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
-
SKNW168J
-
SKNS309K
-
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! 
Originally posted 2010-01-08 19:21:00.
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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:
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 (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 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
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:
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:
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
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 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 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?
viewitem.eim.ebay.se/SEIKO_DAYTONA_F1_RACER_CHRONO_WATCH_D3B/290449514544/item
I'm also considering this watch:
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:
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. cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130415140940&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123
2. 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: 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
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:
cgi.ebay.com/SEIKO-AUTOMATIC-DESERT-STORM-AVIATOR-BLACK-WATCH-BAND-/220651688810?pt=Wristwatches
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
I looked at the eBay store with the name "The Watch Shop UK" and noted that they have different phone numbers from that of 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?
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
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for taking your time in answering peoples queries, can you check this ebay seller for me, he claims to sell genuine vintage watches, but he has many items of the same watch, something doesn't seem right but he has excellent feedback ratings...
Hi Seiko Fan,
The seller does sell genuine vintage Seiko timepieces but from the items that he's selling they appear to be in poor shape. Some of the watches have badly restored dials while others have incorrect hands installed. Serious vintage Seiko watch collectors generally avoid buying such examples, except if they want to cannibalize them for spare parts.
Having lots of positive feedback is unfortunately not a foolproof way of determining whether the seller's items are of quality or accurately as described. Some eBay members purchase from the seller not for their own consumption, but to resell them in their respective countries or locations (not necessarily on eBay). If you're a flea market seller, what is more important is to find a supplier of old watches and resell them.
True collectors will avoid cobbled-together watches (we call them "Franken Seikos") while re-sellers don't really care about the visual condition of the vintage watch. The re-sellers received the items in good hands - therefore they are obliged to leave a positive feedback.
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo
Thanks for your article. Just wondering if you could please tell me if this is a genuine Seiko watch or not? Thank you.
cgi.ebay.com/SEIKO-SNN237P1-Chronograph-100M-LumiBrite-/360300864081
Hi Troy,
Yes, the SNN237P is a genuine Seiko watch. At present there are no counterfeit versions of the 7T94 (SNN-series) models. Do note that only the outer hour markers are coated with luminous material. The Arabic numbers on the dial don't glow in the dark. Seiko has been doing this since the past 3 years for its low end models, presumably to cut down on production costs.
Quartzimodo
Hello, Quartzimodo. Your blog is amazing and has tons of useful info for us wrist watch lovers. May I ask for your expertise ? I found this Seiko cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380267519817&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_769wt_704 at auction and bought it, but I could not find any other references to this particular color scheme, so could you please take a look and tell me your opinion before I pay the seller ?
Hi Mauricio,
Looking at the seller's photos of the Seiko 7T62 alarm-chronograph, everything checks out OK. From the design it looks like it's an early 7T62 model but if you could furnish the caseback number that would help to identify the watch reference no. Please note that Seiko made countless models based on the 7T62 caliber and some models are available only to certain parts of the world. BTW, your watch is genuine although I've never seen this particular model before.
Thanks for the nice comments, appreciate it.
Quartzimodo
Hi,
You have been of gr8 help -
by looking at this listing, can you tell me if it looks genuine to you ...
Namaste Vinod,
Yes, that Seiko Arctura 7T62 alarm-chronograph is a genuine Seiko. It's a fairly new model from the design and reference code, perhaps introduced from 2009 onwards. Note that Arctura watches come with an integrated bracelet, therefore you can't swap the bracelet for a different one or fit a leather strap.
Quartzimodo.
namaste and shukriya
but the dealer is fake 
i am finally planning to order from creation watches - sounds good to you / are the genuine?
do reply
regards, vinod
Namaste Vinod,
I don't see anything wrong with the seller as he sells authentic Casio and Seiko watches. He also earned an eBay Top Seller rating with over 99.4% positive feedback so how did you come to the conclusion that "the dealer is fake"?
In any case, Creation Watches sells only genuine products and they offer you a 2-year in-house warranty as well as a 30-day money back guarantee. Buy from them if you feel it's safer.
Quartzimodo.
Hello, Quartzimodo
Thank you for the articles. It also made me have a second thought about buying this because it got a lot of your descriptions of fake Seiko.
I got a second chance offer on this
Could you plese have a look if this vintage Seiko is genuine??
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190446977235&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Hi Note,
This particular Seiko watch is one that I have never seen before. But first things first: never take up second chance offers on eBay! The reason you received a 2nd chance offer is because you had lost to the "winning bidder".
The problem is that nobody knows for sure if the alleged winner is a bona fide buyer who pulled out at the eleventh hour. It could be the seller himself using a shill bidder or proxy to artificially inflate the price of that watch. Although eBay strictly forbids shill bidding, proving that the original winner isn't a shill bidder is not an easy task. Ever since eBay started the practice of cloaking the true identities of bidders, it has become extremely difficult to establish if the winning bidder and the seller have had a history of giving bogus mutual feedback to one another.
About the watch:
- Only the movement type is supplied with the ad. No caseback number was stated.
- The photo of the caseback is too blurry to make out its details.
- The laser etched Seiko 5 on the crystal did exist with genuine, vintage 7009 Seiko 5 automatics.
- Caseback is sealed with a red striped plastic film. Seller could be protecting the caseback from scratches (not necessarily a fake Seiko) if this is the case.
- The Seiko logo appears to be 100% accurate and so is the calendar window.
- Seiko did make watches using those hands and watch case. Whether this special Thai numeral dial model actually existed decades ago is an entirely different matter! Thailand is probably the only country outside of Japan that is permitted to market special models unique to the Thai market.
- Seller's other Seiko products for sale, like the SKZ243K Red Monster selling for over USD1K is genuine. So are the other vintage 7009 automatics.
The only way to be sure is to ask Seiko collectors in Thailand if they ever remembered seeing a watch like this one. Perhaps you can pose a question in the PMWF forum and hopefully Reto Castellazzi, who runs the PMWF Sales Corner and living in Bangkok, might be able to help.
My take on this dubious looking Seiko is that you have a 50 percent chance of getting a fake or Franken-Seiko watch. Due to the numerous conflicting attributes which I listed above, I am unable to confirm whether this orange Seiko automatic is authentic.
It's up to you to decide if it's worth taking the risk. Note that the seller states that he refunds if the item is "not as described". No mention was made whether the watch is genuine.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo Admin
My husband liked the thin dress watches that were popular in the 90's. I found (and purchased) a Seiko with the tags labeled sfwa30p, back marked SEIKO WATER RESISTANT BASE BETAL STAINLESS STEEL V701-A090 R1 4D4539 MOV'T JAPAN. It has no date on dial (he didn't want that). The face does have the Mov't Japan and v701-a648 below the 6. I can't find it anywhere and after reading your site feel it is a Singapore version, but would like to find out more about it. Was I duped or was it made in the 90's? Any info would be appreciated. Looked real to me at the time!
Hello again Quartzimodo,
A friend of mine bought the same Seiko Orange Monster like your avatar. And now he's wondering if it's genuine. I don't have the pic to show you. But Can you please give the tips where to look if it's genuine? And is the caliber and dial codes printed at the bottom of the dial the same in each model?
Thank you so much.
Hi Note,
All production Seiko watches must have its caliber and dial type code printed at the bottom of the dial in fine print. No exceptions. And yes, the caliber/dial code should be the same for the same watch model.
You can see an example of a fake Black Monster in my old article here. To compare against genuine Seiko Orange Monsters, just do an image search of the watch on Google. You'll find tons of images of the OM there!
Quartzimodo.
Hi Bon,
Yes, I recall the good old early to mid 1990s being an era of fashionable thin and moonphase quartz watches. The V701 was one of Seiko's ultra-thin quartz movements designed for slim dress watches. All Seiko quartz movements are assembled in Japan and they are the finished items are sent to the Seiko factory in Singapore for the final assembly. Your husband's watch wasn't a "Singapore version", it just means that the watch was assembled there and exported worldwide.
The V701 in my opinion, was a late 80s or early 90s movement. I don't think Seiko still makes watches based on this movement anymore. From the serial number, I'd put the production date at Dec 1994. It's not a fake either, so don't worry about it.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
G'day Quartzimodo,
eBay seller: global777 has a huge range of seiko all under half price of RP But all his feedback is great and and over 1000 transactions.
So I'm conflicted between them being too cheap and great feedback.
Any chance you could check out their authenticity.
I'm particularly interested in a kinetic SRH005PI
Cheers.
G'day Benny,
Global777 checks out OK. He wouldn't be where he is now as a top rated seller if his business is dubious. His prices actually reflect the average market prices of Seiko watches sold online. These are actual prices compared to RRP advertised by Seiko, which is often inflated. No worries, those watches of his are fair dinkum, sport.
Quartzimodo
G'day Quartzimodo,
Cheers for the quick reply. I'm pleased it's all good.
Now to get me one! Just one last thing, would the warranty be valid?
Thanx mate.
Hi Quartzimodo
In the article you mentioned that there is no bussiness in producing replica (fake) sieko with kinetic drive. Can you please look at this link: www.xwyr.com/Seiko_Swiss_replica_watches/Seiko_Premier_SNP025P131549.html
Does this watch have a kinetic drive or a generic quarz one?
Hi Alenz,
Good question! Sites advertising replica Seiko watches always use stock catalog images from the manufacturer. I can tell you that that photo is that of a real SNP025P Kinetic Direct Drive. Do a simple Google image test. Type in "SNP025P" and you'll see many sellers of watches (genuine and otherwise) using the same stock photo. Whether you will receive an authentic or a replica SNP025P from that seller would be a totally different matter.
A Kinetic movement is expensive and difficult to copy, more so a Kinetic Direct Drive movement. Until I see photos of actual replica watches using equally replica Kinetic movements, I'd say that quartz is the usual substitute movement.
Quartzimodo
G'day Benny,
In some of the items described by Global777, "factory warranty" is mentioned. Warranties are generally issued by the regional or country distributor and not by the factory. I suppose it's implied that you'll get the international warranty. Here's the thing: almost all Seiko watches sold on eBay are grey market watches. They're authentic all right, but the distribution channel is not sanctioned by Seiko.
You may receive an international warranty with the watch (it should be stamped and filled by the issuing dealer). Whether Seiko Australia's service center will honour the warranty depends on their local policy. Seiko Australia may or may not accept a grey market warranty, so it might be a good idea to double check with them too. In any case, the possibility of a Seiko watch failing due to factory defects within the first year is very slim. Seiko's international warranty is valid for only 12 months and if your watch goes bonkers after that period, you'll still have to pay for repairs - irrespective of whether the warranty is honoured or not.
all the best, mate!
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
I am very tempted to by the Seiko 5 automatic divers watch in the link below. Not sure it's genuine as the price seems to be pretty low. What do you think? By the way, great work. Cheers...
Hi Eng Siong,
I haven't had any experience with "Ivshc" on eBay but the watches that he sells are genuine, including the SNZF15K. USD125 is considered a fair price to pay for this Seiko 5 Sports and not really "pretty low". Grey market sellers are able to offer good deals as they often purchase in bulk, often without providing an official Seiko warranty.
Now if the watch is selling for just USD25, that's pretty low.
Happy buying,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
Actually I thought it was in Singapore dollars!!! I think it may be better to check the prices in shops before I buy online. Thank You.... Cheers
Hi Eng Siong,
eBay sellers that cater to international buyers always quote in US currency. Therefore the "$" sign before the amount always denote US Dollars unless otherwise stated. If you're buying locally, check out the Mustafa department store. I've heard that it sells grey market Seikos (without warranty), which should be a bargain for you. Don't worry about not getting the official 1 year warranty. Most problems with Seiko watches begin only after the first year (often several years) had passed, in which you'd still have to pay for repairs anyway.
Quartzimodo
thank you for the date of my watch but iam still having trouble finding any thing else out i know the 6309 movement is a common movement but the model 8690 i can not find any refaerence to this is this model rare or does it not exsit
Hi Boders,
It's like this. The 6309-7040 diver is perhaps the most commonly discussed 6309 caliber watch around. You'll have no trouble searching for 6309-7040s (or 7049s) on the Internet, because it so happens that many dive watch collectors (myself included) love this model and thus, post pictures of their watches in forums. Seiko also made numerous but lesser known, 6309 models in the past. The problem is if nobody has ever discussed those models and posted photos of them in forums and blogs, nobody will ever know what they look like.
I'm sure that there are other present or former owners of the 6309-8690 in this world besides yourself. They could be owners who are not even interested in watches, let alone participate in watch forums. Maybe they don't have access to a computer or a digital camera. You can only find references to your watch only and only if someone had taken the trouble to take pics of your exact model and upload them for discussion purposes.
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for your very helpful and informative article. I was just wondering if you think the following are real and how do you know in these items?
would you know if these sellers are reputable?
cheers and thanks in advance.
Sorry to bother you again, is this one real?
cgi.ebay.com.au/SEIKO-5-MENS-AUTOMATIC-SEE-THRU-WATCH-SNKA05-/330495220987?pt=UK_Jewelery_Watches_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item4cf30cdcfb
i am very keen on the SNKA05 but not sure which one to buy. whats the normal going price?
cheers quartizmodo
Hi LoveSeiko,
Yes, both the watches are genuine Seikos. There are no indications of either watch being otherwise. Both sellers have excellent positive feedback and are rated as Top Sellers. You shouldn't have any problems buying from either eBay seller.
Quartzimodo
Hi again,
Yes that SNKA05K is genuine too. The price is considered fair for a basic Seiko 5 timepiece but I don't keep track of ongoing prices as there are too many variables involved, e.g. US Dollar currency fluctuations, supply vs demand, the profit margins of the sellers, etc.
Choosing a watch sight unseen can be daunting especially when you're unfamiliar with the model. If your heart is already bent on a certain watch model you won't have any dilemma. Do you like blue faced watches or conservative black? If you have other watches, do you have any blue dialed watch at all? Will this be worn to the office or as casual wear? Do you like the styling of the hands and the bracelet?
It's just like buying a pair of sneakers or tennis shoes. Some people like gaudy colors and stripes to go with their lifestyle while others prefer conservative designs. Try to visualize both watches on your wrist. Choose the one that appeals to you more than the other.
Good luck with your choice my friend!
Quartzimodo
Having been in the watch trade for 30 years you may think you hav seen it all . The range and scale of fake / copy watches is growing . On a regular basis i see people that think they have a good buy only to have the bad news, its a copy . In some cases we are talking 100s or 1000s of £ .
I agree. The counterfeit watch industry feeds on consumer demand just like illicit drugs and counterfeit DVDs. Without enough demand, the replica and counterfeit watch business would not flourish as it does today.
Quartzimodo.
Why do some Seiko watch sellers on eBay charged ask extra for original box and manual?
