SEIKO from Japan

How can I tell a Japan domestic SEIKO model from an export model?

By the reference number. Seiko's Japan domestic references begin with SB or SA — SBDC and SBDX for Prospex divers, SBGA and SBGX for Grand Seiko (used worldwide since 2010), SARB and SARX for Presage — while export references begin with SP, SR, SN, SS or SL, such as SPB, SRP, SNK and SLA. The two ranges overlap in design but not in reference or availability: domestic models carry Japanese-language warranty booklets, are sold by Japanese retailers with domestic pricing, and include models that are never exported. Sellers write 国内モデル for a domestic model and 逆輸入 (reverse import) for an export model brought back into Japan, which is how Seiko 5 divers and other export-only pieces appear on Japanese sites.

What do the Japanese nicknames for SEIKO divers mean?

They are the names Japanese collectors use instead of reference numbers, and they appear in listing titles more often than the references do. ツナ缶 (tuna can) is the shrouded Prospex diver, サムライ the angular-cased diver, タートル the cushion-cased diver, モンスター the toothed-bezel diver, and スモウ the SBDC001 family. Vintage divers are named by calibre or reference: 62MAS for the first Seiko diver of 1965, 6105 for the 1970s cushion case, and 6309 for the Turtle's ancestor.

• ツナ缶 — Tuna: shrouded-case Prospex diver
• サムライ / タートル / モンスター / スモウ — Samurai / Turtle / Monster / Sumo
• 62MAS / 6105 / 6309 — vintage divers named by calibre
• キングセイコー / グランドセイコー 初代 — King Seiko / first-generation Grand Seiko, vintage
• 6139 / 6138 — 1970s automatic chronographs

How do I read the movement and running status of a SEIKO listing?

Read the movement type first, because it decides what the condition notes mean. 自動巻 (automatic) and 手巻き (hand-wound) watches are described by running status and service; クォーツ and ソーラー watches by battery or capacitor; スプリングドライブ, Seiko's hybrid movement introduced in 1999, is listed under its own name. On any mechanical Seiko, 稼働品 means the seller confirmed it runs, OH済 means an overhaul with a date, and 日差 is the daily rate in seconds. On solar and Kinetic models the note to look for is 二次電池交換済, the rechargeable cell replaced, because the cell is the part that ages.

• 自動巻 / 手巻き / クォーツ / ソーラー / スプリングドライブ — the five movement types in titles
• 稼働品 / 不動 — running / not running
• OH済 + date — overhauled
• 日差±○秒 — daily rate in seconds
• 二次電池交換済 — rechargeable cell replaced (solar and Kinetic)
• 純正ベルト / 社外ベルト — original strap / aftermarket strap
• 風防傷 / ベゼル退色 — crystal scratches / faded bezel insert

Where are SEIKO watches sold in Japan, new and used?

New domestic models are sold by Japanese watch retailers on Rakuten and Amazon Japan; used and vintage Seiko is sold by licensed dealers and by private owners on Mercari and Yahoo Auctions. The vintage side is deep, because Seiko has sold in Japan for over a century and Japanese owners kept the watches, so 1960s and 1970s Grand Seiko, King Seiko and divers are routine Yahoo Auctions listings. Japanese secondhand dealers hold a 古物商 licence and verify who they buy from; private listings carry less documentation.

What does it cost to buy a SEIKO from Japan through a proxy?

The yen price plus OneMall's service fee at order time, the international shipping when the watch leaves our Japan warehouse, and your own country's duty on arrival. The fee is shown before you confirm, and the seller's domestic shipping is added when charged. A Seiko in its box is a small parcel, so the shipping line is modest and consolidation with other purchases is where a multi-watch order saves. Solar and mechanical watches ship without restriction; if you are buying several watches, ship them together.

Estimate shipping with the OneMall calculator →

What should I type to find SEIKO watches on Japanese sites?

セイコー plus the reference number or the Japanese nickname, and the movement type if you want to narrow. The reference is the most precise search; nicknames reach private listings that omit it.

• セイコー / SEIKO — the brand
• SBDC / SBGA / SARB — domestic reference prefixes
• ツナ缶 / サムライ / タートル — diver nicknames
• グランドセイコー / キングセイコー — Grand Seiko / King Seiko
• 自動巻 / スプリングドライブ — movement type
• 稼働品 / OH済 / 箱保証書付 — running / serviced / with box and warranty