How to spot fake Seiko watches on eBay

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No fake Seikos please!

Ever since I wrote the article on spotting fake Seiko watches in this blog, Iโ€™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 donโ€™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, thereโ€™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 eBayโ€™s staff responsible for vetting sellersโ€™ 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, letโ€™s learn how to spot eBay sellers dealing in fake Seiko watches.

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Grey market Seikos are NOT fake watches!

Buying online is an entirely different matter as youโ€™re buying a watch sight unseen. You look at the pictures on the web page and have to trust the seller that the watch youโ€™ll be getting is a genuine one and not a fake. Seikoโ€™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, theyโ€™ll make it very clear: as long as you donโ€™t buy online, youโ€™re safe.

Before we go further, you need to comprehend the difference between โ€œgrey 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 manufacturerโ€™s definition, NOT authorized Seiko dealers.

Fake Seikos on the other hand areโ€ฆwellโ€ฆfake. 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 theyโ€™re peddling are phony is a different story. What is alarming is that many buyers donโ€™t know what theyโ€™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.

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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 โ€“ if youโ€™re buying one from Replica-Watches-R-Us, you are knowingly purchasing a replica Seiko! In my old article on replica Seiko watches, Iโ€™ve mentioned that some sellers irresponsibly use stock photos of original watches so that you donโ€™t actually see what youโ€™re going to receive.

Others have no qualms in showing the watch that youโ€™ll exactly receive. Thus you cannot expect to demand a refund because you are aware that youโ€™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 Seikoย  7T92ย  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 didnโ€™t know they were replicas, I could have mistaken some of them as the real deal.

See for yourself:

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Replica Seiko 7T92 chrono Replica Seiko Sportura 7T62 Replica Seiko Criteria 7T62 Replica Seiko Premier

Above: Almost perfect fake/replica Seikos from an online replica store.

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Well, at least the knock off watch site is honest enough not to claim that what theyโ€™re selling are originals. Personally itโ€™s none of my business if you deliberately buy one of these โ€“ donโ€™t say youโ€™ve never been warned! ๐Ÿ˜‰

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 โ€œfake Seikos" although from the copyright perspective both are rip off Seiko watches.

Therefore itโ€™s the sellers that are pushing bogus Seiko watches and advertising them as genuine ones that Iโ€™m against. Thatโ€™s outright cheating.

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โ€œIf itโ€™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. Itโ€™s only fair to say that itโ€™s only human to look for the lowest prices possible. Who wouldnโ€™t? ๐Ÿ˜‰

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, youโ€™re not getting your moneyโ€™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 โ€“ โ€œif itโ€™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 theyโ€™re prepared to head for bankruptcy.

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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. Thereโ€™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 theyโ€™re relatively new in the game.

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powerseller2powersellerpowerseller3

Look out for the vendorโ€™s PowerSeller logo on eBay. Note that not all established merchants carry this logo.

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While the presence of the eBay PowerSeller logo is a good indication of the sellerโ€™s reputation and trustworthiness, not all established sellers have earned this status or updated their respective eBay store websites.

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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 eBayโ€™s terms and conditions but with the mushrooming of new eBay watch sellers every month, itโ€™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 โ€œsold" but tagged as a legitimate transaction. The sellerโ€™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 thereโ€™s no hanky-panky involved in such transactions from eBayโ€™s point of view. Remember that eBay only acts on complaints by bona fide buyers โ€“ 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 youโ€™ve watched celebrity street magicians perform tricks for a live audience on television, some of their amazing tricks involve โ€œrandom" 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.

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criss angel walks across a swimming pool..yeah right

ย Top: A celebrity street magician performing his famous walking-on-water illusion.

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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 โ€œcustomers" 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 โ€œactors" blindly agreeing with the presenter.

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Photos and description of the watch

Legitimate grey market Seiko sellers on eBay generally take the trouble to show their watches from several angles โ€“ 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, theyโ€™re hoping that informed buyers wonโ€™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.

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Only USD31 for a Seiko 5 Sports. No way.

Above: Screenshot of a completed sale of a fake Seiko 5 Sports on eBay with a bogus model reference no.

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Fake Seiko peddlers will resort to describing their phony watches with as little information as possible, often leaving out the reference number. Even if thereโ€™s a model reference number, itโ€™s a bogus one that does not conform to Seikoโ€™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 Iโ€™ve determined that they are all fake.

If youโ€™re curious, just look at these made-up, bogus reference numbers the seller is using:

  • SKW633J
  • SKNW168J
  • SKNS309K
  • SKNS791K
  • SKNW866J

Further to the above, Seiko does not and never has used โ€œSKW", โ€œSKNW" or โ€œSKNS" as prefixes for their Seiko 5 family. I suspected just as much, because Seiko also has a 7-character limit for their watch models. โ€œSKNS309K" and โ€œSKNW866J" puts it at 8 characters in total โ€“ a sure sign of a phony reference number. Furthermore, all genuine Seiko 5 Sports models with the 7s36 movement start with the characters โ€œSKZ".

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:

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Fake Seiko 5 Sports Fake Seiko 5 military style

Fake black dialed Seiko 5 Fake gold toned Seiko 5

Above: Very convincing counterfeit Seiko 5 and Seiko 5 Sports models.

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I must admit that they looked pretty convincing at first, but upon closer scrutiny I noted the dial text fonts donโ€™t look like the ones that Seiko actually uses. These are good quality forgeries and can easily pass off as originals to the uninitiated.

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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 sellerโ€™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 youโ€™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.

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paypalwestern union

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.

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This is NOT to say that all eBay sellers that offer Western Union are bad guys. Some buyers donโ€™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 theyโ€™re getting a great deal paying by Western Union), forgetting that once the payment has been made thatโ€™s the end of the story. Youโ€™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. Donโ€™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.

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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 donโ€™t have a valid international warranty to begin with.

Unfortunately, fake Seiko sellers on eBay can also use the catch phrases like:

  • 100% brand new and authentic Seiko
  • Money back guarantee if watch is not authentic

The problem is that once youโ€™ve realized that youโ€™ve bought a phony Seiko watch, itโ€™s your word against the sellerโ€™s. Even if you claim that youโ€™ve taken the watch to your Seiko service center and determined that itโ€™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.

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What kind of Seiko watches can be found as fake ones?

I get this kind of question a lot from my blog readers and itโ€™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:

  • Quick turnover and high sales of fake watches
  • Highest profits in the shortest period possible
  • 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!

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fake Rolex Submariner fake Omega Speedmaster America's Cup

Above: Two counterfeit brands that are perpetually high in demand: Rolex and Omega.

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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 arenโ€™t remotely interested in buying costly phony Seiko watches. The price of a genuine Seiko watch is not really much more than fake ones โ€“ 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.

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SKA367P1_3 SBWA001-08

Top: Seiko Kinetic and Spring Drive watches are currently, not feasible for counterfeiters to copy (borrowed images).

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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 donโ€™t exist. Thereโ€™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 counterfeiterโ€™s mind set: large profit margins in the shortest turnaround time possible.

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Who are the good guys then?

The number of โ€œlegitimate" online Seiko watch sellers on eBay have grown since the early 2000s and itโ€™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 โ€“ 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! ๐Ÿ™‚

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Comments

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 isnโ€™t sharp enough for me to make out the intricate details on the ladiesโ€™ Seiko Kinetic watch, but Iโ€™m positive itโ€™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 watchโ€™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

Thanks for your quick reply it was very much appreciated and very helpful!

Sheridan

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

Hi Jim,

I believe Iโ€™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 donโ€™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, itโ€™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 There great article. I boutght a Seiko 5 snk355k from ebay britannia watches yesterday and wondered if you could check it for me please:

cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEIKO-5-SNK355K-MENS-AUTOMATIC-WATCH-WARRANTY-BNIB-/250784581967?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D9178952336017919557

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, thatโ€™s a lovely looking timepiece. ๐Ÿ™‚

cheers,
Quartzimodo

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 โ€œItstimeforwatches.comโ€ 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 Menโ€™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 Seikoโ€™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 Jason,

I looked at the Pepsi-bezeled, SKX009K and canโ€™t put my finger on it. The โ€œDiverโ€™s 200mโ€ text should be orange and not white. Somethingโ€™s not right about the watch. Even if it were from 1996, I donโ€™t think the โ€œDiverโ€™s 200mโ€ 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 โ€œFranken-Seikoโ€ (made up from non-Seiko parts) or a counterfeit with a genuine caseback. That said, I wouldnโ€™t buy this watch.

The seller says itโ€™s โ€œcollectibleโ€ and this can be somewhat misleading. In the watch hobbyist circles, the term โ€œcollectibleโ€ generally refers to sought after, discontinued or vintage watches that you canโ€™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, itโ€™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 wonโ€™t accept this watch for repairs or servicing.

all the best,
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 ๐Ÿ™‚

Hi Jason,

One is glad to be of service to you. Youโ€™re welcome and enjoy your new Seiko watch in good health. ๐Ÿ™‚

cheers
Quartzimodo

Hi Quartzimodo,

I was wondering whether you could help me see if this SNDA65 is the real deal?

Hi Brandon,

Yes itโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

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 Alex,

You certainly have a valid point there. Thanks for commenting!

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 itโ€™s a relatively new model. This diver is not as popular as the classic SKX007K series, which has been cloned for decades. Iโ€™m pretty sure the ones from eBay UK are genuine. ๐Ÿ™‚

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,

Youโ€™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.
Itโ€™s like the electronic components in a digital device. If a laptopโ€™s or cellphoneโ€™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 manufacturerโ€™s service center undertakes repairs. They just change โ€™em, mission accomplished.

Itโ€™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. Itโ€™s either that or youโ€™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. Itโ€™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 donโ€™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 wouldnโ€™t be exhaustive. Some collectors have emailed Seiko Japan to ask for identification of their old Seiko watches and even then, Seiko itself doesnโ€™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 โ€œJโ€ version will have English/Arabic day languages while the โ€œKโ€ variant come with English/Roman numeral languages. Generally โ€œJโ€ versions are sold at a slightly higher price. In terms of quality control both versions are similar. No difference in terms of the watchโ€™s accuracy either.