I presume Seiko Corp. ship their watches to dealers along with original Seiko boxes?
How do original boxes become separated from the watch when it reaches the Seiko watch sellers?
Is this legitimate practice or rip-off of buyers?
Hi Virgilio,
Seiko gift boxes are issued by the Seiko regional or country distributor and not by the Seiko headquarters in Japan. Authorized Internet Seiko dealers will ship the watch with its original gift boxes and manual. Grey market sellers usually try to reduce their shipping overheads as possible by shipping watches in lightweight cardboard boxes and not including the instruction manual.
Grey market dealers are not bound by terms and conditions set by the Seiko distributor as they are not authorized dealers. As such, it is up to them whether to charge extra for the original boxes and manuals.
Quartzimodo
I am looking to buy a Seiko watch from a website name princetomwatches.com but i am confused that is it a legitimate site lemme no plz its kinda urgent i am leaving soon so....i really appreciate your help thank you
here is the link to the website www.princetonwatches.com
Hi Ansh,
Princeton Watches has been a long time, reputable online seller and they deal only in genuine watches. Have no worries, buy with confidence.
happy buying,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo, what do you think of this ebay seller
brandsar009 Im keen on a SKA371 SKA371P2?
Keep up the good work
cheers Rob
Hi Rob,
The eBay seller is relatively new in the game but his feedback seems to be quite good. I'm not sure why in some of his items he uses photos lifted from the Chronograph.com sales site though. As for your question why the selling price is over AUD600 in Australia, well it's just that the Manufacturer's Recommended Selling Prices (MRSP) for Seiko watches are often overinflated and also that local taxes in your country for watches are very much higher.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
hi mate, i would really appreciate your help on this.
from what i can see, it looks ok, but i cant find anywhere on the web, a 007 with a blue ring around the face??? any and all help will be greatly appreciated on this, also note the watch is from manila, iknow they are rife for fakes, but also good for legit watches too, my head is a mess!
atvb
michael
heres the watch
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220715626373&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Hi Quartzimodo.
Thanks for this great article. I was not aware that there are fake seiko 5's around.
What are your opinions about these two sellers and the watches. Are they geniuine and are they brand new and never used? Which one should I prefer. I recently read that capitalmall sells refurbished or repaired defective ones. Can this be true?
Hi,
Your article is amazing, have been reading intently.
I've been wanting a seiko for ages and found this on eBay
I have also received pics of the back case from the seller but I'm not really sure what I'm looking for. What do you think of this watch??
Thank you
Nai
Hi drk,
Yes, there are fake Seiko 5s floating around and the people who buy them have no idea that fake ones exist. I'm not aware if Megan, who runs Capital Mall is passing off refurbished Seiko watches as brand new ones. I've only bought from her twice many years ago and that was it. You'll have to ask her. I'm not familiar with the second seller as I don't keep track of newcomer watch sellers on eBay. If the seller's feedback is good, I don't see why you shouldn't buy from the latter vendor.
The SNZG13K and SNZG13J are identical except that the "J" model is an export version for the Middle East countries. Some people prefer a cleaner looking dial, devoid of the "Made in Japan" text at the bottom of the dial so they opt for the "K" version. This is a very handsome looking watch, IMO.
happy buying!
Quartzimodo
Hi Nai,
The Seiko Coutura series are dress watches for the U.S. market. All Coutura models come with blingy, integrated bracelets and a cabochon decorated main crown. Coutura models have never interested me; same with almost all of my watch collector peers. If you ask my opinion, there are better looking ladies models like the popular Seiko Lukia series meant for the Japan domestic market. Seiko Taiwan brings in a lot of Lukia models as they're popular in Taiwan. Lukia watches are not cheap though.
The Coutura ladies' watch looks OK to me. Watches are very personal and subjective items. If you like this one, buy it.
Quartzimodo
Hi Michael,
The watch in question is the black dialed, SKX007K. The description of the dial color given by the seller is wrong; it should have been stated as black and not blue. It's not a fake watch. IMO, if you're buying this watch for the long term and as your main watch, it's better to buy a brand new SKX007K. The black and blue dialed 7s26-0020 watches are still in production today and they are not classified as vintage Seiko divers. Why would you want to buy a used SKX007K that's almost 8 years old when you can get a brand new one?
The only compelling reason for you to buy this item is if you want to heavily modify the watch. Many Seiko diver's watch collectors buy pre-owned ones for the purpose of modification as it's cheaper than buying brand new. If this is to be your main timepiece, I'd recommend that you buy a brand new one.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo!
Thank you so much for providing this valuable resource for Seiko enthusiasts. After reading your posts on how to detect fake Seikos, I'm more confident about bidding (the auction finishes in an hours' time) for a Seiko 5 listed by one of the Singaporean eBay sellers you mentioned in your post.
To be honest, I wouldn't even know where to look for a Seiko 5 in Queensland and I've heard the local jeweler/retailer's price can be as much as 3 times the eBay price.
Keep up the excellent work!
Hi Quartzimodo,
There is an online retailer "The Duty Free Island Shop" who is also an eBay seller, and from whom I purchased a Seiko Arctura Men's GMT SUN003P1 model for $229 US using my PayPal account. This is the lowest price that I've seen for this watch, but the box was an additional $27, including express shipping. I should be receiving it any day now. Is this retailer legit?
Hi Anastasios,
AFAIK, Seiko has yet to sanction or officially recognize sellers who sell Seiko watches on eBay. Since last year they have approved certain online retailers (non-eBay) to become their Authorized Internet Sellers but not on auction sites.
The SUN003P which you bought at USD229 sounds about the right price for a Kinetic watch. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.
Wear your new watch in good health!
Quartzimodo.
Hi Ex-Singaporean,
The Seiko 5 range were traditionally not meant to be a global market, range of watches. They're sold abundantly in the Middle East, Asia and Japan by brick-and-mortar stores. Thanks to Internet e-commerce and eBay, people living in other parts of the world are able to get one for themselves. Local distributor pricing, customs duties and import taxes vary from one country to another, that's why Seiko watches cost more in some countries like Australia. Thanks for your comments about my blog, appreciate it.
Quartzimodo
Hi and congratulation for this very useful website.
I just bough a Seiko Sportura SPC003 on ebay and I think it's a real one. But I'm don't sure. Do you think that this watch is a real one or replica?
Thanks
cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120660225163&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Hi Trudo,
It's real all right. The 7T82 movement has a 1/100th sec stopwatch register and is too complicated and expensive to duplicate. I've yet to see a replica 7T82 based watch. I see you purchased from "dabrands". This seller deals in only authentic Seiko watches. Rest assured, your Sportura is genuine.
best regards,
Quartzimodo
I had seen this replica on the web. But I don't know if the chrono fonction works like the original.
I had received it today.
They look good. They come with Seiko box, manual and warranty. One deception : the chrono buttoms is loose. I don't know if it's normal.
Thanks
I had received my watch today. It look good and come with manual, Seiko box and warranty card. One deception : the chrono buttoms has a loose feeling. Thanks
Hi Trudo,
You have a 50-50 chance of getting screwed if you purchase from a site that blatantly advertises replica watches. I'd rather stick to the well known and reputable sellers on eBay.
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
I, like so many other appreciative people, need to ask for your help. There is an ebay retailer called "socaltrends". He/she is selling a Seiko SNA765 for a starting bid of 149.99$ with no box, no papers or tags. I asked him why, and he said he buys them direct from a jewelry store in bulk. From my own online research, this watch is becoming rare (dicontinued). I asked him if his watches were 'grey Seikos', he/she was unfamiliar with this term. Do you think this is legit?
Hi quartzimodo, I posted a question here for you yesterday about an eBay seller called 'socaltrends'. The post has been removed? Any reason why? I am just looking for some info on this seller.
Hi Dustin,
I have replied to your question via email, since you sent in your question via the contact form. Kindly check your email, thanks.
Quartzimodo.
Hi Quartzimodo!
Can you please advise on the following two Seiko watches.
cgi.ebay.com/VERY-LATEST-NEW-SEIKO-VELATURA-ALARM-CHRONO-SNAA93P1-/170584095742?pt=UK_Jewelery_Watches_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item27b79abbfe#ht_5629wt_934
Are they both genuine?
Hi Maxim,
Both the Seiko SNAA93P watches sold by both eBay merchants are genuine. Velatura watches are hard to copy exactly and not the worth the effort to do so.
Quartzimodo
So you think that buying from creationwatches.com is secure? Particularly, I'd like to buy this watch:
What do you think (what do these numbers - 2 to 24 - mean)?
Thanks!
Hi Bruno,
I have never dealt with Creationwatches before and I only heard about them through feedback and questions from my blog readers. It should be a reliable vendor to buy your watches online. The Seiko 5 Sports SNZG59K is a manual world time watch. The concept of having a rotating bezel with the city time zones printed on it is nothing new. Seiko had this feature with its vintage 6117 caliber world timer, except that the 6117 had an extra 24-hour hand. I have an old 6117-6040 in my drawer but haven't worn it in ages and have really forgotten how the extra hand works.
In the case of the SNZG59K, you need to align the outer rotating bezel's city (presumably it's a uni-directional kind) to whatever time the hour had is at. In the illustrated example, imagine that your time zone is similar to that of Rio De Janeiro (GMT -3 hour offset). The watch is showing 10:10pm. All the other cities on the bezel correspond to the inner 24-hour bezel, which is marked from 1 to 24 (the odd hours are actually indicated by the small marks). So what you see is the hours marked in 2-hour increments for clarity.
Therefore when it's 10:00 p.m in Brazil, London would be 2400 (midnight) while Moscow would be 3 a.m (on the following day), Hong Kong would be 8 a.m, Sydney would be 10 a.m., Honolulu would be 2 p.m. and Los Angeles (Pacific Time) would be 4 p.m. on the same day.
The catch is that to know what the other time is in other cities shown on the bezel, you'll have to keep on rotating the bezel aligning the time zone you're in to whatever hour the watch is showing and that it also doesn't account for daylight savings time in certain cities that observe DST. The inner 24-hour time on the dial ring is also fixed (non-rotating), therefore if it's 10 am in Brazil, then London would be midday (12pm). Hong Kong would be 8 p.m. You need to exercise some mental math with this watch.
hope this answers your questions,
Quartzimodo.
can you help me pls to identify if this watch is authentic
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rt=nc&nma=true&item=220701060360&si=vtGL9dgV%252BBT7rifp1CqCIWrvTow%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT
thank you very much for your help
Hi ladyfinn,
The gold plated Seiko 5 model SNK796K checks out OK. It's 100% genuine, have no worries.
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
Excelent information here.
I am looking at these Velatura yacht timer. Can I get your expertise input on
This
and
Have you seen any fakes in with these watches and 7T84 movement? ANything I should be looking for or asking?
Thanks in advance
Hi MattZilla,
Both the Velatura models appear to be 100% genuine to me. So far I haven't seen any counterfeit Velatura or 7T84 based models yet. Original SPC049P Velatura watches should look exactly like in the pictures from both sellers.
Quartzimodo.
Hey there.
Your article has been quite an interesting read but I can't say I've actually figured out how to know a fake just by looking at an ebay page.
Just yesterday I bought this watch:
If anything, it seems to be a bit pricey, as I've seen this particular model being sold for even 60 pounds.
Could you let me know what your opinion is on it's authenticity?
Thanks for your help in advance!
Hi Apostolos,
The SNKF47K is a relatively new model, judging from its reference code and its new styling. It is without doubt, a genuine Seiko, so don't worry about its authenticity. What I concur is that the seller overpriced the watch, because for a Seiko 5 (not the higher specc'ed Seiko 5 Sports), it is priced above the normal market value. 60 quid should be the average price to pay for this watch.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
What do You think about this watch?? cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280625652476#ht_2896wt_1139
Personally I'm totally confused after all the information I read on your site and I'm not able to evaluate this offer and the seller??
Hi Dubravko,
That Seiko Velatura SPC007P yacht timer as shown by the seller is 100% genuine. However I would advise that you look for more established eBay sellers that sell nothing but watches.
Quartzimodo
www.ioffer.com/i/seiko-watch-velatura-sports-sailing-race-time-watch-spc-184621460
Is this abreal Velatura? Shouldn't the back of the case have a star pattern on it. Did the band ever come all stainless or should there be inlaid black rubber? Besides, isn't $89 too good of a deal to be true?
Thanks for the look.
www.ioffer.com/i/seiko-watch-velatura-sports-sailing-race-time-watch-spc-184621460
Is this a real Velatura? Shouldn't the back of the case have a star pattern on it. Did the band ever come all stainless or should there be inlaid black rubber? Besides, isn't $89 too good of a deal to be true?
Thanks for the look.
Hi Kevin,
Avoid buying from this seller. I browsed several of his listings and found some inconsistencies in the description which don't match the watch model. This Sportura for example, looks suspicious. No Seiko watch comes with a red striped caseback plastic protector (they always come with a transparent blue sticker).
Then I looked at this page which shows a mixture of possibly genuine and fake Seiko watches. This seller appears to be a wholesale dropship merchant that sources whatever he can find from China. I saw the gift boxes in this photo and am sure the Seiko fonts on the boxes don't comply with the genuine Seiko font. There are several watches that looks very suspicious in terms of design.
Lastly, the asking (Buy Now) prices are well below the market price of authentic Seiko watches. Too good to be true? Yes it is. Avoid at all costs.
thanks for bringing this to my attention,
Quartzimodo
I purchased a seiko divers watch from dabrands through ebay and 6 weeks later I have problems and they are telling me to send it back and they will fix it,has anybody had any dealoings with \dabrands\
Hi Graeme,
Sorry to hear about your woes with your newly purchased watch. If the seller (dabrands) is willing to take it back and fix it, consider yourself fortunate. Most eBay sellers only cater for exchanges if the watch received proved to be faulty within a short "warranty" period, like 3 to 7 days. If 6 months has already passed, you're pretty much on your own.
Quartzimodo
I have attempted to bid on a couple watches on Pokemonyu's listing. The watches look like they are not fakes. Do you agree the watch appears real. Unfortunately there appears to be some shill bidding going on. And as you say buy seller not the watch.
Example auction:
cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270709716363&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Hi Karim,
The practice of shill bidding on eBay is difficult to prove, but that doesn't necessarily mean the eBay seller in question is "bad". Pokemonyu does not deal in fake Seiko watches and I've bought a few Seiko watches from him in the past. Some eBay sellers start off with a reserve price while others don't set a floor bidding amount. In the absence of a reserve price, anyone can win a watch for as low as USD1. Nobody goes into business with the aim to lose money, period. With the thousands of previous transactions he's done, he wins some on high bids and loses some on winning bids that's lower than his cost price.
