Seiko cracking down on JDM watches being sold in the US

[toxicavenger]

The SEIKO ad you currently have listed on Chrono24 is infringing on SEIKO’S trademark since you are selling a SEIKO product (new/unworn) that is designated for sale solely in the European Economic Area (EEA) from outside the EEA. Chrono24 is a global platform and we are unable to modify your ad to only show in specific countries.

Therefore, since this is a legal matter and in order to be compliant, the relevant ad(s) have been deactivated for the timebeing. Please be advised that the ads have to remain deactivated.

Should you have any questions regarding the above, please contact your account manager. ~~~~

[rockmastermike]

If it was used/worn once and out back in the box would it then be compliant?

[tyd450]

Marc at long island watch just posted a video today saying he is no longer selling JDM Seiko, didn't really explain why though

[Joeprez]

Damn, that sucks! So basically if its not listed on the Seikousa page, soon we wont be able to get them?


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[jeckyll]

That sucks.

[Torrid]

That’s insane. Does that mean Seiya’s getting a cease and desist?

[apnk]

Oh man, is the SBBN031/33 tuna's JDM only?

[JBZ]

I’ve never really understood the business model of only producing highly desirable watches for a particular geographic area. Seems like Seiko is just leaving money on the table.

[JP Chestnut]

Seiko is trying to become Rolex while sporting the brand cache of... Seiko. I become less interested in this hobby daily.

[sierra11b]

Might be time to ask my wife and father-in-law to talk to their japanese family members about a business opportunity.

[Torrid]

Seiko is trying to become Rolex while sporting the brand cache of... Seiko. I become less interested in this hobby daily.

100% this.

[pbj204]

As longs as it doesn't affect gnomon or seiya it wont matter too much.

[JP Chestnut]

As longs as it doesn't affect gnomon or seiya it wont matter too much.

Some of those guys haven't been willing to ship to the UK for years now. Don't be surprised when the JDM ADs who sell online stop shipping to the USA as well. There will always be guys who buy watches from ADs and then sell them overseas, but those guys aren't going to be cheap.

[rockmastermike]

sounds like a "premium" will be paid by buyers of JDM to private sellers of JDM.
this sucks

[Torrid]

If this really happens I’m out on Seiko. That takes a huge chunk out of the decent Seikos, but I’m already not buying so maybe I’m bitching just to bitch.

[HapaHapa]

Oh crap. Wheres this going? Aren't some of the nicest G's sold as a JDM product?

[Joeprez]

As longs as it doesn't affect gnomon or seiya it wont matter too much.

Gnomon shipped a watch to me this week. It says JDM on the photo but I think the Seiko SBDC061 also has a US model number.


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[sierra11b]

Jacob is 100% correct. None of the Chino - Higuchi etc ships to Europe. Same for the vendors on Rakuten.
It has been the case forever, I was actually surprised when I was i the USA that it was "open bar" in this sense.

Chino doesn't even sell Seiko anymore as of earlier this year. I wonder if this has something to do with it? They may have just washed their hands of Seiko given that so much of their business is overseas? Doubtful as they do have a brick & mortar, but I bet they've drastically cut JDM inventory because of this.

Seiya was never an AD which is why people usually tried Chino or Higuchi first, and then went to Seiya as he would sometimes put in work to find what you were after for a reasonable premium. I remember talking to him years ago on him trying to hunt down a SBDX012. He has (had?) the JDM grey market on tap by sourcing directly from a number of inner-city ADs in Tokyo and other metro areas in Japan. I wonder how this will affect him?

I'm betting if you really want something JDM you can contact the boutiques for full MSRP or piggy-back for discount on the like of a GS or mid-range USDM prospex. I bet this is where it's going.

[Skinny Rogers]

sounds like a "premium" will be paid by buyers of JDM to private sellers of JDM.
this sucks

This.

Seiko watches already sell higher than they should for discontinued or hard to get models in my opinion.

This will make things worse....


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[rockmastermike]

sounds like a "premium" will be paid by buyers of JDM to private sellers of JDM.
this sucks

This.

Seiko watches already sell higher than they should for discontinued or hard to get models in my opinion.

This will make things worse....