Creationwatches.com is a renowned grey market seller; have not heard any widespread complaints about them. Happy buying! ๐Ÿ™‚

cheers,
Quartzimodo

Heard on another watch forum that the bezel on the K model seems a bit more โ€œlooseโ€ and the J is pretty solid. Also would you know if the dealer โ€œwatches-usโ€ 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 โ€œKโ€ or โ€œJโ€ variant. Because Seiko makes their Seiko 5 Sports models in mass quantities, it is impossible for them to check each and every watchโ€™s bezel action at the factory. Do not be put off by reading one or two comments about loose bezels on the โ€œKโ€ model unless you hear about widespread true complaints. Your mileage may vary; you can equally receive a โ€œJโ€ 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 โ€œJโ€ or โ€œKโ€ 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 5โ€™s use a white date wheel with black text only โ€“ 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 โ€œFliegerโ€ 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 sellerโ€™s images). The seller appears to be using images from other sites โ€“ hence you see the watch on nylon, leather and stainless steel bracelet. The โ€œoriginal priceโ€ tag of $295 is a gross exaggeration as no Seiko 5 watch sells for that much, therefore the so-called โ€œsavingsโ€ 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! Youโ€™ve put my mind at ease, and I should have my new watch in just a few days ๐Ÿ™‚

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 โ€“> 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 donโ€™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 โ€œ0L40โ€ โ€“ it should be โ€œ0L10โ€, which bears the reference code SKH657J. This is a particular version thatโ€™s fully made in Japan. This watch was made on Sept 1999.

Have no worries, this one is NOT a fake. ๐Ÿ™‚

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,

Iโ€™ve gotten inquiries from readers about the Watches Bay vendor on eBay before. They sell only genuine Seiko watches and have an impressive buyerโ€™s feedback. You shouldnโ€™t have any worries getting a fake one from this seller and that Seiko 5 Sports SNZF45J should look very nice on you! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Hi, I donโ€™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?

www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Seiko-Kinetic-Velatura-TiCN-Black-Watch-SRH005P1-/180712706225?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_WatchAccessories_SpareParts_SM&hash=item2a135110b1#shId

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, โ€œIf itโ€™s too good to be true, it always isโ€. 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.
โ€ข Considering performance, construction and style, which would assign the note to watches, on a scale of 0 to 10?
โ€ข Would you use any of them?
โ€ข What value do you pay for each?
โ€ข Are older models: the production was stopped? Why?
โ€ข Where could I buy one? Iโ€™ve made contact with a seller on ebay, and also look forward other information that will bring to their analysis.
โ€ข Any other information you deem relevant (especially those great inside informations and curiosities that appear here in the post.
My most sincere thanks.

Hi Liard,

Please check your email as I have replied to you in great length!

cheers,
Quartzimodo Admin

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 strangeโ€ฆ

www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-chronograph-watches-63/seiko-chronograph-snn233p1-snn233-snn233p-men-s-watch-2616.html

Thank you and regards

Boris

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 โ€“ they even throw in a 2-year private warranty for their watches.

cheers,
Quartzimodo

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% discountโ€ฆ):

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

4) www.ebay.it/itm/SEIKO-PREMIER-KINETIC-DIRECT-DRIVE-SRH007P1-RRP-650-/170703285011?pt=UK_Jewelery_Watches_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item27beb56b13

Thank you in advance for your kind response,
regards

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 donโ€™t bother to include the โ€œ1โ€ or any number like โ€œ2โ€ or โ€œ3โ€, therefore we just type them as โ€œSRH007Pโ€. 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 โ€œPโ€, โ€œJโ€ or โ€œKโ€ necessary thatโ€™s why I regard Seiko reference numbers as 7 in total count and not 8. Hope this answers your question! ๐Ÿ™‚

cheers,
Quartzimodo

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 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 menโ€™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 โ€œsafeโ€). 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 havenโ€™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 โ€œofficialโ€ 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, itโ€™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 donโ€™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 wonโ€™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; youโ€™ll only see Criteria watches advertised on Seiko websites for Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Ditto for Japanese domestic market Seiko watches โ€“ youโ€™ll see lineups like Prospex and Lukia (a womenโ€™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 theyโ€™re able to list every watch that theyโ€™re selling.

If only Seiko bothered to include a โ€œwatch finderโ€, which helps you keep track of discontinued models like Swatch does it would make life easier for Seiko watch enthusiasts and casual owners alike. ๐Ÿ˜‰

hope this answers your question. ๐Ÿ™‚
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,

Iโ€™ve never had the misfortune of inadvertently buying a fake Seiko watch, but generally fakes wonโ€™t come with an ownerโ€™s manual and warranty card. As for the scratch (as Iโ€™ve explained in my reply to your private email) you have the option of discussing with the seller to return it โ€“ especially if the scratch is deep, you may have a solid reason to exchange it with another SKX007K.

I wouldnโ€™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 wonโ€™t cost that much, I should think. Sorry to hear about your misfortune. ๐Ÿ™

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 (โ€œdabrandsโ€) 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.

www.ebay.com/itm/SEIKO-PREMIER-PERPETUAL-CALENDAR-WHITE-FACE-LEATHER-BAND-SNQ105P1-/120796674441?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1c200af989

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 ๐Ÿ™‚

Bonjour Amau,

Thatโ€™s a genuine Seiko Premier quartz 6A32 Perpetual Calendar. I donโ€™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 youโ€™re on your own so it doesnโ€™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,

Itโ€™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 (thatโ€™s why the seller gives his own personal warranty). Remember that just because nobody has complained about him doesnโ€™t necessarily mean heโ€™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 ๐Ÿ™‚

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

Hi Amau,

Thereโ€™s only one version of the SNQ015 and itโ€™s the SNQ015P. Some sellers wrongly describe the suffix letter as โ€œJโ€, leading to confusion amongst potential buyers. Seiko watches having reference codes that end with the letter โ€œPโ€ are Singapore assembled and there are no โ€œJโ€ (Japan) variants for models that already exist in the โ€œPโ€ form.

Quartzimodo.

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 smellโ€™s fishy, why the blank but signed form?
Can you advise me ?

Thanks, best regardโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚ This model is limited to 100 pieces worldwide, according to Seikoโ€™s official sites (and not 1,000 as stated by some watch sellers).

The reason the one you received from โ€œdbrandsโ€ in Hong Kong (are you sure itโ€™s โ€œdabrandsโ€?) 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 โ€“ they need to earn an accreditation as an authorized Seiko Internet retailer (but not on eBay). Itโ€™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 doesnโ€™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 itโ€™s not unusual to receive an undated and unstamped warranty card.

Quartzimodo.

Hi Bor,

AFAIK, nobody has bothered to manufacture fake Seiko SRP043K โ€œSporkโ€ divers yet. This particular model isnโ€™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 Iโ€™d rather wait for future designs based on the 4R15 caliber. Happy buying! ๐Ÿ™‚

cheers,
Quartzimodo.

Excellent article, unfortunately i found it after i just bought this SEIKO SNL043P1 MEN SPORTURA,KINETIC,CHRONOGRAPH,SNL043

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/e11400.m516.l1123/7?euid=e3e2c03864e7420b872f6af4f5addec7&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.ca%2Fws%2FeBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D110771952848%26ssPageName%3DADME%3AL%3AOC%3ACA%3A1123

Whatโ€™s your opinion?

I just bought this the other day, even after reading your informative blog. Iโ€™m thinking it might be a โ€œfranken-seiko.โ€ On the dial, it looks like a 7000 caliber. The movement is 6349A, but the caseback appears to say โ€œ6309.โ€ I would love to hear your thoughts. I liked the look of the watch and the price was rightโ€“Iโ€™m not a serious collector and I just wanted a nice looking retro watchโ€“so I wasnโ€™t terribly concerned. But I would like to be certain of what Iโ€™m getting. Also, do all โ€œvintageโ€ Seiko 5s have the emblem etched on the crystal? This one does not. Thanks very much in advance.

www.ebay.com/itm/310358397152

โ€“ Scott

Hi Scott,

What youโ€™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 donโ€™t recall any Seiko 5 model that used the 6309 movement. The other code, โ€œ6394Aโ€ refers to the dial code, not a movement type.

Itโ€™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, itโ€™s obviously youโ€™ve bought a Franken-Seiko. Unless youโ€™re very picky, just wear it as it is. After all, the mismatched caseback canโ€™t be seen when you wear it. ๐Ÿ™‚

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

[โ€ฆ] Fake ? Here are good article about fake Seikos: How to spot fake Seiko watches on eBay SEIKO SARB023, SEIKO SARB059, SEIKO SKA371P1, SEIKO SKX781K1, SEIKO SND253P1, CASIO [โ€ฆ]

Hi ainhoa,

Creationwatches is a trustworthy online seller and does not sell fake (false) watches. That Seiko Premier SNP023P is 100% genuine. so donโ€™t worry. โ€œGrey marketโ€ 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

too cheap? it is gray market? which is the meaning of grey market?
thanks

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 youโ€™ve received is a genuine one without looking at the actual photos of the watch that youโ€™ve bought. What is shown on their website might differ from what youโ€™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! ๐Ÿ™‚ Iโ€™m unable to offer any explanation as to why this seller advertised it so cheaply (it itโ€™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 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

www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-SEIKO-TITANIUM-CHARCOAL-GREY-CHRONOGRAPH-100M-SPORTS-SND419P1-/150708422259?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item2316ec0673

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 itโ€™s more established than the New Zealand based eBay vendor. While the latter appears to be new to the online watch business (itโ€™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, Iโ€™ve not read about mass complaints regarding Superchronoโ€™s customer service although Iโ€™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! ๐Ÿ™‚
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! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

What a great journal! Iโ€™ve been obsessively looking at Seiko watches in my price range. I lost my old oneโ€ฆvery 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. Itโ€™s so hard to tell from a picture. Does it have the โ€œcheesy folded link bracelet or forged.

Thank you so much. Really helpful information.

Lenore

Hi Lenore,

Thank you for the compliments and Iโ€™m sorry that youโ€™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. Itโ€™s likely to be an export model for the European/US market as Iโ€™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. Thatโ€™s why they didnโ€™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?

tiny.cc/omnfr

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).

tiny.cc/3p7j2

Thanks for your help.