"Buying the seller" actually refers to the seller's honesty, return policies, packaging and shipping considerations and also their quality of after sales service. Whether Pokemonyu practices shill bidding or not has absolutely nothing to do with the watch that you're buying. Even if he does resort to shill bidding to drive the prices up to reasonable levels, it's between eBay and him.
Quartzimodo
Hi MattB,
That's a 100% genuine Seiko 7T62 alarm chronograph, no worries about its authenticity. I like the retro, car tachometer looking elapsed minute counter. Might just buy one myself.
Quartzimodo
HI QUARTZIMODO
I JUST BOUGHT THIS SEIKO ON THE E-BAY FROM THE PREMIER WORLD AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER IS GENUINE AS IT PROCLAIMS TO BE.
SEIKO MENS AUTOMATIC RACER SEE THRU STEEL WATCH SNK375
THANKS A LOT.
sHINOBI
Hi Quartzimodo,
This is great site to help those who want to buy genuine watch.
I'm interested in seiko kinetic perpetual.
Saw this advert in ebay.
I'm thinking its genuine based on the positive feedback that this seller have.
But I just want to have second opinion, Do you think its fake?
Thanks very much.
Hi Vic,
AFAIK, Global777 on eBay deals in only genuine Seiko watches. They wouldn't be around where they're now if they peddled fake watches, because eBay is very strict against the sale of counterfeit goods by its Power Sellers. The Premier Kinetic Perpetual Calendar is 100% authentic, so buy with confidence.
Quartzimodo.
Hi Shinobi,
Premier World only sells 100% genuine Seiko watches. They have too much of a reputation to risk if they're caught selling fake watches. Rest assured, your SNK375K is the real deal.
Quartzimodo
Quartzimodo,
I read through the article and found it extremely helpful. Thanks for looking out for the consumer. I recently made a purchase of a watch and was wondering about the authenticity. cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&rt=nc&nma=true&item=320672028804&si=7QdT1K1blpVqFq3kF2h9%252BacAXr8%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT The model number of the watch is said to be SPC003P1, yet when I search that in Google, I get pictures of watches that look slightly different. The bezel has different writing and the color of the hour markers is orange and not white like in the Google pictures. Plus, the 1/100th second dial didn't work at first and the seller said he would send me another. I looked an another of his buyers has said the watch he received was not real. So, I am unsure whether I should accept a new watch. What do you think?
Hi Sungus,
I looked at the so-called Sportura SPC003P and am convinced that you've bought a fake one. The biggest tell-tale sign is the fact that the elapsed minute counter has two hands instead of a single one. The 7T82 has a retrograde minute counter with a single orange hand which goes back to zero after reaching 40 minutes. The 1/100th second counter also should have two hands and not one, like in your case. Besides, a genuine Sportura SPC003P should cost at about three times more than the winning bid.
I would suggest that you file a complaint with eBay under its Buyer's Protection scheme, return the watch and get your money back in full. Sorry to hear that you've inadvertently bought a bogus Sportura.
Quartzimodo
what are your thoughts on these watches - do they seem genuine ?
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310307249023&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Hi Russell,
That Seiko SKX781K "Orange Monster" is every bit authentic. Every detail about the watch checks out OK. The seller's reputation is admirable, with a 99.7% positive feedback and almost 14,000 transaction done. Buy with confidence.
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thank you for your reply. Yes I admit that I was premature in voicing a complaint about shill bidding.
I did take your advice. I purchased a SEIKO MN AUTOMATIC ARABIC DIAL AVIATOR WATCH TOUGH BAND from pokemonyu, and I am happy with it.
Thanks for your help and for this site.
hey im from sweden,hopes you can read my bad english,,i just bougt a ``MINT! JAPAN SEIKO5 SPORT AUTO MONSTER GREEN DIAL 7S36`` from the seller omrami on ebay,,do you think its fake? please help me !!!
Hi Karim,
Well done and congratulations on the purchase of your Seiko watch from Pokemonyu. As I mentioned earlier, we buy from such sellers to get the watches that we want at the lowest price possible. Let's not play the moral police here. Leave that between eBay and the seller.
So long as as the merchandise is authentic and is in excellent condition, we have to be thankful towards such eBay sellers that are willing to sell the watch at prices lower than the market average.
Quartzimodo
Hi Per,
You have to include the complete link to the eBay listing page where you saw the watch for sale. I checked the seller's other listings and found no suspicious looking Seiko watches. He sells both pre-owned and new timepieces.
Quartzimodo
hi agin--THANKS for your time,,very cind of you,,sorry cant link,,im new att this computers,,but the autction nummber is== 260761692032 can you see now? hpoes for help--THANKS per
hi try to searc for number 260766738982 on ebay thats works ! WOULD be WERRY greatful if you would help me ,,thanks !! per
Hi Per,
I cannot say for certain if your yellow Seiko 5 Sports is a genuine one. Your watch should be from the 7s36-02D0 family, but none of Seiko 5 Sports with this caseback code comes in a yellow colored dial. Everything else about the watch (as advertised) seems authentic.
The watch may be genuine except for the dial, but then Seiko Thailand may have produced a limited edition version of this watch for their local market that I don't know about. For example, the limited edition Yellow, Red and Blue Monster divers were unique to the Thailand market. They were not sold elsewhere in the world.
If this yellow "Mini-Monster" of yours is a fake Seiko, it's a very good replica indeed. There's something odd about the "Sports" logo that seems to be placed to closely to the "5" emblem.
Quartzimodo
yes thanks,,i bougt one,,but belive its a fake,,lets see huv long it lasts !! can it work buts a fake? but thank you i belive like you thats a fals one !!!
hi agin,,is there something special a can look on vhen a get the watch? and new at this on ebay and so-so is there anny vhay i can get money back from paypal? the item is not as diskriebed? its a fake !! i like the collor thats vhy i bought it,but dont vant a fake !
please can you help me those a wrote abouv? and huv many % risk do you tink as fake? are you 100% sure? dear from sweden
Hi I have just bought a Seiko ska 371 from Creation Watches. How do I know if it's a genuine one? I have reda you blog with interest and if its a fake it is pretty well done. There are two numbers on the back, one that looks like a serial number and the other that is very small next to St Steel. You commented "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."
Hi Derek,
I've perused the Creationwatches.com website and I don't see the company selling any replica or fake Seiko watches. I've been asked this question many times and my answer is the same: they sell authentic but grey market Seiko watches. I have no affiliation with Creationwatches, but I'd readily buy one from them if I need to. You might want to read my long winded post on identifying fake Seiko watches here.
Quartzimodo
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250800789343&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Recently purchased item. Pls help if this is a real thing? Thanks.
Hi Jufre,
I looked at the Seiko SNK657K in question and if your watch matches the picture as advertised, you have a genuine Seiko 5 automatic. No worries.
Quartzimodo
How do they do it ?
I mean .. I bought this watch online
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330549039281&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
It was at my local Mall for $1999 Australian dollars.
I got it for a quarter of the price and it was in a Seiko box with an unstamped warranty card.
How do they make a profit ? Surely the markup on Sekio is not THAT much ....
The watch was in brand new condition with tags and plastics on it etc.
I even took it in to the Seiko dealer who I was almost going to buy at. She adjusted the band for me and was quite amazed at the price. (bit cheeky I know ... but I figure she wound like to know where her customers are going)
Are these watches factory seconds or something ? Because I (and the local dealer) can't tell the difference.
Hi Ant,
From what I've gathered through friends and relatives living in Down Under, certain items like watches and camera lenses are expensive. I'm not sure how much watches are taxed in Australia, but AUD1,999 is an insanely rip-off price the Seiko watch which you've bought. The price which you've paid for is considered slightly lower than the average market price in Southeast Asia.
Sellers on eBay are able to make a profit from large volume sales. They procure their supply of watches in bulk at rock bottom prices and are thus able to sell them at low prices. The fact that your warranty card came unstamped may suggest that your watch is a grey market import. AFAIK, only Seiko USA sometimes sells factory seconds (they're not really factory seconds though) through their company stores. Such watches are called "Almost Perfect" and are generally sold well below the recommended selling prices. "Almost Perfect" items usually have minor blemishes on them, thus making them unfit for sale as brand new watches.
Enjoy your watch in good health and take pride in knowing that you've saved a lot of money by not buying from the local mall.
Quartzimodo
I've just purchase a seiko skz255 divers from this company - do you have any feedback on their reliability/autheticity please? Thanks heaps
Hi David,
New eBay watch sellers appear every month and I do not keep tabs of the newcomers (it's just impossible to do so). Your vendor's Power Seller status should speak for itself and the Seiko 5 Sports SKZ255K 200m diver's watch is every bit genuine. Don't worry about it and enjoy your new watch in good health.
Quartzimodo
Hi, Please would you take a look at this the seller says its genuine.
Thanks Billy.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220780882769&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Please could you take a look at a Seiko watch on ebay to verify if it is genuine or not. The seller assures me it is not a fake!
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220780882769&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Many thanks
Sheridan
Hi Sheridan,
The photo by the seller isn't sharp enough for me to make out the intricate details on the ladies' Seiko Kinetic watch, but I'm positive it's a 100% genuine 5M22 or 5M42 Kinetic. The hang tag is definitely an original Seiko one. As this is a NOS (New Old Stock) watch and assuming that the seller has never replaced its original capacitor, this watch's electrical storage capacity may be affected due to age. You might want to replace the capacitor with a new lithium ion rechargeable battery sooner or later.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Hi, quartzimodo, could you tell if this Seiko Flightmaster is the real deal? The seller states to have purchased it on a cruise last year, and I was wondering if it was real,
thanks!
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190531579829&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT#ht_500wt_1156
Hello Quartzimodo,
I am planning to buy a new Seiko SNK789 on ebay and I found 3 sellers who have it. Are they real or fake, would I be OK if I purchased the watch from one of these 3 sellers? Here are the links:
Thanks
Jim
Hi There great article. I boutght a Seiko 5 snk355k from ebay britannia watches yesterday and wondered if you could check it for me please:
Hi, quartzimodo
Thank you for all your review
When you mentioned Seiko USA sometimes sells factory seconds. This worry me, can you pls help me verify this seller "Itstimeforwatches.com" if i will be getting factory seconds, as most of the cases it is imposible for us to identify the item is factory seconds
I just paid for Seiko Premier Automatic Black Dial Men's Watch SPB001 for US 630.00 included shipping.
cgi.ebay.com.my/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270720471312&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for a very informative article. Am I right in thinking this Ebay seller is dealing in genuine grey Seiko's and not fakes judging by this example- cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110687822210 and if so, would an authorised Seiko dealer in the UK touch it if it was to malfunction? Thanks for your time.
Hi Jim,
I believe I've just replied to you via email on this subject matter. For the benefit of others reading your comment, all three eBay sellers are selling genuine Seiko 5 SNK789K models. The first seller uses a stock Seiko catalog photo and from my experience, pictures from Seiko catalogs don't look exactly like the real watch. The actual SNK789K will look like the pics posted by the second seller. As the watch has a silver face, it's hard to discern the dial which has a semi-shiny circle on the middle of the dial. This is a nice looking dressy Seiko 5.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi Jason,
The SNK355K is a relatively new model and the one sold by the eBay seller in question is 100% authentic. All the markings and details check out OK. Congrats on your purchase, that's a lovely looking timepiece.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Thanks Quartzimodo, Recieved the watch and got to say very happy with the purchase all seems 100% and now have your approval so excellent stuff. Thanks mate
Hi Jason,
One is glad to be of service to you. You're welcome and enjoy your new Seiko watch in good health.
cheers
Quartzimodo
Hi Jason,
I looked at the Pepsi-bezeled, SKX009K and can't put my finger on it. The "Diver's 200m" text should be orange and not white. Something's not right about the watch. Even if it were from 1996, I don't think the "Diver's 200m" lettering would fade into totally white color. The caseback appears to be genuine while the dial and bezel insert seem to be aftermarket (not from Seiko). Even the day/date font seems to be inaccurate. My guess is that this watch is either a "Franken-Seiko" (made up from non-Seiko parts) or a counterfeit with a genuine caseback. That said, I wouldn't buy this watch.
The seller says it's "collectible" and this can be somewhat misleading. In the watch hobbyist circles, the term "collectible" generally refers to sought after, discontinued or vintage watches that you can't find anymore. The real SKX009K diver is popular and Seiko still makes this model today by the tens of thousands per year. Because the photos in the auction listing are rather small and not very sharp, it's difficult to ascertain the authenticity of this particular watch. I would stay away from this watch if I were you and buy a 100% genuine Seiko diver from the more reputable online dealers.
BTW, authorized Seiko dealers may not undertake repairs if they lack watch repair services. Most dealers just sell watches. If this watch turns out to be a fake, the Seiko service center in the UK won't accept this watch for repairs or servicing.
all the best,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
I was wondering whether you could help me see if this SNDA65 is the real deal?
People only copy/fake a brand of repute . Its a human nature to want to own a part of a big name brand , even if its a copy .
Hi Brandon,
Yes it's 100% genuine. I have a watch almost similar like this one (SNDA57P) but with a brushed stainless steel finish. The seller has very good feedback and has done a lot of transactions. Buy with confidence.
Quartzimodo
Hi,
I wish to buy a Dive Seiko SRP043-2.
I found some on Ebay around 230 euros, mainly from UK.
Do you think they are genuine ?
Thanks
Arnaud
Bonjour Arnaud,
As far as I know, no counterfeit watchmaker has attempted to copy the SRP043K diver as it's a relatively new model. This diver is not as popular as the classic SKX007K series, which has been cloned for decades. I'm pretty sure the ones from eBay UK are genuine.
salutations,
Quartzimodo
HI .
There are a few specialist watchrepair companies out there.
Try the watch repair centre in Newcastle . They are seiko stockists and have their own workshops.
Find them at www.rolexrepairs.co.uk
Hope that helps
HI .
There are a few specialist watchrepair companies out there.
Try the watch repair centre in Newcastle . They are seiko stockists and have their own workshops.
Find them at www.rolexrepairs.co.uk
Hope that helps .
Yes there are less and less watch repair services . It takes years to become a skilled watch technician and people as a rule dont like to pay for the time of a skilled man.
Hi Chris,
You're right on the money. Mechanical watch repairing is sadly a dying profession, despite the presence of automatic watches from Switzerland, Japan and Germany. Most consumers tend to buy affordable quartz watches and I think many of them were born when quartz technology was already the norm. The problem is that mainstream quartz watches (especially fashion brands) are seldom serviceable; a faulty quartz movement is almost always replaced rather than repaired.
It's like the electronic components in a digital device. If a laptop's or cellphone's main circuit board goes dead, it would cheaper, quicker and easier to have it replaced. With surface mounted chips mounted on the board, not even the manufacturer's service center undertakes repairs. They just change 'em, mission accomplished.