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Seiko is the new Rolex

[sierra11b]

Not to derail this thread but anyone catch the WUS "street price" thread on the SLA033? Seems the perceived value isn't $4.5K. Shocker!

https://forums.watchuseek.com/f21/new-s ... st49524395

https://forums.watchuseek.com/f21/new-s ... st49547155

Saw this one coming a mile away, and some of the owners are trying to save face by bashing the opposition. Nothing beats the perceived price:quality of the turdle for this style of watch, and I'll even throw-in the modern Samurai. If you want alien-build quality you have to stick with GS.

8L35 under the hood should have been the same price as the current MM300 renditions max, although as mentioned here, I still think it's overpriced for both.

They shit the bed on this one and we called it out of the gate... They should have offered it with the 6R movement and sold it <$1000 as a Shogun alternative all day long. WTF are they smoking? I'd have one on my wrist while typing this.

[toxicavenger]

sounds like a "premium" will be paid by buyers of JDM to private sellers of JDM.
this sucks

This.

Seiko watches already sell higher than they should for discontinued or hard to get models in my opinion.

This will make things worse....


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Seiko is the new Rolex

In fairness, it was about time that Seiko stopped screwing the USA ADs.
I remember when I bought my GS quartz I contacted AZ fine time (I think they were the only ones at the time) and we had a fairly open conversation. Joe basically said they could not align to the price that the Japanese were practicing.

I was sad not to buy from him, but the difference was like 20% if not more IIRC.

I can only imagine the frustration of guys like Timeless Luxury Watches (or Topper), who put in a lot of effort to push and promote a brand, only to get fucked by Japanese ADs undercutting them.

Mimo's told me the same thing a while back.

[Torrid]

Not to derail this thread but anyone catch the WUS "street price" thread on the SLA033? Seems the perceived value isn't $4.5K. Shocker!

https://forums.watchuseek.com/f21/new-s ... st49524395

https://forums.watchuseek.com/f21/new-s ... st49547155

Saw this one coming a mile away, and some of the owners are trying to save face by bashing the opposition. Nothing beats the perceived price:quality of the turdle for this style of watch, and I'll even throw-in the modern Samurai. If you want alien-build quality you have to stick with GS.

8L35 under the hood should have been the same price as the current MM300 renditions max, although as mentioned here, I still think it's overpriced for both.

They shit the bed on this one and we called it out of the gate... They should have offered it with the 6R movement and sold it <$1000 as a Shogun alternative all day long. WTF are they smoking? I'd have one on my wrist while typing this.

I’d be curious to handle this reissue. I love it in pictures but I can’t wrap my head around the price. If the finishing is no stronger than the NAFT that kind of shoots it. The NAFT isn’t bad but the finishing is nothing special.

[Torrid]

sounds like a "premium" will be paid by buyers of JDM to private sellers of JDM.
this sucks

This.

Seiko watches already sell higher than they should for discontinued or hard to get models in my opinion.

This will make things worse....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seiko is the new Rolex

In fairness, it was about time that Seiko stopped screwing the USA ADs.
I remember when I bought my GS quartz I contacted AZ fine time (I think they were the only ones at the time) and we had a fairly open conversation. Joe basically said they could not align to the price that the Japanese were practicing.

I was sad not to buy from him, but the difference was like 20% if not more IIRC.

I can only imagine the frustration of guys like Timeless Luxury Watches (or Topper), who put in a lot of effort to push and promote a brand, only to get fucked by Japanese ADs undercutting them.

My last purchase I picked up from Topper. They had a good deal on the square metal G but after getting free 2 day shipping from a US seller that would be enough perk to spend a few bucks extra next time as well. Every time something comes internationally it allows even more places for packages to go missing. I’d definitely buy from Timeless as well.

[11GTCS]

Man this is a real pity. Almost all the Seiko watches I care about are JDM (or discontinued, thanks Seiko). I don't see this as helping the US AD's, the only reason I'd buy from LIW or the like (though Marc is a great guy) is to get a watch I'm interested in, and those are the JDM models. Obviously they can't sell them as AD's per say, but when they're being sold gray market alongside the other AD stuff I'm more likely to give them business.