Hi Ratty,

I looked at your photos of the watch and can assure you that itโ€™s 100% authentic. The sellerโ€™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 โ€˜Uโ€™. This icon wasnโ€™t present on the older Seiko 5 automatics.

Thanks for the compliments and wear your new Seiko 5 in good health! ๐Ÿ™‚
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 doesnโ€™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 Seikoโ€™s authorized Internet retailer banner on its website.

To be eligible for a warranty claim, your guarantee card needs the original dealerโ€™s stamp and all the details filled out.

There are a few reasons your watch came with a blank warranty :
โ€“ the eBay seller is vending parallel import, grey market Seiko watches.
โ€“ the watch actually came from an authorized local dealer, but does not want to be identified
โ€“ your seller is running a drop shipping watch business. He doesnโ€™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, itโ€™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 youโ€™ll still end up paying for repairs anyway. Just hope that you wonโ€™t run into problems with your watch within the first year. ๐Ÿ™‚

Hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

Hi I am interested in the watch currently on sale โ€“ 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

Hello Ken,

Regarding your 2nd query on the gold plated vintage Seiko automatic, Iโ€™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 itโ€™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.

Hi,
do you know something about joma shop.
I want to buy one seiko 5 automatic sport from joma.
thanx.

Hi Edi,

I donโ€™t have personal experience buying from Jomashopโ€™s website but so far Iโ€™ve never heard of serious complaints from their customers. They deal with genuine Seiko watches, never fakes.

cheers,
Quartzimodo.

Thank you.
I will buy seiko 5 SNZH61 with cal.7S36.
is it ok??
regards

Hi Edi,

You can buy any watch that you want. Watches are very personal items to the buyer. As long as youโ€™re purchasing an authentic Seiko watch you should be fine. ๐Ÿ™‚

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 โ€“ 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 youโ€™ve not bought a fake watch. Just Google up โ€œSNXZ16Kโ€ and youโ€™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. Itโ€™s a fairly recent model from last year.

best regards,
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 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 ownerโ€™s manual because Seiko does not print a unique manual for every model made.

Hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

cheers,
Quartzimodo

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 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. Iโ€™m confused SKX007 Iโ€™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 itโ€™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

Hi Neil Douglas,

I canโ€™t remember if I have replied to your question, but if I havenโ€™t I sincerely apologize for overlooking your post.

If your quartz Seiko diverโ€™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. Youโ€™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 โ€œMovโ€™t Malaysia, Cased in Chinaโ€ on the face of the SKX173 is to comply with the U.S. Federal Trade Commissionโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Dear Quartzimodo

Thank you for these most informative and detailed discussions

I bought a โ€œSeiko 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 thatโ€™s a genuine Seiko 5 Sports SNZG11K. So far Iโ€™ve yet to know about a fake version of this model because this watch really isnโ€™t worth counterfeiting. You did good scoring this watch for just USD90 because thatโ€™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 thatโ€™s how it goes on eBay, you win some and you lose some. ๐Ÿ™‚

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 itโ€™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 Seikoโ€™s quality control is quite good. Have no worries! ๐Ÿ™‚

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 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

Hi Michael,

The SPC055P Sportura watch in question appears to be genuine, but Iโ€™m saying this based on the sellerโ€™s advertised eBay photos.

The 7T86 Chronograph Perpetual is a relatively new caliber which Iโ€™ve not seen in real life yet. I think itโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

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 sideโ€“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. itโ€™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 ๐Ÿ™

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 hanzip,

Both the Seiko SNP036P and SNP038P are virtually identical, except for the dial color. I cannot comment on why thereโ€™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 countryโ€™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. Itโ€™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. Seikoโ€™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,

May thanks for that.

Arno

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. Iโ€™m sorry to hear that the seller didnโ€™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 theyโ€™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 thatโ€™s allowed and leave a negative feedback if I were you.

Look elsewhere on eBay for a better seller.

Quartzimodo

Great blog and lots of great advice . Thanks man.

Total agree with the above . The basis of a good on-line retail site is ,no 1, keep the stock you advertise .

Hi Anth,

eBay happens to be one of the best places to start out if youโ€™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 theyโ€™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 doesnโ€™t really need to know where the supply is coming from; whatโ€™s more important that the transaction goes smoothly from getting the order to shipping the item.

Quartzimodo.

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

bit.ly/IWqoo2

Hope to hear from you soon
Best regards

Colin Lees

Hi Colin lees,

Thanks for dropping by my blog. The Seiko 5 Sports that you have โ€“ 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 donโ€™t think there will be one. This is because the Seiko makes too many new Seiko 5 models every year that itโ€™s impossible and unprofitable for counterfeiters to keep up with Seikoโ€™s latest designs. They usually prefer to copy the โ€œevergreenโ€ models like the SKX007K and SKX779K divers.

In my opinion, the price you paid for is a bit steep considering that itโ€™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 didnโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚

To answer your final question, your watch was made on October 2010 and itโ€™s actually the 736th piece from that batch. The first watch made in the same month is always stamped as number โ€œ000โ€ and not โ€œ001โ€. The second watch off the production line would bear the serial number โ€œ001โ€, the third โ€œ002โ€ and so on.

hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

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

Thank you so much for your reply!!!
Iโ€™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?

bit.ly/LEz2WG

Love your page!

Colin lees

Hi Colin,

The so-called Seiko โ€œ6309-7290โ€ 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 theyโ€™re from a 6217 World Timer automatic. The second hand with the โ€œstoplightโ€ end is for the 6105-8110 although I canโ€™t tell if thatโ€™s original either. The โ€œworld citiesโ€ bezel is something that definitely does not belong to any Seiko diverโ€™s watch of its era for sure.

Iโ€™m unable to tell whether the caseback is original, but I think the โ€œJAPANโ€ text was deliberately stamped later. Original Japan-made 6309s would have โ€œJAPANโ€ inscribed within the caseback details within an arc, e.g. โ€œJAPAN Aโ€, but not stamped in the manner as on your watch. Since the caseback doesnโ€™t appear to be original, the serial number thatโ€™s on it would be deemed useless (it could be simply a random series of six digits), leading you to believe that itโ€™s from 1985.

Still, for a heavily customized watch I think yours is the most interesting modded 6309-7290 that Iโ€™ve laid my eyes upon! ๐Ÿ™‚

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 Seikoโ€™s website which has me worried. I did find this watch selling on the Searโ€™s website however. Is Amazon trustworthy? I donโ€™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 Andrew,

Your question is often asked in my blog. Why are some Seiko watches sold cheaply on Amazon?

When one mentions Amazon, itโ€™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 Macyโ€™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 โ€œBlack Fridayโ€ sales), grey market imports etc. Thatโ€™s how a watch thatโ€™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 โ€“ especially if theyโ€™re running a virtual business from home. Thereโ€™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 โ€œdrop shippingโ€ on Google. ๐Ÿ™‚

Rest assured, the Seiko SXD841P that youโ€™re owning right now is 100% authentic. Itโ€™s a fairly recent 7N82 caliber gentsโ€™ quartz model. The reason you got it cheap is because itโ€™s a grey market import, not purchased through Seiko USA. Therefore it has no manufacturerโ€™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 isnโ€™t the SXD841P not found on Seiko USAโ€™s website? The first reason is that this watch is one of Seikoโ€™s countless models and itโ€™s a generic watch. Because Seiko makes more variations and models like Casio Japan, itโ€™s impossible to list each and every model on their website. Furthermore, Seikoโ€™s websites concentrates on their upper and midscale models from the Arctura, Sportura, Coutura, Criteria, Velatura and Premier lineups, plus some popular diverโ€™s models. Your SXD841P is not from any of these lineups and itโ€™s also not an official model sold by Seiko USA. This is why you canโ€™t find this model listed.

Many people get the impression that every Seiko watch thatโ€™s sold will appear on the online catalogs, but itโ€™s not true. Weโ€™re not talking about Omega, Rolex, Ball, Tissot, IWC, Breitling, etc โ€“ these manufacturers make much fewer models than Seiko does, so theyโ€™re able to display the models on their respective websites.

hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

Hi,

first of all, thanks for taking all this time and patience to explain.

Iโ€™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 :)). Iโ€™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 youโ€™ll put on this.

BR
Joe

Hi Joe,

I looked at the Seiko 5 Sports SNZJ11J and itโ€™s a recently released model, which I have not seen before. Itโ€™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! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Hello dear friend, great blog!, very useful info here!, thanks for the dedication and effort you have doneโ€ฆ I would like to have your help with something.. Iโ€™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 donโ€™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 itโ€™s anything that makes identification difficult for me, itโ€™s the use of flash (especially when shot with a smartphone) because itโ€™s hard to make out the details of the watch. ๐Ÿ™

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 Seikoโ€™s press release here. Every watch sold was accompanied with a signed certificate of authenticity by Seikoโ€™s CEO, Mr Shinji Hattori.

The 9T82 Kinetic caliber is still Seikoโ€™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 itโ€™s usually not worth their time, cost and effort. Thatโ€™s not saying that itโ€™s not impossible to duplicate a 9T82; but if you are in the watch counterfeiting business, youโ€™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 Iโ€™ve never heard of fake 9T82 Seiko Kinetics before โ€“ if any counterfeiter is bold enough to make replica SLQ025J models theyโ€™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.

Hereโ€™s how to determine if the 9T82 movement in question is authentic:
โ€“ The oscillating rotor at the back of the watch should spin when the watch is shaken hard โ€“ and it should make a ratchety noise as it does so.
โ€“ The stopwatch buttons should feel hard and click when theyโ€™re depressed, much like a mechanical chronograph watch.
โ€“ The 1/10sec (x0.1) subdial hand for the stopwatch should spin 10 times as fast as the second hand subdial.
โ€“ All the hands should literally snap back to the zero (12 oโ€™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 itโ€™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, theyโ€™ll expect the whole shebang โ€“ 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 โ€œPawn Starsโ€ on television? It happens to be one of my favorite programs on the History channel.

If youโ€™re familiar with this reality TV series, youโ€™ll know that Rick Harrison (the storeโ€™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 โ€œcompleteโ€ and he could make more money if the artifact comes with some kind of documentation. Whenever heโ€™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 itโ€™s not a stolen item. ๐Ÿ˜‰ As a reference, you might want to check out what other are selling the SLQ021J Sportura on eBay.

