I guess I’m most concerned that they are authentic and that I would actually get the Seiko warranty as they say. The items are:
1. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130415140940&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123
2. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110566307966&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123
Thanks, Dave.
Hi,
I am not a newbie, but I think I purchased a fake Ladies Seiko 5 Automatic watch. I took it to my jeweler to get the band sized and he said it looked like a fake. So, I then contacted the seller and kindly said that I only wanted him to verify that the watch was authentic. Well,, he obviously blew a gasket and rambled on and on in broken english. So, at this point, i dont care about the money I lost, but I do care about other customers on ebay getting taken by this guy. I hope you can check out the ad for the watch I purchased and the pics as well and just let me know for peace of mind that I did in fact buy a Feiko!!!.
Thanks, and again I am glad that I read your articles(s) on this.
Sincerely,
Sharon Herriot
The seller is vorawatchplus2005. basaed in Los Angeles, and I think he’s been selling on ebay for about 5 years. Personally, I think he may be seling authentic, but is slipping in fakes as well.
Please check him out and let me know.
Hi Sharon,
Good question. This was a tough one for me.
It actually took me a while to examine the photos of the ladies’ Seiko watches that the seller has, because I have not come across fake Seiko watches for women yet. My conclusion is that the watches that this vendor sells are actually genuine. While the Seiko logo doesn’t appear to be perfectly formed, the markings on the caseback look authentic. Some of his watches – the ones with the reference codes starting with “SUA” are long discontinued 4206 caliber watches for women while others, with the reference “SYM” are current 4207 caliber models.
4206s are automatic movements meant for ladies’ watches with an auxiliary hand winding feature to assist in winding the main spring. While such watches were assembled in Seiko’s plant in Hong Kong (now part of China), the actual movements were manufactured by Seiko’s (then) Daini plant. That small lightning symbol refers to the Daini factory (the other being the Suwa plant) in Japan.
Your watch (a 4207) appears to be genuine, although the dial’s design does raise suspicions of being a fake – but it’s not. Everything else checks out, like the fonts and day/date disc characters. You should be able to hand wind your watch, as all 4206/4207 calibers do. The 4207 caliber is no longer assembled in Japan, as indicated by the absence of the “Mov’t [insert country here]” text at the bottom of the dial. It’s probable that 4207s are made in either Singapore or Malaysia and exported to China for the final assembly.
As for the bracelet, Seiko doesn’t pay much attention to basic Seiko 5 models. I don’t blame your jeweler for thinking that it’s a fake. In fact, nearly all basic Seiko 5s come with a cheap and cheesy, folded link bracelet instead of solid links. You can see from the side that the stainless steel is rolled and pressed to form links, instead of being forged as solid metal links. Seiko also makes Seiko 5 Sports and Seiko 5 Superior for ladies – these two are considered higher specc’ed watches and thus are fitted with solid link bracelets.
The only way for you to be sure is to have the caseback opened and the movement inspected. Original Seiko 5 watches should have the text “Seiko Time Corp” and the number of jewels engraved on the oscillating weight.
Hope this answers your question.
Quartzimodo
Hi!
I am just starting my Seiko collecting journey and I am interested in this model: http://www.fashion-jewelry-watches-online.com/shop/snn079p2-seiko-chronograph-100m-gents-watch-snn079-p-2551.html
Could you give your opinion. Is it a genuine Seiko or a replica?
Hi Niilo,
The 7T94 quartz chronograph is a genuine Seiko, so don’t worry about its authenticity. Best of luck with your road to Seiko watch collecting…I must warn you that like dSLR photography (which is my other hobby), can be an expensive affair.
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
In the first place thanks for your interesting articles, i’ve liked reading them.
Still i have a question concerning the following watch
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110572455570&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123
can you please tell me if it is a genuine Seiko?
The seller is called Dabrands, is it a seller you know? In that case I can (at a later moment) increase mine collection without “bothering” you.
Thanks Frank
Hi Frank,
Dabrands should be a trustworthy seller although I’ve never personally bought from them. Its feedback rating is quite good, at well over 99% positive. The Seiko Premier in question is the real deal, have no worries about its authenticity. I get asked about Dabrands quite often, the seller should be OK. Whether their customer service is up to notch would be another matter.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Can you please advise on the following two \Seiko 5\ watches. One from a UK seller with warranty:
One from one of the sellers you list above for selling genuine Seiko 5′s:
Why do they look so different? The triangle at 12 o’clock is the other way up. Is one just a newer design than the other? Are they both genuine?
Hi Sam,
Both of the Seiko watches are genuine models. The SNK809K, dubbed the “Desert Storm” watch (lol!) was first introduced back in 2004. I’m surprised that this watch is still available today, six years later. I had two – the rare LumiBrite glow-in-the-dark face SNK811K and the blue dialed SNK807K some years ago but sold them. I felt they were too small for my taste.