It's a sad truth that people are not willing to pay for quality work in servicing mechanical watches; some prefer to discard their broken automatic watch and buy a new one. Prior to the mid 1970s, automatic watches were the norm and almost every watch dealer had its own repairmen. People would take their watches to be repaired. It's either that or you're without a functioning watch.
Thanks for airing your views,
Quartzimodo
Thanks Quartzimodo, Your posts have been fantastic and very educational. I have baught a few watches from the grey market my preferred suppliers have become skywatches.sg and on e bay: premierworld. Both have proven to be very reliable and only sold genuine seiko and citizen watches to me. Is there a reference website that publishes watch models/serial numbers that might help us to spot a fake.
Hi Simon,
Seiko watches are considered mass-market timepieces although there are very high end, Japan market Seiko models with price tags that rival that of Rolex and Omega. These high end Seiko watches appeal to a very select, niche collector market. It's not like a vintage Omega Speedmaster or a Rolex Perpetual Datejust from the 1960s where pawn shops are willing to pay a good sum of money for them, because pawn shop operators know that such vintage Swiss timepieces are easy to sell.
I don't know of any reference websites that list ALL the models Seiko has produced because that list would be extremely long and even so, it wouldn't be exhaustive. Some collectors have emailed Seiko Japan to ask for identification of their old Seiko watches and even then, Seiko itself doesn't archive all the models they have sold. At one point in time, many valuable records had been lost or misplaced by Seiko Japan.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
What is the difference between SNZF49J1 and SNZF47K1 other than the obvious cosmetic differences. Noticed the K and J difference what does this mean? Looking to order from creationwatches and just want your green light please. Nice blog very informative.
Hi Marcus,
Both watches are the same, except that the SNZF49J is commonly believed to be made in Japan for the Middle East export market. The "J" version will have English/Arabic day languages while the "K" variant come with English/Roman numeral languages. Generally "J" versions are sold at a slightly higher price. In terms of quality control both versions are similar. No difference in terms of the watch's accuracy either.
Creationwatches.com is a renowned grey market seller; have not heard any widespread complaints about them. Happy buying!
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Heard on another watch forum that the bezel on the K model seems a bit more "loose" and the J is pretty solid. Also would you know if the dealer "watches-us" on ebay is selling legit authentics? Thanks for the fast reply.
Hi Mark,
I looked at the Watches-US eBay store and they have a very good feedback of 99.8% although they have yet to breach the 5,000 transaction mark. Still, this is an impressive record. I feel that some of their Seiko watches are priced a bit too high but this may be due to the declining strength of the US currency and/or because the vendor is unable to obtain stock at much lower prices from its supplier.
The bezels can be either too loose or too tight, regardless whether the watch is a "K" or "J" variant. Because Seiko makes their Seiko 5 Sports models in mass quantities, it is impossible for them to check each and every watch's bezel action at the factory. Do not be put off by reading one or two comments about loose bezels on the "K" model unless you hear about widespread true complaints. Your mileage may vary; you can equally receive a "J" model with an equally loose fitting bezel too. If the seller is willing to cooperate, email them in advance and request the seller to pick an SNZF49 (whether "J" or "K" is up to you) with a tight action bezel.
best regards,
Quartzimodo
Hey Quartzi,
Thanks for the informative blog! I was looking around for the basic Seiko 5 auto, and I came across a few sellers on ebay/amazon. My only concern that the watch in question may be a fake, is that some of the pictures appear to be stock images from elsewhere, while two of them seem to be taken by the seller (the ones with the leather band).
link: www.amazon.com/Seiko-Mens-Automatic-Watch-SNK807K2/dp/B000HGDWXE/ref=pd_sbs_watch_3
My concern with the images is based on something I read that legitimate Seiko 5's use a white date wheel with black text only - however, several of the images he has shows colored text on the wheels. Should this be a cause for concern? Is it even true about the color use on the date wheels?
Thanks a ton.
Hi WatchMe!
That Seiko 5 "Flieger" automatic is the real deal, have no worries. I used to own one (the exact blue faced model) years ago and sold it as I felt it was too small for my taste. As for the day-of-week display, Seiko uses blue color to indicate Saturday (SAT/VI) and red for Sunday (SUN/a red filled rectangle). The other five workdays of the week are printed in black (or white-against-black). For English/Arabic dual language displays (for Seiko watches exported to the Middle East), Friday is printed in red in Arabic language as Friday is the Islamic holiday of the week for Muslim nations.
BTW, the SNK80x series are sold with a factory fitted nylon strap and not leather (as shown in one of the seller's images). The seller appears to be using images from other sites - hence you see the watch on nylon, leather and stainless steel bracelet. The "original price" tag of $295 is a gross exaggeration as no Seiko 5 watch sells for that much, therefore the so-called "savings" is artificial. Actual prices of this model should be not more than $100, international shipping included.
happy buying,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo, at first many thanks for your very usefull articles. I have attached a link to one from U.K. eBay seller of Seiko watches. Can you put an eye to him and say he sells genuine or fake watches, please? Thanks for reply.
Thanks a lot! You've put my mind at ease, and I should have my new watch in just a few days
Seiko should be paying you for this!
Thanks again.
Hi there Quartzimodo. Stumbled upon your site by accident while trying my best to research about genuine vs. fake Seiko watches. Been going back and forth on this local Ebay seller from PHL (ID: clm1002) as I have been wanting to buy my brother a watch for some time now. Been eyeing this --> cgi.ebay.ph/VINTAGE-SEIKO-5M42-0L40-KINETIC-MENS-WATCH-ALL-ORIG-/220829613115?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item336a787c3b#ht_7576wt_1122
But after reading some of your articles, I am now more confused as to whether I should buy it or not. As much as I want to buy him a brand new one, I don't have that much money to spend.
Hope you could help. Thanks!
Hi Nikkitita,
I took a look at the white dialed Seiko Kinetic watch in question and am convinced that it is 100% genuine. The seller however incorrectly described its caseback code as "0L40" - it should be "0L10", which bears the reference code SKH657J. This is a particular version that's fully made in Japan. This watch was made on Sept 1999.
Have no worries, this one is NOT a fake.
Quartzimodo
Hello Quartzimodo.
First of all, thank you for help and your information about fake watches.
I would like to buy watch from this seller but im not sure if its authentic.
Seller is
mywatcheshub.com
They also have ebay shop:
myworld.ebay.com/watches-bay/?_trksid=p4340.l2559
I wanted to buy Seiko snzf45
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280722605977&ssPageName=ADME:X:eRTM:US:1123
Please tell me your opinion.
And the
Hi Adis,
I've gotten inquiries from readers about the Watches Bay vendor on eBay before. They sell only genuine Seiko watches and have an impressive buyer's feedback. You shouldn't have any worries getting a fake one from this seller and that Seiko 5 Sports SNZF45J should look very nice on you!
Quartzimodo
Hi, I don't know much about Seiko watches but I recently found this which seems amazingly cheap considering it retails for around the $500 mark.. too good to be true?
Hi Miki,
The eBay seller did advertise the SRH005P a few days ago, but his listing seems to have been deleted recently. You already know the saying, "If it's too good to be true, it always is". You have to be careful as counterfeiters have been making fake Velatura models for the past two years. Genuine Seiko Kinetic Direct Drives should cost at least USD500.
cheers,
Quartzimodo Admin.
DEAR FRIEND,
I am interested in two models, SNAA03 and SKA377.
Would you like to your personal opinion and expertise.
• Considering performance, construction and style, which would assign the note to watches, on a scale of 0 to 10?
• Would you use any of them?
• What value do you pay for each?
• Are older models: the production was stopped? Why?
• Where could I buy one? I've made contact with a seller on ebay, and also look forward other information that will bring to their analysis.
• Any other information you deem relevant (especially those great inside informations and curiosities that appear here in the post.
My most sincere thanks.
Hello Quartzimodo,
I have found your article very ineresting and useful. Before reading it I have ordered attached watched from Creationwatches company. Do you think this company is OK and watches should be original. The price is about 1/2 of that in Australiuan shops which seems to me strange...
Thank you and regards
Boris
Hi Quartzimodo,
many thanks for your illuminating posts.
As I am interested in a premier kinetic driect drive (which usually costs something around >900 Eur in authorised no-net dealers) I looked on the internet and I found a model which is, apparently, out of production nowadays. The model is SRH007P1.
I was wondering about this model number (8 characters rather than 7 as you suggested) and whether these watches look genuine to you (they are sold at something like 50% discount...):
1) www.ebay.it/itm/220798852119?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
2) www.ebay.it/itm/180733454851?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
3)http://www.ebay.it/itm/120767899285?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Thank you in advance for your kind response,
regards
Is this an authentic seiko? I have the watch now and it seems legit buts a bit more dark grey than I was expecting.
www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B004AMM4BC/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1317823508&sr=8-1
Hi Liard,
Please check your email as I have replied to you in great length!
cheers,
Quartzimodo Admin
Hi Boris,
I get questions about Creationwatches a lot. They are a large scale, grey market online watch vendor, no worries. Their products are all original, no replicas. Watches are taxed in Australia (this is confirmed by my watch forum contacts and friends living in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne) amongst other costs like shipping. Buy with confidence - they even throw in a 2-year private warranty for their watches.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hello Bepi,
All the items listed in the links which you provided are genuine Seiko watches. The official Seiko designation includes the bracelet type, as in SRH007P1. Seiko watch enthusiasts generally don't bother to include the "1" or any number like "2" or "3", therefore we just type them as "SRH007P". The number makes the distinction for some models that are available in more than one bracelet style or type.
For example, SKX007K1, SKX007K2 and SKX007K3 all refer to the same watch; only the bracelet or band type differs.
Since I do not consider the ending number after the character "P", "J" or "K" necessary that's why I regard Seiko reference numbers as 7 in total count and not 8. Hope this answers your question!
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi Kevin,
Yes, the watch you received should be an authentic one. Check the caliber/caseback code at the back of your watch. It should read as 7s36-04A0. Currently there is only this caseback code is one of a kind for this caliber, e.g. there are no other variations of your model. Sometimes dial colors that you see on your browser can differ from the actual watch. It depends on the lighting, exposure, how the image is processed. This is true especially with off-white and silver dials.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Dear Quartzimodo,
Thanks for a very informative and useful blog. I am interested in a particular men's analogue quartz Seiko watch: SGGA11P1 (7N43-0BF0). This watch seems to be available and in stock from numerous online stores on the web and in eBay in particular (including stores which are mentioned in your blog as being "safe"). So I presume that is a relatively current model and is not a fake. However, this model is not listed in any of the current WWW.SEIKO.COM websites nor does it look similar to any of the models shown therein (but I haven't cross-checked the calibre-case numbers). Ditto for some other models such as SGEF07P1 and SKZ291J1 (the latter being listed in one place as recently released). So I am curious to know whether all models actually get listed in the "official" Seiko range or are there some/lot of models which do not get listed?. Many thanks in advance for your insight. Regards, Owen.
Hi Owen,
Great observation on your part. Well, it's like this. Unlike high end Swiss watch brands, Seiko makes too many models for it to list on its official websites. Each Seiko regional or country distributor have their own websites and they don't advertise all the models that they produce. Furthermore, only models that are officially carried by the country distributor can be found in their online sites.
International market range Seiko watches like the Arctura, Premier, Velatura and Sportura are commonly advertised, while region-specific lineups can only be seen on selected Seiko official websites
.
For example, the Coutura range is only meant for the North American market, therefore you won't see a Coutura model being listed on Seiko websites other than Seiko USA and Seiko Canada. The same goes for the Criteria lineup for the Southeast Asian market; you'll only see Criteria watches advertised on Seiko websites for Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Ditto for Japanese domestic market Seiko watches - you'll see lineups like Prospex and Lukia (a women's wristwatch range) which can only be found on Seiko sites for Japan and Taiwan.
Citizen, Casio and Orient also follows the same practice as Seiko. They would usually leave out their numerous low end models from their respective websites and highlight just their mid-range and flagship watches. On the other hand, Omega, Tissot, Rolex, Breitling, Ball, Fortis, Victorinox Swiss Army and TAG Heuer for instance, have much fewer models and therefore they're able to list every watch that they're selling.
If only Seiko bothered to include a "watch finder", which helps you keep track of discontinued models like Swatch does it would make life easier for Seiko watch enthusiasts and casual owners alike.
hope this answers your question.
Quartzimodo
I purchased a Seiko SKX007 off of eBay from RC Time Inc. I had a Seiko box and paperwork with it. Recently I noticed a small scratch in the crystal and thought that the crystal was scratch resistant and it got me thinking: Did I buy a fake? It sure looks real, but what do I know? Any ideas?
Thanks.
Hi Joe,
I've never had the misfortune of inadvertently buying a fake Seiko watch, but generally fakes won't come with an owner's manual and warranty card. As for the scratch (as I've explained in my reply to your private email) you have the option of discussing with the seller to return it - especially if the scratch is deep, you may have a solid reason to exchange it with another SKX007K.
I wouldn't recommend polishing mineral crystals if the gouge is significant; polishing will make your watch glass thinner and more prone to breakage. Keep this in mind if you intend to wear the watch for recreational scuba diving. If the seller refuses to entertain returns, have the crystal replaced by an authorized Seiko service center or repairman. It won't cost that much, I should think. Sorry to hear about your misfortune.
Quartzimodo
Hi there! Thank you so much for this blog! I am looking to purchase this watch for my husband www.ebay.com/itm/Seiko-Mens-Sportura-Chronograph-Alarm-SNAD23-SNAD23P2-/110758090543?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item19c9b2572f
It seems crazy to me that bidding starts at $1 if it is a geniune watch. I also asked for a photo of the actual watch and the seller ("dabrands") replied that the photo posted was taken in their studio although it looks way to similar to all of the other photos of this watch. Please help!!!
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thank you for your blog! A lot of informations!
A question about a Seiko Premier seen on Ebay.
Could you tell me your opinion on this watch about Warranty (i live in France)? Genuine Watch? Seller? Price?
Thanks in advance for you answer
Bonjour Amau,
That's a genuine Seiko Premier quartz 6A32 Perpetual Calendar. I don't know about the seller (there are just too many on eBay!) but he/she seems to have a very impressive feedback of 99.7% and has conducted over 10k transactions. The price is considered below the average market price from authorized Seiko dealers therefore it is likely that this is a grey market piece. Which means there is a probability that the warranty may probably not be sanctioned by Seiko France (the seller is located in Florida, US).