Hope this helps,
Quartzimodo.

Hi,

Great blog! I recently got into Seikoโ€™s and Iโ€™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: itโ€™s missing a row of holes) and a slight difference at the 3 and 9 oโ€™clock marks(on the left picture: the two squares are the same size but on the right picture, thereโ€™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 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 doesnโ€™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 watchโ€™s lug ends.

Iโ€™m afraid I cannot make any sort of conclusions on the illustrated watch on the left as to whether itโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Hi,

I just discovered the beauty of some Seiko models (better late than never!) and Iโ€™m about to pull the trigger on a SNAE67. While doing some research, Iโ€™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: itโ€™s missing a row of holes) and a slight difference at the 3 and 9 oโ€™clock marks (on the left picture: the two squares are the same size but on the right picture, thereโ€™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 โ€œWater Resistantโ€ 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 donโ€™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 youโ€™ve posted up and itโ€™s indeed the model SNKA21K (7S26-02N0), which came out sometime after October 2006.

Are Seiko 5 watches bearing the โ€œ7S26Bโ€ inscription on the oscillating weight make them counterfeit? This is NOT TRUE!. If there are indeed fake Seiko watches in the market with โ€œ7s26Bโ€, they are the exception rather than the norm. The first Seiko 7s26 caliber was called โ€œ7s26Aโ€ 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 โ€œ7s26Bโ€. 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 wouldnโ€™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 (Manufacturerโ€™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 sellerโ€™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 itโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚

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 weโ€™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,

Youโ€™re most welcome and Iโ€™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! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.

Awesome, thanks Quartzimodo!

Hi Quartzimodo,

Great article โ€“ 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?

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Seiko-Chronograph-Mens-Watch-SSB037P2-SSB037P-SSB037-/280928178740?pt=AU_Watches&hash=item41689fd234

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Seiko-Chronograph-SSB003P2-SSB003-Mens-Watch-/261077545412?pt=AU_Watches&hash=item3cc96f31c4

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 didnโ€™t expect that someday Seiko would eventually follow Citizenโ€™s footsteps but apparently they decided to.

Both watches are genuine, therefore buy with confidence. ๐Ÿ™‚ The 6T63 based watches are Seikoโ€™s latest budget quartz chronographs and counterfeiters are not interested in the trouble to copy them as it wouldnโ€™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 engravedโ€ฆ

Sapphire Crystal
SEIKO
487490
Water Resistant 20 Bar St. Steel
Movement Japan SNA459 7T62-OEKO AO

Many Thanks!

Hi Paul,

Unless youโ€™ve bought the watch online from a replica watch seller which makes its authenticity questionable, Iโ€™d say your Coutura SNA459 is 100% authentic. I think Seiko made only one version based on the 7T62-0EK0 and itโ€™s the SNA459. This old model is sold only in North America and is generally not available in other countries. Itโ€™s from August 2004, in case youโ€™re wondering. ๐Ÿ™‚

cheers,
Quartzimodo

Hi Sir,

Greetingsโ€ฆ

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 โ€œdabrandsโ€ 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. Itโ€™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 havenโ€™t seen examples of replica or fake ones. Counterfeit watchmakers generally avoid duplicating new Seiko models as itโ€™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. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Hi,

I wanted to buy this model but seeing the price compare to other stores Iโ€™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 sellerโ€™s own photos. Iโ€™ve not heard of this model being available as a replica model yet. Buy with confidence. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.

Hi, I just purchased this watch last week on ebay and was hoping that I hadnโ€™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

Hi Rene,

The classic black Seiko SND253P chronograph is genuine. So far Iโ€™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 doesnโ€™t deal in counterfeit products. I have a similar looking watch to the one youโ€™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. :o)

cheers,
Quartzimodo

Hello again,
Just wanted to know the authenticity of this watch. Itโ€™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 Dhar,

Time Paradise on eBay has never sold fake watches, period โ€“ so you shouldnโ€™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. Iโ€™ve seen this watch at a local retailer last year when it first came out. Nice looking but it wasnโ€™t exactly my taste. Itโ€™s a good watch nonetheless, enjoy it. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

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 Woon,

There are no fake SSA-series, Seiko Solar watches made at this time of writing. Watchspreeโ€™s products all appear to be genuine, so go ahead and buy with confidence. ๐Ÿ™‚ Furthermore, this companyโ€™s website domain is a Singapore registered domain (.com.sg) and its business is likely to have been registered with Singaporeโ€™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! ๐Ÿ™‚
Quartzimodo

Quartzimodo :
Last I.D. , I was told is a FrankenSeiko, can reclasify this one.
Seiko watch (Green Dial mystery watch)rear case reads Followingโ€ฆโ€ฆ.
ST.STEEL 6309-7290[f1] SEIKO WATER RESISTANT /A /SUWA Mark/
serial No./ ser.No.(here)โ€”โ€“ 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 Longbike,

Congrats on your latest find in the 6309-7290. There were no such thing as green dialed 6309 diverโ€™s watches made by Seiko, therefore what you have is a 6309 with an aftermarket dial. The term โ€œFranken Seikoโ€ however, is generally used to describe a Seiko watch thatโ€™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 watchโ€™s production date will have no real meaning whatsoever if the caseback is not original to that piece. Itโ€™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 donโ€™t originally belong to the watches, their serial numbers would be different.

Quartzimodo.

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 Quartzimodo,

Thanks for the very informative articles! ๐Ÿ™‚ Iโ€™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 Macyโ€™s website says that the diameter is 42mm whereas this seller says itโ€™s 45mm. Can you verify if the watch is authentic? 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 watchโ€™s diameter. One well known, Singapore based retailer described the SSB049P as measuring 44mm across with the crown; therefore itโ€™s possible that Macyโ€™s did not include the watch crown into account.

hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

Hi Quartzimodo,

Vivian againโ€“

Also the page says the watch is under Seiko warrantyโ€“but if theyโ€™re a reseller, wouldnโ€™t it be under the resellerโ€™s warranty?

Hi Quartzimodo,

I posted a comment today but wasnโ€™t sure if it posted or not so here it goes again (if I did, sorry for the repeat!)

Iโ€™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, Iโ€™m not sure if it is legitimate. The seller mentions that the diameter is 45mm but on the Macyโ€™s website, it says 42mm. Also, it says Seiko warranty, but if theyโ€™re a reseller shouldnโ€™t it be under their warranty?

Any ideas would be appreciated ๐Ÿ™‚ thanks!

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

i like the old automatic chronograph i see some with aftermarket parts does that mean its a fake?

Hi Robert,

No, an old Seiko watch with aftermarket parts does not necessarily mean itโ€™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 โ€“ even if theyโ€™re not from Seiko.

While some people donโ€™t mind buying vintage watches with non-original parts, serious collectors buy only old watches with 100% genuine parts.

cheers,
Quartzimodo

[โ€ฆ] nรคstan รคr fรถr lรฅgt, men nรคr jag efter massa, googlande, lรคsande och surfande pรฅ bland annat http://quartzimodo.com/how-to-spot-fake-seiko-watches-on-ebay/ och dรคrefter tagit del av nรฅgra av de tusentals omdรถmen [โ€ฆ]

[โ€ฆ] nรคr jag efter massa, googlande, lรคsande och surfande pรฅ bland annat Quartzimodos sida angรฅende fejk-seiko-klockor och dรคrefter tagit del av nรฅgra av alla tusentals positiva omdรถmen som fanns pรฅ Creation [โ€ฆ]

Hi there โ€“ great resource you have here. Could you help with a slight concern I have over this eBay purchase?

www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-diver-s-60/seiko-5-sports-automatic-divers-snzf45k1-snzf45k-snzf45-men-s-watch-2063.html

Firstly, Iโ€™d never seen a red-dialled baby/mini-monster before. Seller also had a white one and a pale blue one (which Iโ€™d never seen before either) Anyway, itโ€™s arrived. All seems great, no obvious Feiko signs, but thereโ€™s no lume on the hour markers. Only the hands have lume. Should I be concerned? Thanks, Chris.

Hi Chris,

Iโ€™ve never seen a red-dialed or pale blue dial, โ€œNeo Monsterโ€ or โ€œMonster Liteโ€ 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 wouldnโ€™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 โ€œlarge, luminous hands and markersโ€), contact the seller for an immediate refund.

best regards,
Quartzimodo

Hi, Iโ€™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!

Hi Rebecca,

I canโ€™t vouch for the seller as there are many like it on eBay which I have never come across before. However, this vendorโ€™s merchandise appears to be 100% authentic, including the Seiko Coutura SNAE57 that youโ€™re looking at. The blue Seiko gift box and the included watch pillow is also a genuine item โ€“ this kind of box is unique to Seiko watches sold in the U.S.

Buy with confidence. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Good info, thanks for keeping up with it and verifying a prospective seller for me!

Hi,

I have bought this item and just received it. How can I know whether itโ€™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 Iโ€™ve bought from her twice some years ago. No worries. ๐Ÿ™‚

enjoy the new Seiko,
Quartzimodo

Thank you very much ๐Ÿ™‚

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,

Iโ€™m sorry that Iโ€™m only able to reply to your question a month too late, but the link to the sellerโ€™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 โ€œmade in japan and movement japanโ€ 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. Iโ€™ll go through them one at a time following your list:

โ€œ1. where is Seiko now made and manufactured?โ€
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. โ€œis the โ€œmade in japan and movement japanโ€ are the same if not what is the difference in terms of quality?โ€
A Seiko watch that has โ€œMovโ€™t Japanโ€ marked on the dial (and caseback) is manufactured by Seikoโ€™s factory in Singapore although the individual watch parts are sourced from Japan. One that says โ€œMade In Japanโ€ 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.

โ€œ3. can you help me and evaluate this model is this genuine?โ€
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. ๐Ÿ™‚ 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 โ€œrecycleโ€ hands from past models and use them on some newer models.

โ€œ4. and also is ALBA WATCHES made by Seiko?โ€
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

Hi Rex,

Unfortunately itโ€™s not possible for me to list down all the models that are Singapore assembled, because it would be an extremely long list. ๐Ÿ™

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 โ€œPโ€ (as in all those watches you linked) are Singapore made. Ones that have the model number ending with the letter โ€œKโ€ are China made. Seiko watches that are marketed in the U.S. have neither โ€œPโ€ nor โ€œKโ€, 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 โ€œJโ€ 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.

