Here are some better pictures

 

May I ask what red flags you are seeing? Better pics would be helpful. I bought mine on Amazon, too. It came directly from a Japanese vendor. I would be surprised if you got a fake Alpinist on Amazon.

Kat


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The east and south markers are crooked and the seiko emblem on the dial l

ooks glossy, it appears to be applied and not stamped tho. And the serial number is in the rang of the fake ones on ebay.

 

I gotta say, your pics suck and I can't really see any details that are worth looking at.

<* shark >>><

 

 

Best pics I got right now, my concern is on the compass, if you look closely you'll see the east and south markers are off.

 

If you bought it form Amazon, just return it. As an old Rolex friend of mine used to say, "NEVER buy a watch that you have to defend!"

<* shark >>><

 

You don’t have the compass set N at 12. Reset it and take another pic.

Here is mine:

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I'm talking about the letters in the white triangles.

 

Amazon has time limits for returns, but if you bought a fake Seiko from them, I’d be making calls. Honestly, I was not aware there are fake SARB017’s being sold on eBay. Good luck. I know mine is real, but serial number dates it to 2/ 19, supposedly after they stopped production, but I’ve seen others post about having early 2019 serial numbers. I bought mine from Amazon in November, 2020, right before prices skyrocketed. I paid normal discounted price.


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I'm talking about the letter e and s are not centered in the white triangle.

Amazon has time limits for returns, but if you bought a fake Seiko from them, I’d be making calls. Honestly, I was not aware there are fake SARB017’s being sold on eBay. Good luck.


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I purchased it about 4 years ago so probably no returns

 

Yeah, that looks hinky. Call Amazon. Talk to an actual person. Their customer service is usually stellar. four years or not, I’d still call them.


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I see nothing wrong with yours now that high quality pix are showing. Thanks for the better photos.

This is my NOS case. Never had a dial or movement in it. I bought it straight from Seiko parts direct so no part of this can be questioned.

Same issue with the "E" not being centered.

Here is the case back as seen through a plastic bag.

That 6R15D you show is legitimate.

You have nothing to be concerned about.

 

I think the applied Seiko logo is not so well made like on the one from Catgirl.
I would return the watch.

 

I tried, I'm stuck with the watch, we'll what can I do with it now? I don't want a try to sell it and someone says it's a fake.

 

It is not a fake !!!

Why are you not happy to learn this ???

 

I'm just unsure of it dude. Would you be willing to give 800 for it since it's not a fake ?

 

I wouldn't expect any pre-owned SARB017 on the wrong strap to fetch that much

 

I've got the original strap, box, box wrap, pillow, warranty card, user manual. And you should check out sold prices on ebay.

 

It appears genuine to me, good luck with the sale.

 

FWIW, I never thought it was fake, either. When you buy a Seiko from Amazon, they receive them from reputable watch dealers, either directly from Japan, or from U. S. Dealers. I have bought a lot of my new Seikos on Amazon. It would be bizarre if it were a fake. Just sell it!

Kat


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Thank you ALL for your advice and experience. It is very much appreciated, I was beginning to think I purchased a fake.

 

Unfortunately it seems the watch is fake. The case back and movement looks way too rough to me. If you google the serial number with for ex Seiko (700738) you will find several discussions over the fake Alpinists carrying the same serial number.

Here is a comparison on real/fake involving the 700738 serials:

 

Oh, My! Now I am changing my mind. I did think the Seiko etching on the case back looked rough, and was unaware that exact serial number was linked to fakes. If you really bought that on Amazon, and can prove it, you should call them. How is it that you are just figuring this out 4 years later, though?

Kat


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The 6R15 looks good to me. Wouldn't it be a bit odd to use a genuine movement in a fake?

Plus the whole full kit thing - would someone assemble all that to legitimize it and sell on Amazon ?

I'll go with this scenario to find a way it could be fake:
Man buys real one on Amazon,
Upon arrival swaps in cheap fake
Returns for full refund
Seller unwittingly resells to next guy.