In any case, Seiko watches are pretty reliable and they would mostly fail (if they do) after the first year. Whether this watch comes with a valid international warranty or not, the warranty period is only for one year. After that you're on your own so it doesn't matter after the first year has passed.
best regards,
Quartzimodo
dear sir
i need your opinion on this
www.kaskus.us/showthread.php?t=11217633
is the seiko in four of those picture orignal?
thx for your thought n response
Hi Doy,
It's difficult to tell because the photos taken by that seller do not have enough resolution to see the tiny details. If the watches are parallel import Seikos from Hong Kong or Singapore they should be authentic watches (that's why the seller gives his own personal warranty). Remember that just because nobody has complained about him doesn't necessarily mean he's a trusted seller. Most people cannot tell whether they have bought a replica or fake Seiko anyway.
best regards,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for your answer
I saw on internet that it exists a Seiko premier SNQ105P and probably the same with an other reference wich is SNQ105J.
>> Do you know if there is a difference between both?
Regards
Good day, i just bought two seiko sportura SRQ007J1. These are supposed to be a limited edition of 1000. I got one from a dealer in cal.usa and another from dbrands in HK.
The one from HK was a bit less $.
Upon opening i find the one from cal.usa has a signed card stating it is #40 of 1000. The piece from HK has the same card w/signature but no number listed, a blank space.
My plan was to sell one of these pieces but something smell's fishy, why the blank but signed form?
Can you advise me ?
Thanks, best regard's, greg
Hi Gregory,
You must really know your watches since you bought two limited edition, Sportura SRQ007Js with the excellent 8R28 automatic chronograph movement. This model is limited to 100 pieces worldwide, according to Seiko's official sites (and not 1,000 as stated by some watch sellers).
The reason the one you received from "dbrands" in Hong Kong (are you sure it's "dabrands"?) comes without any company stamp is because you purchased from a grey market re-seller. Seiko forbids the sale of its watches on eBay by its authorized network of dealers - they need to earn an accreditation as an authorized Seiko Internet retailer (but not on eBay). It's possible that the watch was originally procured from an authorized retailer in HK. If that retailer is not sanctioned by Seiko Hong Kong to sell online, generally it doesn't want the watch to be traced to its origins.
Seiko retailers are forbidden to re-sell their stock to third parties; they must deal with end customers. The practice used by eBay sellers vary from one vendor to another, but it's not unusual to receive an undated and unstamped warranty card.
Quartzimodo.
Hi Amau,
There's only one version of the SNQ015 and it's the SNQ015P. Some sellers wrongly describe the suffix letter as "J", leading to confusion amongst potential buyers. Seiko watches having reference codes that end with the letter "P" are Singapore assembled and there are no "J" (Japan) variants for models that already exist in the "P" form.
Quartzimodo.
Hi Bor,
AFAIK, nobody has bothered to manufacture fake Seiko SRP043K "Spork" divers yet. This particular model isn't that popular yet and is costly and complex to duplicate. Rest assured, this watch is 100% authentic. You might want to scout around eBay for better prices though. The SRP043K is an interesting watch but I'd rather wait for future designs based on the 4R15 caliber. Happy buying!
cheers,
Quartzimodo.
Excellent article, unfortunately i found it after i just bought this SEIKO SNL043P1 MEN SPORTURA,KINETIC,CHRONOGRAPH,SNL043
What's your opinion?
I just bought this the other day, even after reading your informative blog. I'm thinking it might be a "franken-seiko." On the dial, it looks like a 7000 caliber. The movement is 6349A, but the caseback appears to say "6309." I would love to hear your thoughts. I liked the look of the watch and the price was right--I'm not a serious collector and I just wanted a nice looking retro watch--so I wasn't terribly concerned. But I would like to be certain of what I'm getting. Also, do all "vintage" Seiko 5s have the emblem etched on the crystal? This one does not. Thanks very much in advance.
- Scott
Hi Scott,
What you've bought appears to be a 7009 series Seiko 5 with its caseback interchanged with one from a 6309 model that happens to fit this watch. I don't recall any Seiko 5 model that used the 6309 movement. The other code, "6394A" refers to the dial code, not a movement type.
It's much easier for the seller or owner to swap casebacks rather than the dial. The original caseback may have been either badly damaged, lost or accidentally interchanged.
And yes, it's obviously you've bought a Franken-Seiko. Unless you're very picky, just wear it as it is. After all, the mismatched caseback can't be seen when you wear it.
Not all vintage Seiko 5s have the etched logo on the glass. 7009s and pre-2002 7s26 Seiko 5 watches had the engraving but earlier ones like the 6119, 7017, 6138 and 6139 Seiko 5 Sports models never had the logo on their crystals.
regards,
Quartzimodo
Hi I bought this watch SNL043P1 from powerseller on ebay (watchus2), but i also found the same watch on this website at a ridiculously low price (www.watch7750.com/product_view.asp?id=1011) how do i know that the one I bought from watchus2 is genuine? I am kind of worried now. Thanks.
Hi alfanaC,
The watch was priced way below its average market price. The Sportura model is considered a mid-range Seiko and they generally retail for not less than USD400, even in grey market form.
If you look at the website, you can see that even luxury models like Glashutte and Rolex are sold for less than a hundred bucks. It is obvious that this company is peddling in counterfeit/replica/fake timepieces.
I cannot tell whether the Seiko SNL043P that you've received is a genuine one without looking at the actual photos of the watch that you've bought. What is shown on their website might differ from what you've actually received. In the meantime, just Google for images of the SNL043P and find one with the most detail. Compare the dial fonts, the hands, the index markers and the detail of the Kinetic oscillating weight with yours.
If your watch happens too be a genuine Sportura, consider yourself fortunate to have bought one at such a ridiculously low price! I'm unable to offer any explanation as to why this seller advertised it so cheaply (it it's original and not a replica). It could be that the company happened to get stock ovverruns from small scale watch retailers whose business are winding up. The merchandise could have been auctioned and the company was able to procure them at very low prices.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi ainhoa,
Creationwatches is a trustworthy online seller and does not sell fake (false) watches. That Seiko Premier SNP023P is 100% genuine. so don't worry. "Grey market" means that the sales of goods that are not using the proper distribution channels, or parallel imports. Wikipedia has a good explanation about grey market.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi there Quartzimodo
My compliments to your ever thorough opinions. I have been shopping around for a particular seiko chrono watch and wish to seek your advise on the following items advertised by two online sellers which I am most likely to buy from given your approval Looking forward to hear from you.
www.superchrono.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3972
Hi Joe,
I took at look at both items advertised by the sellers and both Seiko watches are 100% genuine. Superchrono.com has been in the Internet watch sales for several years and it's more established than the New Zealand based eBay vendor. While the latter appears to be new to the online watch business (it's done less than 40 transactions), its feedback is 100% positive so far.
Superchrono.com is based in Singapore, which quite a distance from where you live if you encounter issues in which you have to exchange the watch. Overall, I've not read about mass complaints regarding Superchrono's customer service although I've read a few sob stories from picky customers in the watch forums. To be fair, South Pacific Watch Sales Ltd on eBay is a newcomer and you might want to give them the benefit of the doubt.
If you end up choosing to buy from the New Zealand seller, be sure to ask them questions pertaining to return policies.
happy buying!
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo!
I am planning to buy this watch.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-5-Sports-Automatic-Watch-100M-SNZG05J1-SNZG05K1-/200643474788
Please have a look at it and let me know if its genuine and safe to buy. Thanks alot!!
Hi Blade3,
That Seiko 5 Sports SNZG13J is 100% authentic, no worries. Buy with confidence!
Quartzimodo
What a great journal! I've been obsessively looking at Seiko watches in my price range. I lost my old one...very sad. I like the Arctura SKA899PI calibre #5m62-OBV(D) and the Arctura SKA89791 calibre 5M62. I think they are no longer made. What do you think of them. I just bought a Seiko 30 mm dia. and it was too small for my taste. It's so hard to tell from a picture. Does it have the "cheesy folded link bracelet or forged.
Thank you so much. Really helpful information.
Lenore
Hi Lenore,
Thank you for the compliments and I'm sorry that you've lost your old Seiko watch. The SKA879P has a cushion-like case which is unusual for an Arctura watch, but some watches actually look better in real life. It's likely to be an export model for the European/US market as I've never seen one sold by vendors in Southeast Asia. I think it would make a nice dress/formal watch.
All Arctura watches come with solid linked bracelets, never the cheap folded link type.
best regards,
Quartzimodo.
P.S. All of your thirteen attempts to post your comment actually went through, but were awaiting moderation. It has nothing to do with the Captcha verification. That's why they didn't immediately show up in the comment section.
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for your fantastic site; it is a wealth of information!
I recently purchased this watch from eBay and was wondering if it was genuine?
I took a bunch of photos of the watch once it arrived including of the packaging and warranty card (sorry about not wiping the fluff off, it is more visible in the photos than in real life).
Thanks for your help.
Hi Ratty,
I looked at your photos of the watch and can assure you that it's 100% authentic. The seller's photos make the watch look a little differently, due to the lighting and perhaps some post processing on the images. Your watch is fairly new, it was made on April 2011.
Seiko has included additional markings on the glass display back, notably the anti-magnetic icon, which looks like a 'U'. This icon wasn't present on the older Seiko 5 automatics.
Thanks for the compliments and wear your new Seiko 5 in good health!
Quartzimodo
I just bought an srx003 on ebay brand new in the box with tags and claim of seiko warranty. It came with the warranty card but it is blank except for the dealer store name/address. The warranty booklet claims the card must be filled out by authorized dealer at time of purchase. Any idea on the fate of the warranty?
Hi Tony,
Seiko doesn't approve sales of its products on eBay, except through its list of approved, Internet based retailers with their own websites. An approved online dealer will carry Seiko's authorized Internet retailer banner on its website.
To be eligible for a warranty claim, your guarantee card needs the original dealer's stamp and all the details filled out.
There are a few reasons your watch came with a blank warranty :
- the eBay seller is vending parallel import, grey market Seiko watches.
- the watch actually came from an authorized local dealer, but does not want to be identified
- your seller is running a drop shipping watch business. He doesn't actually stock the watches but outsources the watch and delivery to a third party Seiko wholesaler.
The only problem that you will face is if your watch develops problems within the first year and you claim warranty with your local Seiko service center. Seiko makes reliable watches and defects are rare. They very seldom fail within the warranty period and if they fail at all, it's usually after the first three years or later.
Once the warranty period expires, it makes no difference whether you have a valid warranty or not, because you'll still end up paying for repairs anyway. Just hope that you won't run into problems with your watch within the first year.
Hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Hello, newbie here looking to purchase my first Seiko divers, may i know if you think these are real?
www.ebay.com/itm/220934759534?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
www.ebay.com/itm/310372996031?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
www.ebay.com/itm/300652978782?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648
Thanks in advance, cheers!
Hi I am interested in the watch currently on sale - is it genuine or fake. I am unsure about Seiko doing the classic Rolex style but I like the watch and prefer automatics over quartz.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/370564862693?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Further to my previous question I have almost the same watch as this one below but it only has date not day/date. I feel this seller is really asking way above the value of this watch
because there are no parts or support from Seiko now and I paid $28 Australian for mine new in 1973 so are these models really fetching this sort of money and is it worth it ??
Compared to the newer watch in the previous question. Thanks
I appreciate your skill and knowledge.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/170217916532?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Hi,
do you know something about joma shop.
I want to buy one seiko 5 automatic sport from joma.
thanx.
Hi Edi,
I don't have personal experience buying from Jomashop's website but so far I've never heard of serious complaints from their customers. They deal with genuine Seiko watches, never fakes.
cheers,
Quartzimodo.
Hi Edi,
You can buy any watch that you want. Watches are very personal items to the buyer. As long as you're purchasing an authentic Seiko watch you should be fine.
Quartzimodo
Hi I would be really appreciative if you could let me know if the first of my questions above on 23 January 2012 is OK. Having no reply from you I made a decision to buy but hope I have not purchased a fake. Do you have any info about
this watch please ..
Ken
Hi Ken,
I apologize for overlooking your old post as last January was a busy time for me and the comments just keep piling up. Thanks for bumping up your comments.
The SNXZ16K is a genuine Seiko 5 automatic, with a new twist - a black dial. Seiko has been making homage models to the Rolex Perpetual Datejust since the mid 1990s, but they came in silver white or gold dials, with different reference codes.
I can assure you that you've not bought a fake watch. Just Google up "SNXZ16K" and you'll see this model also sold by several online vendors, including Skywatches from Singapore. Skywatches is a reputable online watch vendor and has never dealt in fake Seiko watches.
Rest assured, your money was well spent on this one. It's a fairly recent model from last year.
best regards,
Quartzimodo
Hello Ken,
Regarding your 2nd query on the gold plated vintage Seiko automatic, I'm not sure what caliber it has because Seiko made a few calibers with day and date calendars. It could be a 6119, which was a low cost movement that Seiko introduced in the late 1960s.
The high winning bid for this watch is considered a fair amount, given that this old Seiko appears to be in pristine condition despite its age. Most Seiko gold plated watches tarnish over time and it's difficult to find one with the least blemish. Having the original bracelet in such good shape is also a plus point.
That being said, most hardcore Seiko collectors prefer non gold plated vintage watches. The individual who bough this must liked it for what it is, or with the intention to resell for a profit.
Quartzimodo.
Quartzimodo, I want to thank you for helping each and everyone of us with our concerns and questions. Now if I may ask, how can I find an instruction manual for the SNK371 watch?
Thanks
HI there . You will need the calibre numbers . You will find this on the watch back . If you find them this will help .
Update . I have found the cal number . 7s26 . go to www.seio.co.uk/support/instructionbooklets#no7 . There you have it .
Hi Frank,
The instruction manual for your watch can be found here: seiko.co.uk/page.php?n=174. Do note that this is a generic 7s caliber owner's manual because Seiko does not print a unique manual for every model made.
Hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo I have just been reading your comments for the past couple of years and am fascinated by your knowledge and patiences. I have had a Seiko Quartz Scuba Divers watch for about 25 years as best can remember and it has served me well up until recent. It now is losing time even with new batteries so I thought I would replace it this time with an automatic. I'm confused SKX007 I'm told is made in Japan and available through Creation Watches whilst Amazon who will not ship to Australia has an SKX173 and I note on the picture it's made in Malaysia. They look like the same watch. Is place of manufacture important regarding quality and do you know why Creation Watches also sell through Amazon. The prices for what appears to be the same watch at an Australian approved Seiko Retailer is $575 AUD whilst Amazon and Creation are around $200 AUD. You have said in previous blogs Creation is a grey supplier but is Amazon an approved seller. Many Thanks for your knowledge. I too appreciate good watches. Neil
Dear Quartzimodo
Thank you for these most informative and detailed discussions
I bought a "Seiko Police Blue C Thru 23 jewels Automatic Watch (7S36C movement) from a seller (Watchup) in Singapore
The numbers/letters 7S36-03JO5 appear on the glass section of the back and 1D3851 is punched into the metal of the caseback. A tag containing the number SNZG11K1 was attached to the watch strap.