Seikoโ€™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

by the way you forgot to mentioned the above link Seiko (5pcs model) is it genuine? thanks again

Hi Rex,

Sorry I forgot to clarify: all the watches in your list are 100% authentic. Buy with confidence! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Privet tupolsky,

I looked at the watches on eBay and in my opinion, the Coutura and SSB057P chronograph appear to be original. However I am not so sure about the SNAA03P Velatura because the sellerโ€™s photos are lacking in resolution and detail. Without large and clear photos I cannot see the fine details of the dial and caseback. You just have to trust the seller that the item is a genuine and not a replica Seiko Velatura.

Quartzimodo

Dear Quartzimodo:

I am seeing these watches all over eBay. Are they the real thing?

www.ebay.com/itm/121141914732?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Thanks!

Quartzimodo:

Have seen these watches all over eBay. Are they legit?

www.ebay.com/itm/Seiko-Mens-SSC017-Solar-Dive-Chronograph-Classic-Solar-Dive-Chronograph-Watch-/200942053973?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item2ec9146a55

Thanks in advance,

Boat Drinks

Hi Paul,

Both the Seiko SSC017 solar dive watches are legitimate. Iโ€™ve not seen or heard of counterfeit versions of this very model yet. The one sold by this seller is distributed by Seiko USA as evidenced by the unique blue cardboard box packaging, the supplied โ€œSEIKOโ€ watch pillow and the โ€œSeiko Elite Clubโ€ card. Grey market imports donโ€™t come with this type of packaging and theyโ€™re designated as โ€œSSC017Pโ€ instead of โ€œSSC017โ€.

The SSC017P is a really handsome looking diverโ€™s watch. I think I should get one for myself. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Happy buying! ๐Ÿ™‚
Quartzimodo

Hi , there are always people willing to fake any item of value or with a brand that has value .

I have seen the all watchโ€™s, all watchโ€™s are very stylish and nice. thanks for the post.

Hi there, i need your help pls.

I already bought this sector watch, can you tell me pls if itโ€™s real or fake.

www.ebay.com/itm/370738034764?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

And also i would like to buy a watch from this store, how does it look? Can i trust this store?

www.ebay.com/itm/Sector-R3253660045-Mens-Race-GMT-Stainless-Steel-/111010232043?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item19d8b9b6eb

Thank you for your time and your help.

PS: your work is very helpful!

Hi Marci,

Iโ€™m afraid I donโ€™t follow Sector watches (or have any interest in this brand) therefore I cannot comment whether the one that youโ€™ve purchased is a genuine one. ๐Ÿ™
However, the eBay seller in your link has a 100% positive feedback (anything over 99% is good enough) and should be trustworthy.

good luck!
Quartzimodo

Thanks for the fast reply ๐Ÿ™‚

Hi

Are you able to tell me if this watch is genuine or not? I want to get it for my best friend and its gonna be his first watch, i dont want to disappoint him.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/141059178140?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

www.ebay.com.au/itm/161106894328?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Hi โ€œtโ€,

I looked at the links to the eBay auctions that you provided with. Both the Seiko SNDD85P and the SNDE27P 7T92 chronographs are 100% genuine. In terms of which model is more recent than the other, the SNDE27P is the newer model. Both are equally nice looking watches and Iโ€™m sure your friend would be pleased with either one. ๐Ÿ™‚

hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

hi, are the watches at creationwatches original seiko watches? says comes with 2yrs international warranty.
what does it means?
but only comes with the booklet, no warranty card??
plese advice!!

Hi Jass,

Creationwatches is NOT a Seiko authorized Internet retailer but a parallel import or grey market seller. However the products that they carry are the genuine stuff, including Seiko watches. They source their watches from third party bulk importers from either Hong Kong or Singapore.
Warranty cards are issued only to authorized Internet sellers from the regional Seiko headquarters that supply them with the stock and not from the watch factory. However, I believe that instruction booklets are issued by the Seiko factory for every watch, depending on the model. Warranty cards are another matter.

In the case of Creationwatches, the 2-year warranty that they are offering is an in-house warranty. If you have any complaints with the watch, youโ€™ll have to deal with them and not the Seiko service center (as it is a grey market item). The standard international warranty from Seiko is 1 year, except for watches issued through Seiko USA which carry a 3-year warranty. You shouldnโ€™t have anything to worry about purchasing from Creationwatches. ๐Ÿ™‚

hope this answers your questions,
Quartzimodo

okie thank you so much!!!

hi quartzie

I intend to purchase a SNZG07K1 from the vendor โ€˜takashi1955โ€™ from singapore.
what is your opinion?
thanks so much
noidelcarrer

hello quartzie
I have bought a snad23p2. Iโ€™ve investigated the watch and the only thing that was different from the original, was that it had a mechanism number on the back: 7t86-0ab0 a4. Everything else was exactly the same as in the genuine watch. What do you think?

Hello,

Great article first off! Iโ€™m wondering if you can say if a Seiko watch is trustworthy based on the price of the actual offer compared to the retail price. Iโ€™m interested in a Seiko premier direct drive moonphase SRX007P1, the retail price in Holland is 1040,- euroโ€™s (1420 US Dollars) and some official dealers offer it for 10% less, so about 940,- euroโ€™s (~1280 US Dollars). Now there is an import dealer which sells it for 700,- euroโ€™s (955 US dollars), which differences about 340 euroโ€™s from the base price by seiko. Do you think an import dealer can sell an original and new SRX007P1 for over 300 euroโ€™s under the base retail price? Do you recon it is even still above the price which Seiko sells there watches to dealers?

Hi,

Iโ€™m wondering if this Seiko watch is real or fake?
www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Seiko-Mens-Solar-Stainless-Steel-Black-Dial-Chronograph-DateWR100M-SSC005P1-/131150466204?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1e892d4c9c

If you scroll down to the bottom, it doesnโ€™t actually have a serial number at the back of the watch? Whereas the original does.

Why is this the case?

Hi Kevin,

The Seiko SSC005P in question is actually a genuine Seiko watch. If you look at the caseback photos of the other Seiko models from the seller, youโ€™ll notice that none of them show any serial number at all. It doesnโ€™t mean that they were made without serial numbers โ€“ itโ€™s just that the six-digit numbers have been digitally erased using Photoshop or some similar image processing software.
I donโ€™t know the exact reason why the numbers have been digitally removed. It could be that the seller (Dabrands) is using stock images of Seiko watches from a common photography agency. If thatโ€™s the case, other sellers on eBay can also pay to use the same images from the same agency. Itโ€™s not going to look good if a few watch sellers end up showcasing the watch with the same serial number, would it? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Hereโ€™s another possibility. Some online vendors donโ€™t want to show the exact serial number lest it cause confusion amongst buyers. Assume that the advertised watch in question has the serial number 3N7788. A buyer may expect the watch that is delivered to him would be literally the same one as displayed from the images. If he turns out to be a difficult and unreasonably demanding customer, the seller will have to explain why the watch that was shipped bears a different serial number than what was advertised. ๐Ÿ™‚
Used or second hand Seiko watches that are sold by private sellers on eBay generally will show the serial number. This is because the seller has to furnish proof that the watch he intends to put up for sale is the same one as advertised. When it comes to brand new timepieces, the serial number doesnโ€™t matter โ€“ as long as itโ€™s the same, exact model.

hope this answers your question!
Quartzimodo

Hi, great article, i meant to ask you, on ebay i find several seiko watches advertised with ~50% off MSRP, with different sellers etc all claiming they are original with us warranty and seiko warranty , is this possible, i find the Seiko Ssc139 particularly interesting, even pages advertising replicas of that same watch are 100 dollars or so more expensive than ebay supposeddly originalsโ€ฆ Thanks in advance

Hi Fba,

I donโ€™t think the Seiko Solar range of watches are worth counterfeiting and have yet to find a โ€œreplicaโ€ of any SSCxxxP range of models. Online sellers that are genuinely accredited as Seiko Internet dealers usually publish the MRSP of their products and they generally offer discounts between 15% to 30% depending on their expected profit margin.
Grey market Seiko re-sellers on the other hand are not governed by the official Seiko distributor in the countries that they operate. Therefore theyโ€™re free to claim whatever โ€œoriginal priceโ€ of the watch as they see fit and lure customers with amazingly low prices.
This price baiting practice is nothing new, especially by brick-and-mortar watch stores in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. Watch stores can put a sticker price that is 50% marked up above the average market price and then offer an alluring โ€œ40% offโ€ discount to unsuspecting customers, usually tourists from other countries. Therefore the net discount that is actually given is a mere 10% below the recommended selling price.

cheers,
Quartzimodo

151452814441 item id

Hi , Im about to purchase this seiko SKX007k1 from this pro-watches seller from singapore . my concern is that are this watch genuine or 100%original watch from SEIKO? if itโ€™s a grey market unit as long as original i actually donโ€™t mind buying it as its for personal collection no gift box are fine, but it has to be genuine and not fake .

hope you can help me on this questions.

Hello Benjamine.

The Seiko SKX007J watch in question appears to be 100% genuine. I am basing this from the sellerโ€™s photos on eBay and not the actual watch that you will receive.

It is a grey market model, therefore the warranty (if available) will be the sellerโ€™s responsibility. Gift boxes are only issued by authorized Seiko dealers, because the boxes and the warranty cards are supplied by the official Seiko distributor. You will NOT get a Seiko gift box or the Seiko warranty card from independent eBay sellers.

I havenโ€™t come across reports of fake SKX007K or SKX007J watches since I last wrote this article. They were commonly sold about a decade ago by certain unscrupulous brick-and-mortar watch kiosks SE Asia; and if I spot one itโ€™s probably a very old stock, fake SKX007K. Ebay provides better protection against counterfeit goods than they did in 2004, so go ahead and buy with confidence. The price is right, considering that Seiko has raised prices of its watches a several times since the last decade. Iโ€™m actually surprised to find an eBay seller advertising the SKX007J for the same price I paid mine back in 2004!

Hope this helps, and wishing you Seasonโ€™s Greetings and a Happy New Year! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.