It's the oldest trick in the book with Swiss watches and their high quality counterfeits

You go to jail for committing mail fraud by the way

 

The case back Seiko etching, sloppy dial printing and oft used fake serial number do point to fake. The movement is puzzling, though could be faked. Do we know this guy, is my question. He could be seeing how well it could pass, and could have shown pic of a real movement to fool us. Note the different background in movement pic, someone else in that pic and the strap laying there, as if just swapped. Just sayin’…..

Kat


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I still think the movement looks off, and not something that is Seiko produced.
Below is a comparison with a genuine 6R15D. Specifically the area where the red arrow points is way to coarse and also the print on the winding weight uses the wrong font and thickness.
Also if you look closely, there are other areas with questionable finish and fit.

The pics are of the same watch just different times I took pictures.

Philip, it's a real bummer that Amazon sold you a fake watch. I would reach out to them and ask for the money back. They are usually interested in resolving these issues, even after 4 years have passed.
Best of luck!

BR,
David

 

The case back Seiko etching, sloppy dial printing and oft used fake serial number do point to fake. The movement is puzzling, though could be faked. Do we know this guy, is my question. He could be seeing how well it could pass, and could have shown pic of a real movement to fool us. Note the different background in movement pic, someone else in that pic and the strap laying there, as if just swapped. Just sayin’…..

Kat


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The pics are of the same watch just different times I took pictures.

 

Amazon does not have Seikos made just for them, and certainly the SARB017 was not made for Amazon. I have never heard of an “Amazon Exclusive” Seiko. I HAVE seen Seiko do that for Macy’s.


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Amazon does not have Seikos made just for them, and certainly the SARB017 was not made for Amazon. I have never heard of an “Amazon Exclusive” Seiko. I HAVE seen Seiko do that for Macy’s.


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Amazon does not have Seikos made just for them, and certainly the SARB017 was not made for Amazon. I have never heard of an “Amazon Exclusive” Seiko. I HAVE seen Seiko do that for Macy’s.


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this is from seiko usa

 

Guess you’re right. Mine must be the same, then. There is a watch with your same serial number “for sale on eBay” right now.

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I can easily go back three years in my Amazon purchase history, that and the pics and posts after re-reading are starting to remind me of low tide, as in something a bit fishy. But hey! At least it was not an inheritance

 

Nice work @dnill

 

Was Amazon who fulfilled the order, or some 3rd party shop that uses they’re online platform or 3PL services? My understanding is Amazon is a Seiko AD and the seller would have appeared as Sold by Amazon.com if they were who you bought the watch from

Also, my understanding from working in the supply chain industry with Amazon being a former client is returns do not go back to Amazon, but rather third party clearing houses who then resell what can be sold.


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OP said Amazon told him it was an exclusive model to Amazon, that was supplied by Seiko, USA. Originally the SARB017 was only available from Japan. It must have been a return, that someone switched out for a fake and it was then resold to OP. That is the most likely scenario.


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The one difference I know between Amazon SARB017s and others is that the ones from Amazon came in the more basic squarish Seiko box, instead of the long flat Seiko box. This caused some confusion initially, but I believe it is fairly well documented now.

I ordered mine direct from Amazon (not a 3rd party seller). Amazon would not accept mine as a return 3 days out of the return window. There was a piece of lint that appeared in the date window, I got nowhere near the 50 hrs reserve, it was not running in spec, and I just never bonded with the watch. Amazon recommended that I send it to the US Seiko service center for repair, which I did with no issues. I used my Amazon order information as Proof of Purchase since Amazon does not provide a signed warranty card. The lint was removed, and it runs very accurately now. There was no charge except I had to pay outbound shipping. Unfortunately, I still get more reserve out of my 7S and 4R movements, and I still haven't bonded with it.

You just made me go double check mine, and everything else looks right to my eye, although I haven't opened up the case to look at the movement.