** Errata - 11:20 I voiced the genuine and fake thicknesses the wrong way round. The fake is 13.8mm thick and the Genuine is 13.3mm ** ** EDIT - Also forgot to mention, most of these fakes seem to have the same serial number being 630711 - including the one featured here. ** In this video I perform a very comprehensive comparison of a very convincing clone of a $500 Seiko Prospex PADI Pepsi divers watch.
Probably because the fake caseback wasn't as tight and it was ready to leak on your first dive. Imagine people complaining online that their SEIKO diver leaked.
Yep I also have a fake, Same serial as yours. I also noticed the font used on the caseback is wrong. The k in seiko is much different and also they didn't add the special edition marking to the back either.
I really liked how you meticulously open up the watch and examine every single details. I have gained much knowledge not only how to identify fake and genuine watches but also be able to see and understand the art of making it works to what it truly becomes of the watch. Thank you.
Good educational video Mark . I am going to share this one on a few more groups for you so people are more aware. Glad I spotted the fake yesterday in the FB group ! I’d have died if I got it wrong...
The scariest part you mentioned is that if the fake was closer in value to the real you may have gone for it! Thanks for the review and alerting us on what to watch out for!
The real problem is that the fake is a better value for the money, and is just simply using the generic movement along with the old 60 click bezel and sticker.
@@OrbitalRescueSage I have a fake SKX, I also have the original and bought the fake to do some modding and use it as a beater on holidays since the original is now out of production. The problem is that, if you like watches, you won't stop looking at the imperfections and noticing the lower quality details. Also, if you like a brand, then you know you're wearing a fake and it's not the same thing, regardless of the price (the SKX is not an expensive watch). If you don't care about the watch itself and just want to show off and buy a fake Rolex just as a status symbol, then it's a different story.
@@TommasoPaba - I couldn’t agree more with you. When you wear an expensive looking copy, you tend to be shy in case someone “knows”. You are then watching for reactions. In Asia many people “know” and it’s hard to get away with it, but back in the US or UK, people are not so aware and discerning unless you attend a watchmakers convention wearing one, or people know you’ve just got back from Asia and they might guess.
This video scared the hell out of me and I have to grab mine and check it from top to bottom with a loupe in hand. The verdict, GENUINE. Thanks Mark for uploading.
Quite an interesting video. Good stuff to know. Thank you for teaching these differences. I am sure a lot of people will get a lot out of this. Something else I noticed is that where the crown meets the watch on the genuine, it's flat, or dimples in but on the fake, it buttons outward towards the watch
Well, the NH36 comes stock with the grey movement spacer which is actually 1mm thinner than the black Seiko diver’s movement spacer. It also comes with a 3 o’clock day wheel that needs to be replaced with one for the 4 o’clock crown position. I mod Seikos as well as build them from scratch with aftermarket case parts and have extensive experience with this movement as an upgrade to the 7S26. The NH36 is manufactured in either Malaysia or Japan according to the TMI technical guide for the movement.
But there is no real difference between a 4R... and NH36. So Seiko have done the "upgrade" in name so that fakes can be spotted. So would a strip down reveal anything?
NH36A are great movements and widely used on cheap watches from other brands, my invicta pro diver have the Sii and NH36A markings on the weight next to the Invicta Marking, the NH36A is manufactured by Seiko and it is farly cheap, only 34-37usd on ebay.
Geday Mark, The movement is a genuine NH36. You can buy them for about 40USD from the Chinese shopping sites. There wouldn't be an economic reason to copy them. The "Tribal Tattoos" under the rotor are pretty common on all 7S derived movements. Not sure of the reason, perhaps it's part of the rivet for the bearing? The rest is garbage though. The hair would have been introduced by the guy fitting the "decoration disc". As far as I'm aware, All SEIKO movements except GS are made in one of several factories around Asia. There's no discernible difference between any of them, and when you think about it rationally, would the Japanese find it acceptable for each factory to just kinda do their own thing? The theories about some sort of secret sauce being in a movement from a certain country just aren't true. I don't think any of the 7S derived movements are manufactured on the Japanese homeland. That said, it's somewhat common for the SEIKO robots to be asleep at the wheel and do some truly terrible oiling, but it's not isolated to one factory. There's no such thing as a "monday, wednesday, friday movement", to use a British car industry analogy. The stock oiling on the 7S derived movements ranges from "Just OK" to "Absolutely awful". But this is why the movements are $40 and not many hundreds. If you rebuild a stock 7S derived movement, oil it with MOEBIUS oils, they usually perform between 10-30 degrees better amplitude wise and have a much straighter timegrapher line. Another point to note is since the 7S36C variant, the lower barrel arbor has been jewelled, which solves the major wear issue with these movements and the introduction of the ETA style regulator pin, a lot of the issues with these movements can be tuned out.
Thanks so much for this comparison. The replica/fakes are getting better and better as they are now branding the movements with fairly convincing accuracy to the untrained eye. I used to be a bargain hunter but now I only purchase direct or from an authorized seller. Bottom line is how YOU personally feel when you wear your watch. Do you want to wonder if it's real or have that piece of mind that it's 100% genuine?