Thanks Quartzimodo

Hi there, thanks for your post. iโ€™m looking to buy this Seiko watch from ebay. its market price is $550 and iโ€™m getting it for $300. Please let me know if this is a trusted buyer or not.
www.ebay.ca/itm/311336432529?_trksid=p2060353.m2748.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Hello Rahim,

AFAIK, the seller โ€œdabrandsโ€ on eBay has been selling genuine Seiko watches since I heard about it. If youโ€™ve won it for $300, consider yourself very fortunate as this Seiko Velatura is below the average market price. That is how auctions work on eBay โ€“ the seller sometimes loses by closing the auction with a lower bid than usual but it makes up for it with higher winning bids.

Good luck and congratulations! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

This has been a great interest to me, good advice and help. Thank you to all contributors.

I have bought a seiko5 (snk789) watch from Amazon. Is their name enough to guarantee authenticity and, if so, where do I send it for repair?

Thanks,

Cyril.

Hi Cyril,

Itโ€™s no longer profitable for counterfeiters to duplicate low cost Seiko watches these days (unlike Swiss marques like Rolex, Omega, IWC and Patek Philippe) therefore Iโ€™m very sure youโ€™ve gotten the real deal from any Amazon seller.
If youโ€™re based in the USA, youโ€™ll have to check with the seller whether the watch is a parallel import or sold through Seiko USA. If itโ€™s distributed by Seiko USA, you will receive an official Seiko warranty booklet with a 3-year warranty.

On the other hand, if your Seiko 5 is a parallel import โ€“ your only recourse for a warranty claim is to deal directly with the seller (check its sales terms and conditions). Seikoโ€™s service center for North America is located in Mahwah, New Jersey โ€“ but Iโ€™m not sure if they have a standing policy not to service parallel import (or grey market) Seiko watches.

The 7s26C movement in the SNK789 is generally very robust and should give you many yearsโ€™ worth of trouble free enjoyment. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Hi James,

Many sellers tend to borrow stock images from the Seiko catalogue. Therefore itโ€™s impossible to tell whether what you will receive will be a genuine Seiko model or otherwise.

Think of this like buying a used Ford Focus from the classifieds and the seller borrowed photos from the Ford UK website. What you really want to know is how the actual car looks โ€“ not a sample image of it. ๐Ÿ™‚

However, based on the eBay sellerโ€™s photos of the other Seiko watches that he has had for sale, I am inclined to trust that the Seiko SBDC001 โ€œSumoโ€ diver is genuine. So far there are no replica or counterfeit versions of the โ€œSumoโ€ divers that I know of. If you havenโ€™t read my review of this watch already, what you receive should be virtually identical to the photos of my Sumo diver. ๐Ÿ™‚

happy buying,
Quartzimodo

This has been a great interest to me, good advice and help. Thank you to all contributors.

Hi, I find a watch that I really like, but the price is less than 40% of the original price. Could you please help me to check if it is real or not, thanks a lot.
www.ebay.ca/itm/Citizen-Analog-Dress-Mens-ECO-DRIVE-Silver-Watch-AT2310-57E-AT2310-57A-/291621287586?var=&hash=item43e5fbb6a2:m:mRFtRq3b0yyZs3IqNo8bh3g

Hi Oceania,

That Citizen Eco Drive watch appears to be genuine to me. This is one of Citizenโ€™s entry level models and the price is about right. ๐Ÿ™‚

The Manufacturerโ€™s Recommended Selling Prices for Citizen and Seiko watches are typically 30% more than the average street price and generally Internet based sellers are able to give higher discounts than brick-and-mortar watch retailers. Therefore itโ€™s up to the retailer to offer as much discount as he or she can. Then again, some watch stores have been known to artificially jack up their price tags and then offer deceptively great discounts.

So far, I have not come across fake Citizen Eco Drive watches. Itโ€™s not because nobody canโ€™t copy these watches โ€“ itโ€™s more of whether anyone really wants to do it. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Hi, I saw a seiko skx007 at lucky plaza selling for 260 sgd. itโ€™s new but has no box and only provides in house warranty. Is it genuine ? Or fake

Hi Roland,

Without photos of the actual watch, I cannot tell whether the watch seller is peddling a genuine or a replica SKX007K watch. Youโ€™ll need to upload the photo to a free image hosting site like Tinypic.com and provide the URL to the image in your reply.

However, assuming that he/she is selling a genuine Seiko SKX007K diver what you were looking at is a grey market or parallel import watch. Itโ€™s like smartphones and cameras โ€“ you can get a grey market iPhone 6 or a Canon EOS 80D dSLR at slightly lower prices but at the expense of not receiving an officially recognized warranty. Singapore is unique in which, grey market Seiko watches are openly sold even at large hypermarkets like Mustafa.

In any case, the quality of Seiko automatic watches is that good that chances of owning one that becomes defective within the first year are slim none. Since Thong Sia Singapore provides only a one year warranty for watches sold throughout its authorized dealers, you can save some money by purchasing a grey market Seiko watch. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.

Hi,

I purchased the following watch (SEIKO SNK607) from ebay and got it a few days ago.

www.ebay.com/itm/361565195584?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

It is working fine and I not spot fake alarms from information in this post. However, it did not come with original SEIKO 3-year warranty but a small booklet and warranty. I wrote the following to the seller:

โ€œHi there,

I received my item today that looks nice. However, in your description, you stated that this watch has factory warranty of SEIKO for 3 years. However, there is only a โ€˜warranty and instruction manualโ€™ in the package in which only โ€˜Limited one year warrantyโ€™ is granted without specifying that the warranty is from SEIKO. I searched the SEIKO warranty type both over internet and on retail shops and it is totally different.
Moreover, the packaging is not the generic SEIKO packaging. Finally, you stated that the movement is โ€˜Japanese Quartzโ€™. However, the movement is โ€˜Malaysiaโ€™. Would you please explain?

Thanks,โ€

Here is the response from the seller:
โ€œWe send Seiko 5 watches without the original box and warranty to help save cost and pass it along to the customers. If you want the original box with the Seiko warranty, we can send it to you. Would you like that?โ€

After insisting on SEIKO warranty from the seller, I received this response today:
โ€œWe will send the Seiko warranty booklet today. Sorry foe the confusionโ€

Do you think this watch is authentic? I looked into SEIKO warrant and it is actually a card in which the name of the seller, my name and specifications of the watch is written. I am not sure if it is a booklet.

I uploaded some photos of my watch in tinipic.com:
tinypic.com/view.php?pic=b5sgao&s=9

In advance, thank you so much for your advice and assistance,

Hello Soroosh,

From the photo of your Seiko 5, it looks authentic to me, so you should not worry about whether itโ€™s fake or not. Itโ€™s genuine. What you have bought is a parallel import or grey market Seiko watch. They are not sold through authorized dealers, which is why they can be bought at a cheaper price.

AFAIK, there is no such thing as a 3 year warranty from Seiko, unless you have purchased it from an authorized Seiko dealer in the United States. Only Seiko USA provides a 3-year warranty period; for the rest of the world you get the standard 1-year guarantee. eBay sellers are never authorized Seiko watch dealers, which is why they cannot provide you with the original factory warranty. I cannot say for certain if the warranty that the seller is offering you will be honored by the Seiko service center where you live.

Modern Seiko 5 watches are always automatic watches and not quartz. The seller had his description of the watch wrong. As for the movement, it is indeed manufactured by the Seiko Epson factory in Malaysia. The separate parts are however sourced from Seiko Japan. The final watch assembly takes place in Hong Kong and from there, they are exported to all over the world.

hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

Thank you very much for the advice and assistance! ๐Ÿ™‚

Hi,
could I asked you to check these watches, if they are genuine? It is seiko model SRP587K1 from ebay sellers watchsurplus and timeparadise.

m.ebay.com/itm/331663727963?_mwBanner=1

m.ebay.com/itm/Seiko-SRP587-Mens-Prospex-Stainless-Steel-Black-Dial-200M-Automatic-Dive-Watch-/201637210137?nav=SEARCH

I know that you write about timeparadise good things, but the article is quite old. Are they still reliable? What about watchsurplus, they are writting that they send the watch from los angeles, what is good to me, because it close to my home. But what kind of market then it is. Do you think they bought it in singapore and then sell it in US? What do you think which one I sould take. And last question, if I take then this watch to seiko shop, will they tell me if they are original or sent out? Can they open it in front of me and see if whole inner core is genuine? Without loosing warranty?
Thank you

Hi Peter,

Thatโ€™s a pretty good question. I have had positive experiences buying watches from Time Paradise although I only bought two Citizen Promaster E210 Eco Drives from them about ten years ago. The fact that they are still around, with a 99.5% positive feedback speaks volumes about their reputation. ๐Ÿ™‚

eBay practices a very strict no-counterfeit goods sales and if Time Paradise is anything less than trustworthy, the seller wouldnโ€™t still be on eBay and is still using the same merchant ID. It wouldnโ€™t do any good for TP to peddle replica Seiko watches as they have lived up to their good name to this day. The same goes for any self respecting merchant on eBay.

First things first. There are NO SRP-series 200m divers that are NOT original that I know of. Counterfeit and replica watch factories only go after brands that are always in high demand (read: Swiss brands) because the market for such knock offs is there. When it comes to making fake Seiko watches, the money isnโ€™t really there. People still buy replica Rolex and Omega watches because thatโ€™s what they want. I used to know someone who collected very high grade, fake Swiss watches as he wanted to impress his clients in his line of work. ๐Ÿ˜‰

The SRP587K diver thatโ€™s sold by Time Paradise and Watchsurplus are both 100% authentic. The one thatโ€™s sold by Watchsurplus appears to be the North American market version thatโ€™s distributed by Seiko USA. Seiko watches that are sold through Seiko USA usually come with the deluxe blue gift box with the Seiko printed, watch pillow like this one. For Southeast Asia, Seiko watches come in a white box of a squarish design, such as this example. If you purchase a Seiko model thatโ€™s meant for sale in Japan, youโ€™ll get a differently designed watch box thatโ€™s issued by Seiko Japanโ€™s distributor.

AFAIK watch gift boxes, documentation and warranty booklet are not issued by the Seiko factory but by the respective official distributor for a particular region or country. Authorized Seiko resellers (whether a brick-and-mortar or online store) get their watches from the official Seiko distributor; therefore they will package the original watch box and warranty booklet together.

