The Definitive Guide to Spotting a Fake Seiko Watch

Seiko is a timeless Japanese watch brand that has become a household name in the watch industry since its inception in 1881. Known worldwide for their excellent quality and stylish products, these watches can be bought at an affordable price for a luxury brand.

Things to Look For in an Original Seiko Watch

Like any consumer product, however, watches can also be faked. With a global brand like Seiko, counterfeits have become rampant, and you can easily get one without knowing because counterfeit makers constantly come up with ways to make fake products indistinguishable from the original. Regardless, there are ways for you to tell if a Seiko watch is fake—it’s just a matter of knowing them.

In this article, we’ll discuss details on how to spot a counterfeit Seiko watch. The easiest way to spot a counterfeit Seiko is by looking for certain things that are only found on authentic ones. These are:

The Original Seiko Logo

Like any other global product, it must bear the logo of the brand on its packaging. In the case of Seiko watches, this is the Seiko logo found on the packaging’s interior, which consists of a box along with a “guarantee card” that states that the product is authentic.

Additionally, an original Seiko watch will bear the Seiko logo on the watch face (dial). You should also check the size and appearance of the letters for any discrepancies. If there are, it’s a fake.

Scheduling Dates

Every programmed jumper from Seiko has a designated date schedule window, which counterfeits don’t. If there are, the text will be thicker than the ones found in the original Seikos.

Carved Writing on Watch Gems

Counterfeit Seiko Jumper watches are the ones that fall victim to this. This one is pretty hard to miss, so you’ll need to look intently at your watch gem closer. If you see a “Seiko 5” carving on the glass, it’s a fake. Why? Because original Seiko jumpers don’t have this carving.

Serial Number

Every Seiko watch will have its date of production as part of its 6-digit serial number. The only instance where this doesn’t apply is the pre-1970 models, where serial numbers were 7 digits. 

Movement Model

Seiko takes authenticity up a notch by implementing development and model numbers found on two arrangements of four digits joined together by a scramble. The first four digits are the development type number, while the other four is the model number.

Movement Dial

The dial code of an authentic Seiko watch is printed and found at the lower part of the dial. It should be just around the 6 o’clock mark.

Instruction Booklet

Seiko watches always come with an instruction booklet. On the other hand, resellers don’t often include them, but you can still distinguish a fake by seeing if it has a sharp tone because fake booklets lose their shading.

Guarantee Card

As mentioned earlier, authentic Seiko watches come with a guarantee card to ensure that it’s original. The guarantee card also includes other information, such as the watch model and country of origin. If a counterfeit Seiko has one, the guarantee card will look adjusted in a way that’s not like the original.

Conclusion

Fake Seiko watches are everywhere, and you must do what you can to avoid them as much as possible. The above information will help you distinguish between counterfeit and authentic Seiko watches, so be sure to commit them to memory.

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