Vintage seiko model number serial number#

The 6-digit serial number is always located at the opposite end of the 'SEIKO' text. Here are three examples of Seiko casebacks depicting their serial numbers.īasic Seiko 5 models made from the year 2002 onwards have clear glass display backs as you can see above. Higher end Seikos with display backs, like the 6R15 caliber Premier or 7L22 Sportura for example, have the serial number engraved not on the glass but on of caseback’s rim. Those that come with glass display backs like modern Seiko 5’s have the numbers printed horizontally on the glass display back but the numbers are usually faint and difficult to read. Seikos with solid casebacks (plastic, stainless steel or titanium) will have the 6-digit serial number etched in a straight line. To locate the serial number, you’ll need to flip over your watch and examine its caseback.

Vintage seiko model number how to#

Let’s find out how to date your Seiko watch and I don’t mean socially! 😉 They probably figured out it’s better to sell off the watch now than risk their capital tied up in old stock that nobody else is interested in. I have gotten a few discontinued Seikos in this manner, saying 'Hey look, this watch is eight years old! It can’t be worth the price you’re quoting me!'įortunately for me, the watch dealers relented to my counter offers and I got them for the price that I wanted.

If the store owner senses that you know more about that watch than he or she does, there’s a good chance that you can bargain for a more realistic price. Chances are that the female store owner in the picture doesn’t even know when the Seiko watches in her shop were made, 🙂

Especially when it comes to bargaining for a better price for that new, old stock (NOS) Seiko that caught your fancy.įile photo of a typical watch store in Kuala Lumpur. And if you have that knowledge, you have an edge over the seller that could be very useful. Well, I’m a firm believer that knowledge is power. They’re more interested to get a sale from you rather than discuss the history or significance of that Seiko watch that you’re looking to purchase. From my experience many Seiko dealers aren’t watch enthusiasts themselves. You can’t really blame them for not knowing because watch sellers are in the business of selling watches, period.

Either that, or they’ll come up with an excuse for not knowing by saying that it’s a new arrival (yeah, right!) 🙂 Chances are if you ask watch store assistants when that particular Seiko watch you’re interested in buying was made, you’ll get a blank expression from them. Well, in case you didn’t know this, the answer to this question actually lies in the set of numbers that are etched or printed on every Seiko watch made. Congratulations! Have you ever wondered when your watch rolled off the assembly line at the factory? In other words, when was it manufactured? Questions relating to the production date of Seikos frequently pop up in various watch forums from time to time. So, you’ve just purchased a used or new Seiko watch.