If the seller is dealing in grey market Seiko watches, their watches are usually not packed in the original Seiko gift box or factory warranty booklet. Youโ€™ll get a generic watch box and sometimes, no box at all. This is why Time Paradise made no mention of implied factory warranty in its listing. If you have any complaints later on, youโ€™ll have to deal with the seller (in this case, Time Paradise).

Singapore is a unique โ€œfree marketโ€ where you can walk into large department stores that openly sell both grey market and officially distributed Seiko watches. They are generally showcased in separate glass displays. Grey market Seiko watches are cheaper but donโ€™t come with the factory warranty or the original watch box โ€“ those are the differences between the two. If you have issues with a grey market watch, youโ€™ll have to return it to that same seller or department store. So customers have a choice: they can pay extra for the official warranty or they can save quite a few bucks by getting the grey market version. ๐Ÿ™‚

The same principle applies to digital cameras and lenses โ€“ you can buy a cheaper grey market import Canon or Nikon or you can buy one thatโ€™s supported by Canon or Nikon USA at a higher price.

Watch Surplus on the other hand, specifically mentioned a 3 year โ€œfactoryโ€ warranty โ€“ this means that this watch was obtained through Seiko USA. Iโ€™m not sure how Watch Surplus is able to source Seiko USA distributed watches though. It could be that they managed to get their stock from authorized Seiko retailers in the U.S.

Now, Seiko USA is the only distributor that offers a warranty up to three years, while Seiko UK gives a 2 year warranty. The rest of the world gets a standard 1 year warranty. It is important to understand that the official warranty is serviced by the official distributor for the region/country โ€“ not the actual Seiko factory that assembled the watch.

Thereโ€™s no need to have this watch inspected by a third party to see if itโ€™s genuine โ€“ it IS genuine and it should be. Itโ€™s only if youโ€™re buying a pre-owned, vintage Seiko watch from an individual seller whom youโ€™ve never dealt with, that you may want to check on its movement by opening the caseback. ๐Ÿ™‚

hope this helps,
Quartzimodo

These are stock photos of the watch. This seller is drop shipping the watch out of Amazon on eBay. If you buy these on eBay will probably come in a Amazon box. They are real or Amazon wouldnโ€™t allow the process of sellers of the items.

really really thank you quartzimodo, I will buy those from US, the price is amazing and I like them. I hope you were right ๐Ÿ˜‰

Hello!

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 or replica!

www.ebay.ca/itm/SEIKO-SOLAR-MENS-WATCH-SNE329P9-BOX-AND-WARRANTY-SNE329-/232101931057?hash=item360a5a6831:g:KEcAAOSwYIxX8iDt

Hi Mouve,

The eBay merchant is selling a genuine SEIKO Solar watch. I havenโ€™t seen this watch in real life yet but it seems that itโ€™s fitted with a very recently introduced V158 caliber (solar powered, day/date). This new movement adds the day calendar to the older date only Cal V157, which has been in production for well over a decade.

If thereโ€™s something I wish Seiko would do to the SNE329 (and its cousins) is to have the Arabic numerals and hour indices lumed. IMO, theyโ€™re trying to cut costs by having only the small triangular points lumed. The hour and minute hands are lumed though.

Buy this watch with confidence. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

You need to see more pictures of the watch movement along with photos of the front back and multiple angles of the watch not just stock photos. I would avoid sellers who are using stock photography from the manufacturer on eBay.

Hi, I hope Iโ€™m not posting in the wrong place, but Iโ€™ve been reading some of the posts on this blog and I started to wonder whether my Seiko 5 is a fake. It was my grandmaโ€™s and it makes sense that it was made prior to 2002 since it still has the engraving in the display and the casing is stainless steel, but the watch dial is dark blue and the dials are golden, which seems odd since the casing is not golden, but silver. In the back it says Water Resistant, and it also has the 6 digit serial and the other 8 digits from the movement caliber and case code. It also says โ€œESโ€ and A4.
I appreciate any help and I apologise again if this is the wrong place to post. ๐Ÿ™‚

Hi Maria,

Thank you for commenting. ๐Ÿ™‚

No, you didnโ€™t post your question in the wrong article but I do need specific information about your grandmotherโ€™s old Seiko 5 watch, such as the six-digit serial number and the caliber/caseback code (engraved at the back of the watch with the format XXXX-YYYY). I have no idea what โ€œESโ€ stands for although I think โ€œA4โ€ may denote the case size that the Seiko company uses.

Better still, upload clear photos of the watch to free image hosting websites like TinyPic and reply to this comment with the URL or link to the pictures.

best regards,
Quartzimodo.

Great article, very helpful!

ES A4 is the battery reference that shows the watch is Quartz and can use either a 394 or 396 battery. Like quiz says upload a few photos and give him the full serial number. Some ladies Quartz Seiko from the 80s are grey market from Hong Kong Plant so have Frankenstein features.

I have recently bought Seiko Conceptual Regular Automatic Divers 200M Watch SKX007K1 from
www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/astore/Seiko-Conceptual-Regular-Automatic-Divers-200M-Watch-SKX007K1.aspx?afid=7&gclid=CM_r-KC44dACFdcjvQodMP0Jug
Is this true Seiko or fake?

Hi Dima,

I wouldnโ€™t know if the watch is genuine because the seller is using a stock photo of the SKX007K from Seikoโ€™s catalog. I can only tell if you could post clear pictures of your watch to a free image hosting site like TinyPic and then follow up with a reply with a link to your watch pics.

Personally I find the merchantโ€™s description of this watch rather amusing. This model has been on the market since 1996 and itโ€™s a very old model by Seikoโ€™s standards but people still love it. Thereโ€™s nothing โ€œconceptualโ€ about this watch and I have no idea what โ€œConceptual Regularโ€ means. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo

Hello,

I appreciate the effort you took into writing these posts to help us. They are useful even in 2017.
Iโ€™ve found a lovely looking Seiko 5, but it does raise some flags. For example there is the โ€œJAPAN MADEโ€ text at he bottom of the dial, and I am unable to find the watch elsewhere online.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322480312477

Is this a dud?

Sincere thanks,
-Marco

Hi Marco,

Thatโ€™s a very good question, but without photos of this watchโ€™s caseback and its exposed mechanism itโ€™s difficult to say if the Seiko 5 that youโ€™ve bought is fake. Itโ€™s probably not.

I can tell you offhand that this piece is no longer original as it was, as Seiko designed it. The dial was likely to have been in bad shape, so the seller had it โ€œrefurbishedโ€. The thing is, it no longer looks like its true form and I have no idea if the dialโ€™s color is that kind of blue โ€“ or if was blue in the first place. ๐Ÿ™

Most 6309 based Seiko 5 watches would have a raised, three dimensional โ€œSEIKOโ€ lettering and for some models, also a raised โ€œ5โ€ emblem. This one appears to have โ€œSeiko 5โ€ stenciled in white paint and the cursive (Italic) โ€œAutomaticโ€ was probably part of the dial painterโ€™s imagination. In the era which this watch was made, Seiko always used straight fonts and all capital letters for the word โ€œAUTOMATICโ€.

โ€œJAPAN MADEโ€ is a dead giveaway, as Seiko only used โ€œJAPANโ€, โ€œMOVโ€™T JAPANโ€ or no country of origin on their dials โ€“ depending on where the original watch was made and the market it was intended for. Whoever did the dial makeover probably thought printing โ€œJAPAN MADEโ€ was the way to go, since Swiss brands generally used the words โ€œSWISS MADEโ€ on their dials.

Thereโ€™s a good chance that this watch is a genuine Seiko 5, except that the dial is no longer original to this watch. If you like it as it is, I see no reason for you not desiring this Seiko 5. If you donโ€™t like it, then just flip it on eBay, like the seller did. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo Admin.

Hi Quartzimodo,

Can you tell me if this watch is a fake SNKA05 the only lettering on the back of the watch is qorp-7s26c 7s26-02no A4 It has no codes around the 6 oclock area.

See the link below.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gift-SNKA05-Stainless-Steel-Band-Automatic-Mens-Blue-Watch-SNKA05K1-SEIKO-5/182533653420?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Hi Harry,

That Seiko 5 SNKA05K is 100% authentic. AFAIK I have not seen any fake versions of recent Seiko 5 watches, at least not since my article was written many years ago.
I could not find any close up pictures of the watchโ€™s caseback and movement in that eBay advertisement. Therefore I cannot comment on the โ€œabsence of codesโ€, as you had mentioned.

Buy with confidence! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.

Hello Quartzimodo,
I just bought a SKX009 on eBay. Looked legit but now with it in my hands I Believe it to be fake. Ie white- DIVERS 200M on face, 6 oโ€™clock position not directly below S in divers more below R! No code at all below 6 oโ€™clock and second hand has arrow hand, not lume ball. Serial seems suspect and code on back case may be fraudulent as well.
Iโ€™d like to send you pics from my phone as Iโ€™m not tech savvy. Would you be able to look at them and advise? I need to return soon. Wanted professional advise.
Thanks for all you do. It must be exhausting!
Chris
[email protected]

Hi Chris,

I will contact you directly soon regarding your suspicious SKX009K, but you need to have the images of your watch from your phone ready. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo Admin

Hi I have been reading your blog with great interest itโ€™s fantastic insight to something I never thought about Iโ€™m a big fan of seiko watches and have a good collection and have just added another but now Iโ€™m worried about it being a fake I have bought it from an eBay seller in japan because the watch is only available in that market and I would like your opinion if possible thanks marc

Hi Marc,

Thanks very much for the compliments, appreciate it! ๐Ÿ™‚

With regards to your new Seiko watch, I need to see the original ad or product page of the sellerโ€™s eBay site in your reply to me (copy & paste the URL). Most eBay sellers who are from Japan are generally trustworthy. Alternatively you could upload clear pictures of your new watch (front and back) to a free image uploading site like TinyPic and send me the link to your uploaded images.

cheers,
Quartzimodo Admin.

Hello Quartzimodo,

Iโ€™m looking to buy my first Seiko watch, and this has caught my eye:

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Seiko-Presage-Japan-Made-Automatic-Watch-SSA346J1/192615394201

Can you tell me if this is authentic please? It would be quite disappointing if my first Seiko watch turned out to be a fake.