The bid on e-Bay closed on $90 (37 bids in total) and the watch was sold without a warrantee.
Is this a genuine Seiko and will it last a good couple of years if it is looked after?
Regards
Dirk
Hi Dirk,
Yes that's a genuine Seiko 5 Sports SNZG11K. So far I've yet to know about a fake version of this model because this watch really isn't worth counterfeiting. You did good scoring this watch for just USD90 because that's a lot lower than the average market price for this model.
I should think the seller took a hit having to sell this piece for that amount but that's how it goes on eBay, you win some and you lose some.
Your watch was made on December 2011 and this model is relatively new in the market. The reason your Seiko came without a warranty is because it's a grey import watch. Taken care of, it should last you for decades.
Happy wearing,
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo
This is very good news, thank you so much. I noticed that some of these models are made in Japan, mine apparently was put together in Korea but according to the seller the quality is the same.
Please continue with this very informative and extremely helpful blog.
Kind regards
Dirk
Hi Dirk,
As far as I know, Seiko has no overseas factory in Korea but in China (Hong Kong to be exact). Your seller is obviously misinformed. Seiko has been manufacturing mostly low end automatics in Hong Kong since the late 1980s. Production costs are still lower in China compared to South Korea.
Your SNZG11K is China made, but Seiko's quality control is quite good. Have no worries!
Quartzimodo.
Good Day Quartzimodo
Your feedback is much appreciated. Visitors to this post/blog are indeed priviledged to have someone like yourself providing this vast range of answers.
I agree Seiko should in some way or another reward you for this invaluable service.
Best Regards
Dirk
Hello,
Can you tell me if this is real?
www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-chronograph-watches-63/seiko-titanium-chronograph-sports-sndc91p1-sndc91-sndc91p-mens-watch-2857.html
I know it is not a registered dealer but I only want to no if the watch is real?
Kees
Hi Kees,
AFAIK, Creationwatches.com sells only genuine Seiko watches. Therefore the SNDC91P chronograph in question is 100% authentic. Buy with confidence!
Quartzimodo
Hi Neil Douglas,
I can't remember if I have replied to your question, but if I haven't I sincerely apologize for overlooking your post.
If your quartz Seiko diver's watch is losing time, you need to have it checked by an authorized Seiko repair center. It could be because the watch has never been serviced since you had it and the stepping motors and geartrain have gummed up over time. The original lubricants may have congealed, making it harder for the stepping motors to drive the hands. It could also be due to loss of accuracy due to an aging quartz oscillator. Older Seiko quartz watches from the 1970s and 1980s have a trimmer capacitor to compensate for time gain or loss.
The SKX007K is actually cased in China, with the movement assembled in Malaysia. The SKX007J version on the other hand, is said to be assembled in Japan. Models like the SKX173, SKXA35 and SNM035 are Seiko divers native to the U.S. market. Since they are meant for sale in the USA (they come with a Seiko USA warranty), most sellers are unlikely to ship them overseas. You'll need to get a contact in America to buy one for you, like the way I did with my yellow faced, SKXA35 diver.
The reason you see "Mov't Malaysia, Cased in China" on the face of the SKX173 is to comply with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's strict labeling laws concerning imported goods. Other nations do not have such labeling laws, therefore Seiko need not print the country of manufacture on the dial of the watch for non-US markets.
Creationwatches will ship internationally, but most Amazon watch sellers only deal with U.S. based customers. The reason Seiko watches are priced a lot higher in Australia is probably due to local import taxes and duties, plus the geographical distance to Australia (including New Zealand). Other than Australia/New Zealand, Seiko watches are taxed heavily in EU countries, including the UK.
Feel free to ask if you have further questions.
Quartzimodo
Hi Quartzimodo,
I am absolutely amazed with your post and knowledge regarding Seiko watches.
Would really appreciate your advice if this Seiko Sportura SPC055 is geniune, as I had just pre-order a piece today. This ebay seller (teelys) have quite a good feedback other than communication-wise. haha..
www.ebay.com/itm/270946675771?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Would greatly appreciate your kind advice.
Michael
Hello,
Thank you for the educating article. Recently I purchased a SKZ245/Automatic 23 7s23 from RC Time. After having it sized I noticed that it stopped running and after properly moving side to side--nothing. I contacted RC Time and they offered to exchange it for another however it would be a different color.
Long story short I have the Seiko Warranty Card which I filled out and I shipped the watch to Seiko with the warranty card and booklet.
My question is RC Time is an authorized dealer however they do not show up on Seiko Dealer Locations??? What is your opinion here; will my watch be covered under warranty and do you believe RC Time is an authorized dealer?
Thank you
hi Quartzimodo,
thank you so much for the blog. it's very helpful and informative.
if i may ask, what is the different between seiko premier kinetic snp036 and snp038? because they look the same, but both prices are different. im confused
can also you tell me if this is genuine?
www.skywatches.com.sg/reviews/seiko-premier-kinetic-perpetual-calendar-watch-snp038p1-snp038p-snp038.htm
and does adrian low really could not offer international warranty?
thank you,
Hanzip
Hi Michael,
The SPC055P Sportura watch in question appears to be genuine, but I'm saying this based on the seller's advertised eBay photos.
The 7T86 Chronograph Perpetual is a relatively new caliber which I've not seen in real life yet. I think it's interesting because it has a day of week indicator, which for a long time has been absent in the Sportura lineup.
Your watch should be 100% genuine.
Quartzimodo
Hi hanzip,
Both the Seiko SNP036P and SNP038P are virtually identical, except for the dial color. I cannot comment on why there's a price discrepancy between the two, because there are certain variables involved which only the seller (Skywatches) knows.
As for warranty issues, Skywatches claims that every watch sold comes with a valid, stamped warranty card. It is not explicitly stated whether a Seiko watch sold through its website, will come with a warranty that will be honored by your country's official Seiko service center.
Quartzimodo.
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks a lot for the valuable lesson and advice.
Hope you will have a great day
Michael
Hi,
Just bought this watch on ebay from Watches-us, iwas not worried until i got an email from ebay to say watch has been sent seller shown as mywatcheshub.com
worried that i may be getting a fake Seiko
SNDC45P1
the model number can not be found on the seiko website. any idea if it is fake or real.
thanks
Hi Arno,
If the watch looks exactly like in this picture, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about. It's a genuine Seiko 7T92 chronograph and is a fairly recent model.
Since Seiko makes far too many models, they never list their entire model lineup in any of their official websites. Seiko's websites usually portray models from the Arctura, Premier, Velatura and Sportura range. Generic models like the SNDC45P and the countless Seiko 5 automatics are never shown in their sites.
Many eBay watch sellers operate from their homes and they never physically own the stock. Instead they use drop-shipping services, which are generally wholesalers who ship the items to buyers. Some operate on eBay under more than one virtual store or they could have affiliates who will ship the watch on their behalf, especially if the item is out of stock.
best regards,
Quartzimodo.
Hi Quartzimodo,
I dont know what is going on with Mywatcheshub.com
I had received 5 emails to say watch was posted on the 4th of may, had a photo copy of the address label tracking number that did not appear to exist, just got an email from them to apologize watch out of stock and money refunded, received email from paypal that money was refunded and was asked for a 5 star rating,as if.
Arno
Hi Arno,
There are good eBay sellers out there and there are those who are disappointing. I'm sorry to hear that the seller didn't check for the availability of the watch; they should have fulfilled the transaction and sourced for the watch, instead of refunding your money quickly.
A situation like this does happen with some small time eBay sellers as they operate on a back-to-back principle. They would only go out sourcing for the watch once they've received the payment.
What happens if the watch is out of stock or unavailable? Well, the seller usually gives excuses for more time to look for the watch until they do find one; or they are forced to cancel the order and refund your money.
Asking to be rated 5 stars on eBay is a total insult to your intelligence, when the seller failed to deliver and honor the transaction. I would give them no stars if that's allowed and leave a negative feedback if I were you.
Look elsewhere on eBay for a better seller.
Quartzimodo
Total agree with the above . The basis of a good on-line retail site is ,no 1, keep the stock you advertise .
Hi I bought a 2011 seiko 5 sport watch from a seller in hk on eBay.
I looked at your list of how to spot a fake and I believe it to be genuine can you verify for me??
You can get link to eBay advert below
Hope to hear from you soon
Best regards
Colin Lees
Hi just found the serial number on the case back not the glass
It reads 000735.
Does that mean October 2010 batch number 0735?
Please help as I would hate to find out its fake!
Colin lees
Hi Colin lees,
Thanks for dropping by my blog. The Seiko 5 Sports that you have - the model SNZJ15K is 100% authentic. There are absolutely no signs of the watch being a counterfeit piece, so you have nothing to worry about.
So far there are no fake versions of this model in the market yet and I don't think there will be one. This is because the Seiko makes too many new Seiko 5 models every year that it's impossible and unprofitable for counterfeiters to keep up with Seiko's latest designs. They usually prefer to copy the "evergreen" models like the SKX007K and SKX779K divers.
In my opinion, the price you paid for is a bit steep considering that it's a used Seiko 5 Sports watch. The lowest price of the same model I managed to find on eBay is USD134 from this particular seller.
I happen to have the all-black dial and bezel model, the SNZJ19K which I purchased last year. I didn't like the stainless steel bracelet so I swapped to a nice black leather band with running yellow colored stitching and it looks really great.
To answer your final question, your watch was made on October 2010 and it's actually the 736th piece from that batch. The first watch made in the same month is always stamped as number "000" and not "001". The second watch off the production line would bear the serial number "001", the third "002" and so on.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Hi Anth,
eBay happens to be one of the best places to start out if you're a small-time online watch dealer. There are tons of virtual storefronts on eBay itself and most operate using the drop-ship supplier service. What is more crucial is that these eBay vendors have contingency, backup plans if they're unable to source for a watch that was ordered. The well established ones would have more than one reliable backup supplier. The end customer doesn't really need to know where the supply is coming from; what's more important that the transaction goes smoothly from getting the order to shipping the item.
Quartzimodo.
Thank you so much for your reply!!!
I'm very pleased its a genuine seiko!
I also bought another a while back could you take a look and
Give me some info on it as I believe it is dated to around 1985?
Love your page!
Colin lees
Hi Colin,
The so-called Seiko "6309-7290" which you have is a heavily modified, customized watch and Seiko never made anything like that before. The dial is an aftermarket (non-original) 6105-8110 while the hour and minute hands look like they're from a 6217 World Timer automatic. The second hand with the "stoplight" end is for the 6105-8110 although I can't tell if that's original either. The "world cities" bezel is something that definitely does not belong to any Seiko diver's watch of its era for sure.
I'm unable to tell whether the caseback is original, but I think the "JAPAN" text was deliberately stamped later. Original Japan-made 6309s would have "JAPAN" inscribed within the caseback details within an arc, e.g. "JAPAN A", but not stamped in the manner as on your watch. Since the caseback doesn't appear to be original, the serial number that's on it would be deemed useless (it could be simply a random series of six digits), leading you to believe that it's from 1985.
Still, for a heavily customized watch I think yours is the most interesting modded 6309-7290 that I've laid my eyes upon!
Quartzimodo
Hi I know this is about ebay sellers, but I bought this watch on Amazon for myself, and there is no info on this watch on Seiko's website which has me worried. I did find this watch selling on the Sear's website however. Is Amazon trustworthy? I don't know how they sell these Seiko watches so cheap.. This watch was actually cheaper than if I bought it on Ebay. Can you tell me what the deal is with this watch (SXD841P1)?
www.amazon.com/dp/B004E25H76/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8
Hi my question earlier disappeared so I will ask again. I bought a seiko watch on Amazon.com, and I am skeptical because it is so cheap. Here is the link:
www.amazon.com/dp/B004E25H76/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8
I am wondering how Amazon sells their watches so cheap. Are they all legit? Some are even cheaper than Ebay. Here is the model number: SXD841
Hi,
first of all, thanks for taking all this time and patience to explain.
I'm an already happy Seiko user (Sportura Kinetic, 8 years of everyday use with not a single scratch in the glass nor breaks or downtimes ). I'm looking at another automatic Seiko 5 Sport model SNZJ11J1. There are lots of them sold on ebay at the moment, and a sample of BIN with this watch is item current # 350544292345. Following your article it looks fine to me, could you please have a look yourself ? If I can dare, does it feels a commisurate price (or even a good price) ?
Thanks for any attention you'll put on this.
BR
Joe
Hi Andrew,
Your question is often asked in my blog. Why are some Seiko watches sold cheaply on Amazon?
When one mentions Amazon, it's not really Amazon (the e-commerce company that originally sold books in the late 1990s) that are selling watches but small scale merchants that operate under the Amazon brand. How is it that certain Seiko watches can be had at a fraction of the price what Macy's charges for? Well, there are too many variables that influence the final price of that watch. Overstocked watches, merchandise returns, volume/bulk purchases, sourcing from watch stores that are going out of business, watches sourced from auctions, massive stock clearances (think of "Black Friday" sales), grey market imports etc. That's how a watch that's originally priced at USD400 can go down to as low as 99 bucks.
Like eBay, many sellers who operate under Amazon have very low overheads - especially if they're running a virtual business from home. There's no real storefront, no real business address, no employees to hire. They usually operate under the drop shipping method of doing business. Look up "drop shipping" on Google.
Rest assured, the Seiko SXD841P that you're owning right now is 100% authentic. It's a fairly recent 7N82 caliber gents' quartz model. The reason you got it cheap is because it's a grey market import, not purchased through Seiko USA. Therefore it has no manufacturer's original warranty, but an in-house warranty with Amazon itself. For the record, I have not come across any fake Seiko watches sold through Amazon.
Why isn't the SXD841P not found on Seiko USA's website? The first reason is that this watch is one of Seiko's countless models and it's a generic watch. Because Seiko makes more variations and models like Casio Japan, it's impossible to list each and every model on their website. Furthermore, Seiko's websites concentrates on their upper and midscale models from the Arctura, Sportura, Coutura, Criteria, Velatura and Premier lineups, plus some popular diver's models. Your SXD841P is not from any of these lineups and it's also not an official model sold by Seiko USA. This is why you can't find this model listed.
Many people get the impression that every Seiko watch that's sold will appear on the online catalogs, but it's not true. We're not talking about Omega, Rolex, Ball, Tissot, IWC, Breitling, etc - these manufacturers make much fewer models than Seiko does, so they're able to display the models on their respective websites.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Hello dear friend, great blog!, very useful info here!, thanks for the dedication and effort you have done... I would like to have your help with something.. I'm just close to buy a Seiko Arctura SLQ025j1, a guy came to my antiques store and offer me the watch (without box and papers,only with the tag), I love the watch! also I posted the situation at the Seiko & Citizen forum but just one member respond me. I posted some pics and all the test and analysis I did to the watch, please try to check the post, I really appreciate it.
forums.watchuseek.com/f21/seiko-arctura-slq025j1-original-replica-707406.html
Have you hear something about a replica with the very complex 9T82 movement? could it be a replica with the limited number numeration of 500 and the Seiko Arctura tag with the SLQ025J1watch model?
