Your Guide to Telling a Knockoff From a Fake Seiko Watch

The Seiko SKX diver watch is an affordable, high-quality watch that is perfect for anyone looking for a tough, reliable watch. It is one of the most iconic Japanese watches ever produced and has been a benchmark for quality for decades.

The SKX007 was a popular Seiko diver that is now discontinued, and many people yearned for the original, leading to a thriving market for fake SKXs. Many of the so-called “New Old Stock” SKX watches being sold are actually poor-quality knock-offs. Save your money and don’t bother with them. Take note of the following factors to avoid spending on a fake watch:

Color 

A genuine SXK will have the word “DIVER’S” written in red or orange script. Many replicas have this text printed in white. All these little details may be obscure, which is probably why the replica producers have overlooked them.

Fonts 

The SKX watches sold by knock-off retailers usually have a 7S26-7039 case number. You should be aware of this when considering a purchase of an SKX watch. Seiko never made a 7039 model with a 7S26 movement. This is evident from the 5 etched onto the watch crystal–a feature never part of the Seiko 5 line. Additionally, the SKX model never used a crystal that was manufactured for the 5s.

To spot a fake SKX, first, check the fonts on the dial. If they are not the same as the fonts on an authentic SKX, then the watch is likely a fake. SKXs are easily recognizable by their unique font.   

Serial Number

The people who are making fake SXK watches are reusing the same serial numbers over and over again. This is not as reliable as some other ways to tell if a watch is fake, but it is something to consider. Make sure that the SXK you are considering does not have one of these serial numbers:

• 542252
• 543187
• 701032
• 700418
• 996479
• 996460
• 820061
• 655859
• 337461

If you want to buy an SKX watch, be aware that some manufacturers produce fake SKXs with the 9964XX series. The last two numbers are applied at random, so if you see an SKX with 9964–, it’s likely a fake.

There are a variety of fake serial numbers in circulation, and more are likely to exist. Some factories, particularly those of higher-end products, may adopt individual serial numbers to avoid confusion and counterfeits. This is especially likely to occur if prices for new old stock SKX watches continue to increase.

Text Alignment

When looking at a watch dial, it is important to pay attention to the alignment of the text with the other elements on the dial. This will help you spot any potential irregularities. The line that comes off the top of the 6 o’clock marker on a Seiko watch should be below the “S” in DIVER’S 200m. If the line is below the “R,” it is evidence that Seiko didn’t make the dial.

The font on an authentic SKX watch should be bold. Many fake watches use a standard font, which is incorrect. You can look at the word “Automatic” as well, as it should be ever so slightly wider than the word Seiko–on some fakes, it is the same width, so be careful to look at all these elements when buying an SKX.

Takeaway 

It is essential to be able to tell a knockoff Seiko watch from a fake one to ensure your money is well-spent on a reliable investment. If you can keep the abovementioned things in mind, you should be able to tell a fake Seiko watch with ease.

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