Thanks,
Andy

Hi Andy,

Great question! ๐Ÿ™‚ The Seiko Presage in question appears to be 100% authentic, judging from the photo presentation alone. The watch seller has a pretty admirable positive rating of 99.4%, which strongly suggests its trustworthiness.
That said, I have not heard of, or seen fake or replica Seiko Presage watches yet. Itโ€™s not profitable from a counterfeiterโ€™s perspective to attempt at pushing fake Seiko Presage models, so they either go for the luxury Swiss watch replicas or try to pass off counterfeit low end Seiko 5 models.

Note that this watch (SSA346J) is marketed worldwide and is not a Japan Domestic Market model. The 4R57 automatic movement is a much more complicated and costly movement compared to the low cost 7s26 caliber (probably discontinued today) and the entire watch is assembled in Japan. If this is also your first hand-windable automatic watch, note that itโ€™s normal for the watch to emit a weak grinding noise as you manually wind the watchโ€™s mainspring. In addition the power reserve indicator hand should gradually move clockwise (towards the 40 hour mark) as the main spring is wound.

hope this helps and do enjoy your first Seiko timepiece! ๐Ÿ™‚
Quartzimodo Admin.

Hi Quartzimodo,

I am looking to buy my first Seiko watch, and this has caught my eye:

www.ebay.com.au/itm/192615394201

I was wondering whether you can tell me if this is real?

Thanks a lot,
Andy

Hi Architect,

You have my sympathies. I have been seeing lots of re-dials from these unscrupulous sellers from India lately and their designs are horrible. ๐Ÿ™‚

If you feel you have been cheated through false representation of the merchandise, contact eBay as soon as possible. They have a zero tolerance policy against fake/counterfeit goods but cannot possibly monitor the millions of sellers that peddle on eBay.

Good luck!
Quartzimodo

Hi Quartzimodo,
I bought a Seiko SARB017 on a 100% positives feedback seller since 2016 on eBay with more than 1500 orders
I hope that Will be an authentic Seiko

Hi Well,

You have nothing to worry about. Iโ€™ve not seen any counterfeit versions of Seikoโ€™s Prospex line of watches, including the SARB017 Alpinist. Your watch is 100% genuine just like my SARB017 that was bought in Osaka back in 2015. Wear it in confidence! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.
P.S. Apologies for the late reply.

Hi Quartzimodo!
i just want to ask if Seiko, release or launched an Skx007J1 with a Caliber NH36-0020???

As far as I know, SKX007 is Caliber 7S26 onlyโ€ฆ
or maybe Iโ€™m just behindโ€ฆ
Hoping for your Kind Responseโ€ฆ Thanks

Hi Jon,

Great question. AFAIK, Seiko watches use their own branded movements. The NH36 is manufactured by TMI (Time Module Inc), a Hong Kong based company that makes all kinds of watch movements, even those for wall and desk clocks. Interestingly, Seiko also owns the TMI company but does not use the NH series movements in its watches.

If you see any Seiko watch that uses TMI (Time Module Incorporated) movements like the NH36 (which is very similar to the 4R36), itโ€™s either a modified Seiko or a replica/counterfeit. This is especially true with the SRP series โ€œTurtle Diverโ€; if you find an SRP โ€œTurtleโ€ on eBay (or some e-commerce platform) selling for way below the market priceโ€ฆcheck whether itโ€™s fitted with the NR36.

Hobbyists have found that they could upgrade their SKX007K divers to the NH36 so they perform movement swaps. Seiko, as a company policy does not sell Seiko branded movements to third party watch manufacturers (like Invicta) but apparently TMI does. You can even find the NH36 movement on Amazon. This is one way hobbyists and counterfeit manufacturers are able to get their hands on the NH36.

The SKX007 model has been out of production for the past few years and I donโ€™t think Seiko revived this iconic diver with the NH36. The 4R36 and 4R35 (date only) calibers are now Seikoโ€™s lower-mid tiered caliber, with the 4R15/4R16 serving as its entry level movements. Iโ€™m not sure if Seiko still makes watches based on the 4R15/4R16 today though. The 6R series (like the 6R15) remains as its middle ground caliber.

Hope this helps! ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.

Hi! I just stumbled upon this forum and wanted to see if you could offer me some help in regards to a recent watch I purchased from Ebay. After reading your blog / other info I have a feeling this watch is fake but just want to get more confirmation of this so I can request a refund from the seller. so far they have been in touch and assured me of its authenticity. I had no idea there were fake Seikos out there!

The watch is a Seiko 5 Automatic. The SEIKO and 5 logo seem to have been printed on

Face has โ€œJapan Madeโ€ on it and no calibre or dial codes on the dial at all.

The back plate does have a serial number + codes though.

Serial: 420656
codes: 6349-5030

Iโ€™ve checked them and they seem correct. Link to image below!

i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dDwAAOSwQ2ZfeUMW/s-l500.jpg

Hopefully you can help, thanks!!

Hi Natasha C,

Any vintage Seiko 5 that comes with a โ€œ5โ€ logo on its dial painted red and โ€œJAPAN MADEโ€ printed at the bottom is NOT an original Seiko watch.

I have been seeing many eBay sellers from India peddling these cobbled-together โ€œ6349 caliberโ€ watches and passing them as genuine Seiko wristwatches. Many of them actually started out as authentic Seiko watches but over the years they got defective and were probably discarded as junk. All of these watches have long become discontinued a few decades ago and original replacement dials, hands and crystals are no longer available to replace the damaged parts.
The problem is that this backyard watch industry takes these watches and fit some poorly designed โ€œSeikoโ€ dial, hands and other parts on them. Even their casebacks may not be original to the watch.

What you have is a recycled โ€œSeikoโ€ watch that definitely does not have an authentic Seiko dial. If you were to take the watch apart you might find out that the automatic movement may not be a 6349 or even a Seiko made movement at all.

Sorry to hear youโ€™ve ended up with a non-genuine Seiko timepiece. Return the watch and get your money back.

Quartzimodo Admin.

Hi! I was wondering whether you could help me determine whether this watch is fake?

I recently bought in on Ebay and had no idea there was a market for fake seiko watches. The main point that worries me now after reading your blog is that it says โ€œJapan madeโ€ at the bottom of the dial.

image of the watch:

i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dDwAAOSwQ2ZfeUMW/s-l500.jpg

hoping you can help!

Thanks

Hi! I would love to get some help regarding a watch I just purchased from Ebay.

It states its a Seiko 5 from around 1984 but my misgivings start with the fact that it says Japan Made on the bottom of the dial โ€“ no codes on the dial either. The โ€œSeiko + 5โ€ looks painted or stencilled on too.

The tricky thing is the codes on the back plate seem to be legit but not sure about the movement inside.

Is it possible the dial is fake?

I canโ€™t send a link to the listing as itโ€™s ended but would be happy to send some photos.

Looking at this new Prospex model, canโ€™t be certain since no pics but the 8-digit model number is raising warning flag:

www.ebay.com/itm/284020814133

Hi Kevin,

That is a genuine Seiko Prospex โ€œArnieโ€ reissue. Youโ€™re confusing a watch serial number with the product reference code. ๐Ÿ™‚

Quartzimodo.

Hi Quartzimodo,

I see a lot of sellers from India selling various Seiko 5 models from the 70s/80s all for around 20-30 bucks.

What do you make of this for exampleโ€ฆ
www.ebay.com/itm/143823341792

I tried doing a reverse Google image search and tried googling โ€œseiko 7009-8210โ€ and didnโ€™t find anything else that looked like this. Is it some kind of mutt watch made up of parts from a number of different watches or something like that?

Hi Mike,

Back in the early 2000s, the bulk of these โ€œFranken Seikoโ€ watches were sold on eBay by cottage industry watch smiths from Thailand. In the past half decade or so, it appears that India has become very prominent in selling Fraken Seikos.

When you purchase a genuine Seiko watch (doesnโ€™t matter if the seller is an authorized or grey market dealer) youโ€™re getting a 100% authentic watch. All the various parts โ€“ the dial, crown, hands, crystal, bezel, watch case, caseback and movement were meant to go together. Swapping the dial or hands from another Seiko model that happens to blend in the watch is generally called โ€œwatch moddingโ€. Cobbling a watch from various Seiko parts from all over the place is what we call building a โ€œFranken Seikoโ€, as in the fabled Dr Frankensteinโ€™s monster. ๐Ÿ™‚

When a watch has been assembled from various Seiko and non-Seiko parts, you wonโ€™t know how much of the original โ€œ7009-8210โ€ remains! Note that the caseback shown in the photo may not necessarily belong to this cobbled watch. Some Seiko casebacks can be interchanged, leading to further confusion. Since the only clue is the caseback number, buyers automatically assume that this watch was originally an 7009-8210. Even then, a Seiko watch can inherit a caseback from another identical model but with obviously different serial numbers.

On a side note, Iโ€™ve gotten many requests from readers to ID their vintage Seiko watches that theyโ€™ve inherited or bought from an estate sale. Sure itโ€™s great to know when that watch was really manufactured, but I always inform the reader that if the caseback had been swapped at one point, it would be pointless to identify the actual manufacturing date of their watch.

Iโ€™m not sure why eBay still allows these Indian sellers to peddle Franken Seiko watches. Obviously the Seiko watch company isnโ€™t bothered (unlike Rolex) as itโ€™s not worth their while in litigation costs. You can see that the replica Seiko font is not even close to the real Seiko font. The original dial and hands had long faded or broken, which is why the Indian watchmakers were forced to use substitutes that they probably made themselves our outsourced to a third party supplier. This dial was garnished in eye catching, bright red and blue to make up for the fact that the dial is not original.

With no authentic history of this watch, I canโ€™t even tell you which parts still belong to this watch. The movement might have been transplanted from another Seiko 7009. The caseback may or may not belong to the watch case. The hands and dial are definitely aftermarket.

My advice? Donโ€™t bother with โ€œvintageโ€ Seiko sellers from India unless you really know about a particular watch and have researched how it should look. For example, you might find the odd, bona fide eBay seller from India with a genuine Seiko 6138-0010 automatic chronograph for sale, but it appears that the majority of them are peddling in Franken watches assembled from salvaged parts.

hope this helps,
Quartzimodo Admin

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