I really want to buy the watch it is really amazing, the guy is asking $2000 and I don't want to lose my money.
Many thanks my friend!
Hi Juan,
You have valid concerns when it comes to buying a rare and limited edition Seiko watch. If it's anything that makes identification difficult for me, it's the use of flash (especially when shot with a smartphone) because it's hard to make out the details of the watch.
First things first: Yes, Seiko did release the limited edition, 500 piece Arctura SLQ025J back in 2008. In Australia, it carried a recommended price tag of AUD8,000 and you can read about Seiko's press release here. Every watch sold was accompanied with a signed certificate of authenticity by Seiko's CEO, Mr Shinji Hattori.
The 9T82 Kinetic caliber is still Seiko's flagship Kinetic movement and each and every movement was hand assembled by skilled technicians in Japan. This is an extremely complicated movement for most replica manufacturers to copy and it's usually not worth their time, cost and effort. That's not saying that it's not impossible to duplicate a 9T82; but if you are in the watch counterfeiting business, you'll want the quickest returns possible. Why go through the trouble to copy a 9T82 movement at great cost, when you can easily source cheap, Chinese made movements for replica Swiss brands like Omega, Breitling and Rolex?
So far I've never heard of fake 9T82 Seiko Kinetics before - if any counterfeiter is bold enough to make replica SLQ025J models they're most likely to take the short cut, which is using cheap quartz movements as an alternative. Usually when they use alternative movements, their fake models cannot mimic the actual functions of the genuine Seiko 9T82 Kinetic.
Here's how to determine if the 9T82 movement in question is authentic:
- The oscillating rotor at the back of the watch should spin when the watch is shaken hard - and it should make a ratchety noise as it does so.
- The stopwatch buttons should feel hard and click when they're depressed, much like a mechanical chronograph watch.
- The 1/10sec (x0.1) subdial hand for the stopwatch should spin 10 times as fast as the second hand subdial.
- All the hands should literally snap back to the zero (12 o'clock) position when the chronograph is reset and NOT spin leisurely back to zero, as with common quartz chronographs.
The other photographs of the SLQ025J do strongly suggest that it's 100% genuine. The Arctura hang tag is of the correct font and the rear display case glass is covered with the original, Seiko blue protective sticker. Too bad the watch comes without the official papers and documentation; especially the certificate of authenticity.
Now comes for the golden question: is it worth paying $2,000 for it? It depends whether you intend to sell it for a profit or this is going to be your personal timepiece. If you plan on selling it to serious Seiko collectors, they'll expect the whole shebang - the accompanying documentation with the watch. When it comes to limited edition and rare watches, those very papers will make the watch more valuable. Have you ever watched "Pawn Stars" on television? It happens to be one of my favorite programs on the History channel.
If you're familiar with this reality TV series, you'll know that Rick Harrison (the store's owner) always asks the seller who brings in a rare item to be sold, its documentation to prove its authenticity. Those papers will make the item "complete" and he could make more money if the artifact comes with some kind of documentation. Whenever he's in doubt of the item, he would arrange for an expert (usually a friend of his) to check out the item and give an estimation of its value.
However, if you intend to wear the watch you may want to overlook the fact that the watch comes without its original box and papers and wear the SLQ025J as it is. Just make sure that it's not a stolen item. As a reference, you might want to check out what other are selling the SLQ021J Sportura on eBay.
Hope this helps,
Quartzimodo.
Hi Joe,
I looked at the Seiko 5 Sports SNZJ11J and it's a recently released model, which I have not seen before. It's also 100% genuine, no worries. The asking price is fair, considering that the pricing is based on European standards and the watch will be shipped from Italy. Buy with confidence!
Quartzimodo
Hi,
Great blog! I recently got into Seiko's and I'm about to pull the trigger on a SNAE67. Looking at various websites of supposedly A.D., I saw some differences that got me thinking. The SNAE67 being a fairly recent model, is it possible that there would be different versions of it on the market? Take a look at this: www.flickr.com/photos/ejunky17/7692676030/in/photostream
Notice a difference on the strap (left: it's missing a row of holes) and a slight difference at the 3 and 9 o'clock marks(on the left picture: the two squares are the same size but on the right picture, there's a big and a small square). Are they both authentic, coming from different parts of the world or one of them is an impostor?
Thanks!
Hi,
I just discovered the beauty of some Seiko models (better late than never!) and I'm about to pull the trigger on a SNAE67. While doing some research, I've noticed some minor physical differences from different websites. Please take a look at the picture. I copied two SNAE67 pictures side by side that came from 2 different supposedly A.D. www.flickr.com/photos/ejunky17/7692676030/
Notice a difference on the strap (left: it's missing a row of holes) and a slight difference at the 3 and 9 o'clock marks (on the left picture: the two squares are the same size but on the right picture, there's a big and a small square). Are they both authentic, coming from different parts of the world or one of them is an impostor?
Thanks!
Hi,
Anyway if you can tell me if this is genuine? We have been selling these for years, we received them from a distributor that has been in business for 50 years. We just started in online sales and I get a lady who tells me my watches are fake! I do not want to sell fake watches if this is in fact true. She says that it is a fake watch because:
1. It says "Water Resistant" in black print on the clear back of the watch, it is hard to see in the picture but it is on the other side of the SEIKO black print.
2. The mechanism on the inside of the watch reads:
TWENTY-ONE JEWELS
SEIKO TIME CORP. 7S26B
She says that any watch that has 7S26B on the inner mechanism is a counterfeit watch.
A watch kiosk in a local mall told her this. Please let me know, I don't want to sell counterfeit watches as the real deal!
tinypic.com/r/bfndxz/6
tinypic.com/r/2vwwgep/6
tinypic.com/r/f4mlpk/6
tinypic.com/r/v3dphe/6
tinypic.com/r/35nd0zd/6
Hi MJ Peterson,
Thanks for the interesting question. I had to double-check the watch that you've posted up and it's indeed the model SNKA21K (7S26-02N0), which came out sometime after October 2006.
Are Seiko 5 watches bearing the "7S26B" inscription on the oscillating weight make them counterfeit? This is NOT TRUE!. If there are indeed fake Seiko watches in the market with "7s26B", they are the exception rather than the norm. The first Seiko 7s26 caliber was called "7s26A" and Seiko made this movement from 1996 to 2006. From October 2006 onwards, the 7s26A caliber was discontinued and in its place is the slightly improved movement, which was named the "7s26B". In fact, the 7s26B lived a shorter market life than its predecessor and about or or two years ago, Seiko revised the 7s26B to their latest 7s26C. The 7s26C is said to have better clearance for the hour and minute hands and it may be slightly more accurate than its ancestors. The improvements are mostly minor and all three calibers have 21 jewels in their mechanisms.
Apparently the lady who claimed that Seiko 5 watches with 7s26B inscription was grossly misled by the mall kiosk seller. Stories about mall watch sellers telling their customers to avoid buying online is nothing new as they (the sellers) are irate with reputable online sellers that trade in grey market Seiko watches, because online watch sellers present a very serious competition to their business. For example in certain European Union (EU) nations such as Germany, to protect local authorized dealers very high taxes are levied on Seiko watches purchased through the Internet, particularly from Southeast Asia. Because of such import restrictions, quite a few grey market web based sellers have decided not to entertain potential purchasers from Germany.
Therefore I wouldn't be surprised if that particular mall seller has been misleading people with the wrong information as he was only trying to protect his trade.
Authorized Seiko watch retailers in the U.S. get their watches from Seiko USA, whose MRSPs (Manufacturer's Recommended Selling Price) are on the high side. Seiko USA offers a standard 3 year warranty for its watches, making it the only official Seiko distributor in the world to offer such an extended warranty. Elsewhere in the world, including Japan, Seiko timepieces carry only a one-year warranty. An extended warranty is like insurance and costs money to the distributor. I believe that to justify for its high MRSP prices Seiko USA throws in an exclusive three-year warranty, not available in other parts of the world.
Seiko watches are usually reliable timepieces and they very rarely fail for the first 2-3 years, if they fail at all. Defective, DOA Seiko watches are however, another story. Consumers are getting smart nowadays and they would rather pay less for a grey import Seiko watch with no warranty (or seller's in-house warranty) than buying from an authorized dealer at a much higher price. The risk of getting a lemon of a new Seiko watch from a grey market seller is next to nothing.
An independent distributor who has been specializing in watches for 50 years is very unlikely to deliberately peddle in counterfeit Seiko products. The company has built up its reputation for five decades and it's not worth the risk to supply fake Seiko watches. BTW, the semi-gloss, blue dialed Seiko SNKA21K as depicted is 100% authentic. Everything checks out, including the white Seiko hang tag.
hope this answers your question.
Quartzimodo
Hi Fred,
Thanks for the interesting question. I looked at the composite images which you posted on Flickr and am convinced the one on the right should be the correct representation of the Seiko SNAE67P. Seiko would not make very minor variations to the strap as it would be an expensive affair. Seiko has been known to mix-and-match hands, rotating bezels, dials and bracelets from previous models in order to save on production costs. It doesn't make economic sense for Seiko to have one leather strap with three extra holes and one without.
Please have a look at user reviews on this watch on the Watch-U-Seek discussion forum and a short introduction to the Sportura SNAE67P by my fellow Seiko watch blogger, Thomas Yeo. Note how the strap holes align perfectly with the watch's lug ends.
I'm afraid I cannot make any sort of conclusions on the illustrated watch on the left as to whether it's a prototype, pre-production model or an outright replica but I can tell you the authentic one should be the one on the right.
Quartzimodo
Quartzimodo,
Thank you very much for your expertise sir. You have saved me from the guilt of having to bear with selling fake watches at our business for more than 20 years. Even more, we have a family business and have a lot of close business relationships with our suppliers built over the years. If I would have called the supplier who we've known by name since the day we opened and even asked if the watches he sold us were fake without any form of proof, it would have done irreparable harm. Thank you for the information sir and I hope one day your good deed this day is rewarded!
Hi MJ Peterson,
You're most welcome and I'm glad to be able to set the record straight. If there are any doubts about your Seiko merchandise in the future, simply use Google Image search and type in the reference number of the watch. In most cases, the identical watch will show up in the first few images and if the photos are from online sellers like Bluedial.com, Wristzone.com, Premierworld.com.sg, Skywatches.com.sg, Chronograph.com, Roachman.com, Creationwatches.com, Rakuten.co.jp (to name a few), none of these sellers deal in counterfeit watches.
Wishing you good luck with your online watch trade, sir!
Quartzimodo.
Hi Quartzimodo,
Great article - read through it and its great to have someone with the expertise to advise the newbs amongst us. Would you be able to give your thoughts on if these 2 are the real deal or not?
Cheers
Hi Nick,
I looked at both watches and there is absolutely nothing to suggest that either watch is fake. The SSB-series Seiko watches are quite new to the market and use a newly introduced quartz caliber, the 6T63 with a 24-hour AM/PM indicator subdial. Years ago, the dedicated 24-hour subdial feature was common in some Citizen models, particularly their Eco-Drive Skyhawk aviator timepieces. I didn't expect that someday Seiko would eventually follow Citizen's footsteps but apparently they decided to.
Both watches are genuine, therefore buy with confidence. The 6T63 based watches are Seiko's latest budget quartz chronographs and counterfeiters are not interested in the trouble to copy them as it wouldn't be profitable to do so. Remember that the replica and fake watch industries are in for quick profits; so they prefer to copy luxury Swiss watches since the demand and profitability for them are great.
happy buying!:-)
Quartzimodo
Could you please tell me if a Seiko Coutura Alarm Chronograph is authentic? On the back it has engraved...
Sapphire Crystal
SEIKO
487490
Water Resistant 20 Bar St. Steel
Movement Japan SNA459 7T62-OEKO AO
Many Thanks!
Hi Paul,
Unless you've bought the watch online from a replica watch seller which makes its authenticity questionable, I'd say your Coutura SNA459 is 100% authentic. I think Seiko made only one version based on the 7T62-0EK0 and it's the SNA459. This old model is sold only in North America and is generally not available in other countries. It's from August 2004, in case you're wondering.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi Sir,
Greetings...
Just two days ago I bought a SEIKO from eBay, of which link is given below. Please advise me whether it is genuine or fake.
www.ebay.com/itm/120964087090?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
Furthermore the following details are available on the back case of the watch
ST.STEEL
7T86-0AA0
A4
MOVEMENT JAPAN
SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL
WATER RESISTANT 10BAR
130133 (I believe serial number)
Kindly advise.
Regards
Hi Satya,
Thanks for the question. I looked at the listing and the watch in question is positively genuine and authentic. The eBay seller "dabrands" does not peddle fake Seiko watches, as far as I know. This is a relatively new model and your watch was from March 2011.
hope this answers your question,
Quartzimodo
Hello,
I was just wondering if the watches from these sellers were genuine, and not fake. It's the Seiko SSC009P1 solar model. Thanks!
www.ebay.com/itm/160891089745?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
www.ebay.com/itm/150889459484?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Hi Dhar,
Both watches are genuine and authentic Seiko Solar chronographs. So far I haven't seen examples of replica or fake ones. Counterfeit watchmakers generally avoid duplicating new Seiko models as it's not worth their time and effort. The real money lies in counterfeiting the major Swiss, German and Italian watch brands.
Buy the Seiko SSC009P with confidence.
Quartzimodo
Hi,
I wanted to buy this model but seeing the price compare to other stores I'm not sure if it real or a replica. If you can help me that be great.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/300788896946?ssPageName=STRK:
MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Thanks.
Hi Dalin,
The Seiko Premier watch appears to be genuine, judging from the seller's own photos. I've not heard of this model being available as a replica model yet. Buy with confidence.
Quartzimodo.
Hi, I just purchased this watch last week on ebay and was hoping that I hadn't been taken by a fake. Seller has lots of good feed back. Your opinion would be appreciated. Thank you.
www.ebay.com/itm/280971383922?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Hello again,
Just wanted to know the authenticity of this watch. It's from timeparadise. I had also bought the Seiko solar ssc009 from there, which was in very good condition, but I just wanted to double check. Thanks:)
Hi,
Please help to verify whether this seller are selling genuine Seiko watches:
www.watchspree.com.sg
Eg, the Seiko SSA021J1 watch
The website look impressive, but unsure about how to tell it is authenthic or not.