The other model – the SNKH63K is a modern rehash of the original “Flieger 5″ SNK8xxK series and it’s new model, judging from the reference code. As for the positioning of the triangle, it’s just that the Seiko designers decided to flip it upside down for a “fresh look”. IMO the triangle should have the tip upwards as with traditional Flieger type of watches. A downwards facing triangle is traditionally used as the 12 o’clock mark on diver’s watches.
As whether which one looks better, it’s a matter of personal preference.
Quartzimodo
Hi,
Having read all this topic, which is excellent, I have one doubt. There are at least 3 authorized Seiko dealers in UK who are selling online: The Watch Hut, FirstClassWatches and WatchShop. Aren’t they supposed to not be able to sell online in eBay UK? If you check their official web sites, they have authorized Seiko logos and if you see their business stores they are quite popular in UK.
Hi Portugal,
Times are a-changing. The policy whether Seiko watches can be sold online is governed by the regional or country distributor and not the manufacturer (Seiko Japan). Just a few years ago, both Seiko USA and Seiko UK prohibited sales of its watches online. They have probably seen consumer trends preferring to buy Seiko watches online – particularly from merchants and “resellers” from Asia, which affected the businesses of their chain of authorized dealers.
The Thong Sia Company, which has been the de facto distributor of Seiko products for China and Southeast Asia from the late 1960s, still prohibits its network of authorized dealers to sell officially through the Internet but a select few managed to find loopholes. Do you have the direct URL links to the stores you mentioned on eBay?
Quartzimodo
Please check:
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-watchshop-uk
http://www.watchshop.com/
I could not find the other …
I looked at the eBay store with the name “The Watch Shop UK” and noted that they have different phone numbers from that of http://www.watchshop.com. Whether they are run by the same people is another matter altogether. eBay doesn’t check the store names merchants wish to register.
Buy from the seller that you are more confident with.
Quartzimodo.
Hey Quartzimodo,
I’ve read your blogs and posts very intently over the last few days. I was wondering if you could offer your opinion on the authenticity of this Watch. This definitely has some of the indicators of perhaps begin fake but I’m not sure it’s a model that is being replicated. What do you think?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280553701720&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Hi Novie,
The item for sale is a pre-owned watch and there is no picture of the real watch for sale other than a stock catalog picture of it from Seiko. Without clear photos of the actual watch, it’s impossible for me to have a look at it. eBay is usually vigilant against merchants who peddle in counterfeit (replica or fake) items but it cannot possibly monitor every single item sold by individual sellers. In such cases, caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) should be exercised.
From the vague description of the watch (assuming that the seller was selling a genuine Seiko), it appears to be a Seiko Coutura 5T82 world timer.
Quartzimodo
Hey Quartzimodo,
Thanks so much for your input. I am a little weary about this transaction but rest assured I will be vigilant and vindictive should this seller provide me with a non authentic item. I will report back to this forum about this seller once the transaction has been completed. I will also link photos so that you can look at it as well as having a local jeweler examine it. I actually attempted to obtain photos from the seller (who BTW thus far has been highly communicative, professional and reassuring) but he insisted he was on the road all day and would probably not be able to provide actual pics before the auction ended. I guess my question in the meantime is, have you ever seen or heard of this model being replicated before?
Hi Novie,
I suspected as much that you were the winning bidder in that transaction.
Watch collectors would never buy pre-owned watches unless they trust the seller (either from past experience or through recommendations in watch forums) and the seller in turn, should describe the condition of the item as accurately as possible while providing clear photos of the watch from multiple angles.
Looking at the rest of the items that he’s selling, it’s clear that watches are not exactly his are of expertise. He may be a personal trader, finding bargains from second hand stores and pawn shops to sell on eBay….and there’s nothing wrong with that. Some sellers advertise their items for sale “as is” – which means they may not know whether the items that they sale are genuine or otherwise and if you agree to buy, you’re also consenting to the terms of the sale.
No, I’m not aware whether 5T82 Coutura models are available in replica form. It’s possible they exist. Nobody really knows who makes replica watches (the counterfeit watch manufacturer) and your guess is as good as mine.
I do hope that the watch you’ve bought turns out to be genuine though. Take it to an authorized Seiko dealer (not some mall jeweler that sells cheap fashion watches) to get an expert assessment of the watch.
Quartzimodo
Are these watches real, original, not fake? http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Seiko-Premier-Kinetic-Direct-Drive-SRH009P1-SRH009_W0QQitemZ360239823169QQcmdZViewItemQQptZWristwatches?hash=item53dff77941
Thank you for your reply!