Thank you very much
Hi Rene,
The classic black Seiko SND253P chronograph is genuine. So far I've never heard of this model being faked because the real watch itself is inexpensive and is not worth the trouble to copy. Besides, Watches-Bay doesn't deal in counterfeit products. I have a similar looking watch to the one you've purchased, a Seiko SKS197P which uses the older V657 movement. The SND253P replaced the SKS197P back in 2002 when the V657 was discontinued. You paid a very fair price for this watch. 
)
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi Dhar,
Time Paradise on eBay has never sold fake watches, period - so you shouldn't worry about your purchases from them. Six years ago I bought two Citizen Promaster Eco Drive E210 chronographs from them; no problems except for a rather slow shipping service back then.
To date, there are NO counterfeit versions of the Seiko 5 Sports SNZH57K that I know of. I've seen this watch at a local retailer last year when it first came out. Nice looking but it wasn't exactly my taste. It's a good watch nonetheless, enjoy it.
Quartzimodo
Hi Woon,
There are no fake SSA-series, Seiko Solar watches made at this time of writing. Watchspree's products all appear to be genuine, so go ahead and buy with confidence. Furthermore, this company's website domain is a Singapore registered domain (.com.sg) and its business is likely to have been registered with Singapore's Registrar of Companies. If Watchspree is found guilty of peddling fake products, it would be easy to file an official complaint with the authorities in Singapore and tracking their business premise would be very easy.
Replica and counterfeit watch sellers on the Internet usually prefer international top-level domains (e.g. .com.,.biz., .cc) to register their website domain names as they are not regulated or monitored. A few will try to sneak past eBay until a customer complains to eBay upon receiving a fake product.
Go ahead and buy with confidence!
Quartzimodo
Quartzimodo :
Last I.D. , I was told is a FrankenSeiko, can reclasify this one.
Seiko watch (Green Dial mystery watch)rear case reads Following.......
ST.STEEL 6309-7290[f1] SEIKO WATER RESISTANT /A /SUWA Mark/
serial No./ ser.No.(here)----- WHITEISH ON DIAL-SEIKO AUTOMATIC/ 6 oclock 6309 735MR /smallsuwa/
Note: 6309A stanped inside on movementwhat could this watch be in its factors.
Thanks for your advice and comments.
Hi Quartzimodo,
Scored a Seiko 6309-7290 ($130.00), and FREE-2 others 7s26-0020, one is a (7s26-0028 ). One has a tricky crown to screw in the (0028), have to play couple times then it goes in side that is works fine.
Thank you so much for sharing with a complete stranger this wonderful informative information.As they say knowledge is power and it has answered a lot of worrying thoughts for me. Iam wanting to purchase a genuine watch and with your site I feel more at ease now. Thank you so kindly Geoff Galpin. South Australia.
Hi Longbike,
Congrats on your latest find in the 6309-7290. There were no such thing as green dialed 6309 diver's watches made by Seiko, therefore what you have is a 6309 with an aftermarket dial. The term "Franken Seiko" however, is generally used to describe a Seiko watch that's fitted with original Seiko parts that were not meant for the model, but happen to be interchangeable with one another.
Also take note that a vintage Seiko watch's production date will have no real meaning whatsoever if the caseback is not original to that piece. It's common to find old Seiko watches on eBay of unknown history ending up with switched casebacks, usually due to the original ones being lost or in very bad shape. The casebacks are of the correct type but since they don't originally belong to the watches, their serial numbers would be different.
Quartzimodo.
Hi Quartzimodo,
Thanks for the very informative articles! I'm currently interested in buying the SSB409 from this seller. www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SEIKO-SSB049-MEN-250-SEIKO-CHRONO-BLACK-DIAL-STAINLESS-STEEL-QUARTZ-WATCH-/251162322985?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3a7a70e829
However, the Macy's website says that the diameter is 42mm whereas this seller says it's 45mm. Can you verify if the watch is authentic? Thanks!
Hi Quartzimodo,
Vivian again--
Also the page says the watch is under Seiko warranty--but if they're a reseller, wouldn't it be under the reseller's warranty?
Hi Quartzimodo,
I posted a comment today but wasn't sure if it posted or not so here it goes again (if I did, sorry for the repeat!)
I'm interested in buying a seiko SSB049 from www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SEIKO-SSB049-MEN-250-SEIKO-CHRONO-BLACK-DIAL-STAINLESS-STEEL-QUARTZ-WATCH-/251162322985?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3a7a70e829
However, I'm not sure if it is legitimate. The seller mentions that the diameter is 45mm but on the Macy's website, it says 42mm. Also, it says Seiko warranty, but if they're a reseller shouldn't it be under their warranty?
Any ideas would be appreciated thanks!
Hi Vivian,
The Seiko SSB049P in question is 100% authentic. This is relatively recent model as the 6T63 chronograph movement itself is quite new in the market. Judging from the gift box, this appears to a watch distributed by Seiko USA, rather than a grey market/parallel import one originating from the Far East. I am not familiar with the seller and thus cannot verify whether Watch Wholesale is indeed an authorized Seiko Internet Retailer, despite the use of the authorized Seiko Retailer logo. You can however, verify the actual warranty status with Seiko USA.
Different sellers have their own way of measuring a watch's diameter. One well known, Singapore based retailer described the SSB049P as measuring 44mm across with the crown; therefore it's possible that Macy's did not include the watch crown into account.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Dear Quartzimodo,
I am looking for a Seiko Premier SPC059P. Can you tell me if this watch is real:
www.dutyfreeislandshop.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SPC059P1
Is thedutyfreeislandshop a genuine dealer of not.
Thanks for helping me out.
Greetings,
Xander
Hi Robert,
No, an old Seiko watch with aftermarket parts does not necessarily mean it's a fake. What it means is that the seller had to replace the faded or corroded parts with non-Seiko spare parts because the company no longer manufactures the original spare parts. Some watches are still in good running condition, except for badly faded dials or hands. It would be a waste to throw them away and therefore the sellers replaced the bad looking parts with new ones - even if they're not from Seiko.
While some people don't mind buying vintage watches with non-original parts, serious collectors buy only old watches with 100% genuine parts.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
Hi there - great resource you have here. Could you help with a slight concern I have over this eBay purchase?
Firstly, I'd never seen a red-dialled baby/mini-monster before. Seller also had a white one and a pale blue one (which I'd never seen before either) Anyway, it's arrived. All seems great, no obvious Feiko signs, but there's no lume on the hour markers. Only the hands have lume. Should I be concerned? Thanks, Chris.
Hi Chris,
I've never seen a red-dialed or pale blue dial, "Neo Monster" or "Monster Lite" before. I think what you have is a modded or re-dialed SNZF45K watch. While the Seiko 5 Sports logo appears to be authentic, the index markers should have lume on them. It wouldn't have made sense for Seiko to design broad index markers and not coat them with LumiBrite. Have a look at my old post regarding the Monster Lite models.
If you have unwittingly bought a non-original Seiko watch (the seller advertised it as having "large, luminous hands and markers"), contact the seller for an immediate refund.
best regards,
Quartzimodo
Hi, I'm interested in buying this watch. Could you help me take a look as to whether you think this watch and the ebay seller are authentic or not? Thank you!
Err whoops, here is the link:
www.ebay.com/itm/SEIKO-SNAE57P1-MENS-WATCH-COUTURA-STAINLESS-STEEL-BLACK-100M-WR-SNAE57-/111004029015?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item19d85b1057
Sorry about that.
Hi Rebecca,
I can't vouch for the seller as there are many like it on eBay which I have never come across before. However, this vendor's merchandise appears to be 100% authentic, including the Seiko Coutura SNAE57 that you're looking at. The blue Seiko gift box and the included watch pillow is also a genuine item - this kind of box is unique to Seiko watches sold in the U.S.
Buy with confidence.
Quartzimodo
Hi,
I have bought this item and just received it. How can I know whether it's authentic or not. Thank you.
Hi Two,
The Seiko Barcelona FC watch (SNDD81P) is 100% authentic. This is an official Seiko limited release model and there are other sellers on the Internet advertising this model. Capital Mall is a trustworthy watch reseller on eBay and I've bought from her twice some years ago. No worries.
enjoy the new Seiko,
Quartzimodo
Dear Quartzimodo,
One guy is selling new Seiko from 5 series for 100$.
www.ss.lv/msg/ru/home-stuff/jewelry/watch/mens/beicxe.html
Can you please help me to recognize is it genuine or fake?
Thanks
Hi Vladimir,
I'm sorry that I'm only able to reply to your question a month too late, but the link to the seller's original auction is no longer valid. If you have a screenshot of that page, upload it to www.tinypic.com and send the link to your uploaded picture in your next reply.
best regards,
Quartzimodo
hi good day,
Im very happy that I found your site about Seiko watches
coz Im planning to buy genuine Seiko at ebay but that would not easy to decide which one is genuine coz a lot of seller with different promises.
Now my questions are:
1. where is Seiko now made and manufactured?
2. is the "made in japan and movement japan" are the same if not what is the difference in terms of quality?
3. can you help me and evaluate this model is this genuine?
mywatcheshub.com/seiko-chronograph/seiko-men-chronograph-fc-6t63-ssb071-ssb071p1-p-13449/
mywatcheshub.com/seiko-5-sports/seiko-men-japan-5-sports-7s36-sport-snzj05-snzj05j1-p-12026/
4. and also is ALBA WATCHES made by Seiko?
Thank you very much hope you can help me
regards
rex
Hello Rex,
Those are good questions you have there. I'll go through them one at a time following your list:
"1. where is Seiko now made and manufactured?"
Seiko has a factory in Japan and three overseas assembly plants: Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong (China). Basically, the China based factory assembles low end mechanical watches like the Seiko 5 watches and 7s and 4R3x caliber automatics. It also makes some solar and Kinetic models for the Japan domestic market. The Singapore factory makes the mainstream quartz and Kinetic models while the Japan factory generally assembles middle and high end Seiko watches for the local Japanese and the export market. It depends on the model.
2. "is the "made in japan and movement japan" are the same if not what is the difference in terms of quality?"
A Seiko watch that has "Mov't Japan" marked on the dial (and caseback) is manufactured by Seiko's factory in Singapore although the individual watch parts are sourced from Japan. One that says "Made In Japan" is however, a Japan made model for the export market. The standard of manufacturing and quality control is the same, regardless of the country of watch assembly. However, really high end models from the Grand Seiko, Credor, Brightz and Ananta line are usually given extra attention to inspection at the Japan factory as they are very expensive watches.
"3. can you help me and evaluate this model is this genuine?"
Sure thing. Both the SSBS017P and the SNZJ05J are 100% authentic. The 6T63 is a relatively new quartz caliber with an interesting AM/PM 24-hour sub-dial and a 60-minute stopwatch function, while the SSBS017P is very good looking model. Good choice. The Seiko 5 Sports SNZJ05J is a recently introduced model with a dial that reminds me of the legendary and expensive, Seiko Prospex Landmaster 8L35 automatic. Its broad sword-like hands seem to be a completely new design because Seiko has been known to "recycle" hands from past models and use them on some newer models.
"4. and also is ALBA WATCHES made by Seiko?"
Yes, Alba watches are made by the same factories that produce Seiko watches. For a brief period last decade, Alba introduced a few automatic watches based on the Seiko movement but has since stopped selling automatics and reverted to making quartz models like they used to. Alba, Lorus and Pulsar are sub-brands of the Seiko Holdings Group. Alba watches were first introduced in 1979 and catered for the Far East market, including Japan.
On the other hand the Orient brand, which Seiko has a controlling stake in the company, makes its own mechanical movements and have their own assembly plants. Orient used to sell quartz chronograph models whose movements were borrowed from Seiko, such as the 7T32 and 7T62 quartz chronograph models.
hope this helps,
Quartzimodo
Thank you so much sir for your brief explanation and prompt reply, now I have another question
how can We know that SEIKO model is manufactured in Singapore, Malaysia and Hongkong (China)? is there any serial no. that we can see? so that I can choose like say if I want made in Singapore or can you please list down the model of Singapore made, is it possible?
hope for your kind reply and have a nice day
thanks again
regards
rex
Sir like this 5 Seiko model in ebay, is this GENUINE and have good quality?
and can you please give the country where is this made is it in Singapore, Malaysia or Hongkong (China)?
www.ebay.com/itm/310540710929?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
www.ebay.com/itm/310648897661?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
www.ebay.com/itm/310624717092?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
www.ebay.com/itm/310624763061?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
www.ebay.com/itm/310624769894?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Thanks again hope for your kind reply
regards
rex
Hi Rex,
Unfortunately it's not possible for me to list down all the models that are Singapore assembled, because it would be an extremely long list.
You can identify which ones are made by the Seiko Instruments Inc (SII) in Singapore not by the serial number, but the model number. Models that have the reference number ending with "P" (as in all those watches you linked) are Singapore made. Ones that have the model number ending with the letter "K" are China made. Seiko watches that are marketed in the U.S. have neither "P" nor "K", but have the country of manufacture stamped on the dial and caseback. However there are some rare exceptions to this rule in which Seiko China also makes certain watches that are meant for the Japanese market in order to bring down their prices as the production costs in Japan are a lot higher than China. Models with the "J" suffix are Japan-made.
The factory in Malaysia mostly manufactures low end automatic movements and ships them to the China plant for the final watch assembly. Singapore used to make such movements until sometime in 2007, when the Seiko company decided to switch to Malaysia to take advantage of our lower wages and production costs. Seiko Malaysia did make a few rare models for the Japan market decades ago, such as the commemorative special edition, SCQP-series FIFA 2002 models which were sold in Japan, South Korea and the Far East. Unless the Malaysian factory is tasked to assemble such watches, it generally makes the low end 7s-caliber automatic movements as its routine work.
Seiko's practice to move its production of the more affordable automatic models to Hong Kong (when it was part of the British Colony) is nothing new as it has been doing so from the very early 1990s. So what else is new? Practically all mobile devices, smartphones (yes, the iPhone too) computers and laptops are all China made, except for the Taiwanese ASUS company which prefers to keep its assembly plant in Taiwan itself. This is what globalization is all about. It brings new jobs to developing Asian countries while maintaining production costs down.
cheers,
Quartzimodo
ah ok thank you sir for that clarification
your such a Big HELP for me
MORE POWER TO YOU AND have a nice day
regards
rex
Hi Rex,
Sorry I forgot to clarify: all the watches in your list are 100% authentic. Buy with confidence!
Quartzimodo
Are these watches real, original, not fake? cgi.ebay.com/New-Seiko-Premier-Kinetic-Direct-Drive-SRH009P1-SRH009_W0QQitemZ360239823169QQcmdZViewItemQQptZWristwatches?hash=item53dff77941
Thank you for your reply!