Thank you for the brilliant explanation. I thought some of the Turtle deals were too good to be true. I feel satisfied that I bought mine from a local Seiko Dealer 👍😎
Yes Mark, They are very identical. I do own them both. A fake from Thailand for 110 Euro and an Original from Holland's shop in a promotion for 400 Euro. Yes, the original is far well finished and better in many things in outside! But like time keeping! The original Seiko and the fake did and do perform totally equal and outstanding!!! The Fake did run (After my intervention) in 2 to 3 sec + in a day! So, every Sunday I noticed some 10 to 15 sec + ! Than in the night on Saturday and Sunday I take the Watch of my hand for the night and put it on the shelf next to my bed with the glass downside (which was the position for my Watch to loose time)!!! So, in the Mondays I see my Fake watch again in minus 15 seconds. I never did unscrew the crown to correct the time for SEVEN months. I did use the crown every second month to change the calendar to jump from 31 to 1, because not every month has 31 days... After the Seventh month my wife did buy me an Original one and the "old one" i did give to her Father. p.s. do not laugh, at that time I thought it was an original Seiko, b.w. her Papa is happy with that Seiko! me to with his daughter!!! ;) peace .v..
Thank you so much for your in-depth evaluation of the watch. I personally owned one and had concern after seeing some disparaging information regarding the watch. Thanks to you I have absolutely qualified my example as authentic.
I have a lot of customers buying them from wish and even Amazon, some of them don't hack, even though the moment is a nh36. Another issue I noticed is the waterproofing is a dead give away, one customer brought one in, after he washes his hands it was soaked, I cleaned it out and gave it back to him and it seems like the water was coming in through the crown
Thank you, Mark, for this detailed comparison. Clearly, there's no honor in supporting the fake product industry but videos like these are critical for alerting consumers to the sophisticated tactics of counterfeit peddlers. Buying a fake for the sake of exposing its fake-ness is worthwhile education. I fully agree with your final assessment that it's the consumer's responsibility to recognize deceptive marketing, suspect the deals that are "too good to be true" and understand that you probably aren't the lucky one who found an honest seller willing to unload a brand new $500 Prospex for $75. If one believes that a genuine Prospex can be sold new for $75, then one must also believe that the labor and materials to build it could not have exceeded about $30 --a ridiculous conclusion that forms the "suspension of reality" that counterfeit peddlers count on to grow their business. Wonderful work, as always!
Using robotic assembly? Considering you can buy a NH36 for under $40 therefore with everyone in that chain making profit they probably cost Seiko a few dollars to make. Each robot installing one piece per second according to Seiko so a watch might only be taking minutes. Maybe if Seiko actually used some of their lower midrange movements in watches under $1000 or so, better materials and tightened up QC so misaligned parts were far less common the copies or homages would have a harder time selling?
What does the VI mean in the date window of the genuine one, at first? BTW, it looks like the genuine weight also has a hair but it is laying underneath
I'd be inclined to believe it's a genuine NH36 looking at the detailed close ups. Having seen some cheaply made clones of Seiko movements they seem to be noticeably worse in finish. Edges of bridges etc. Which makes sense considering how cheap the NH movements are anyway. Someone mentioned micro brands and cost, bear in mind that while many micro brands watches do use the NH they're typically (at least), checked and regulated for accuracy and (hopefully) assembled in cleaner environments than most fakes which are being pumped out lightning fast.
Good morning, maybe you have forgotten to mention about the calendar's function, if this is well centered on its display and how it feels when you pass the numbers or the days. Thanks a lot.
@@johncoops6897 why are you so worked up about his comment ? Did the last 2 years calm you down ? Or are you still upset about random things in your life ?
i’m not sure about that. Even a bronz or titanium zelos with a 1000m rating still charge under $1k with a nh35 inside. some very basic micros will attempt a 600$ nh35 watch but i think that’s the limit the market will pay - at that point you might as well get a seiko. Which micros do you know charging +1k?
My heart skipped a beat when I saw this video. Quickly checked my Pady turtle and luckily it is a real Seiko. 4R36 on the dial, numbered bracelet, divers extension, Red to 20 ... everything is correct. Bought a year ago for the price of 460 euros (517 USD). Thanks for the info.
Bought mine a few days ago at Macy’s for $400 USD plus tax, it was a weekend sale. I just checked mine and it’s authentic. I have all the paperwork and warranty card.
@josephk7530 I buy many turtles at macys. All legit. I bought from ebay as well and all legit as well. I usually compare the seikos I buy in ebay to one of the many seikos I own. So far so good.
There are a lot of genuine replacing / spare parts out there, even the cases can be bought, a new bezel insert is also no problem and I am not mentioning all the mods and the parts for them... Only the purchase of a specific dial sometimes can be a bit tricky. It was only the questions of time when Seiko will have to deal with not only mod but fakes also. As a Seikopath you also has to be aware of so called "Franken-Watches" older models with newer genuine part... There is so much to tell about...
Although there are obvious signs of lower quality those could be addressed 4 less than the difference between the two watches. So the question is if it looks like a Seiko, runs like a Seiko and although most critical bits or actually made by seiko.... unless you are a diver which one is actually the best value?
Amazing demonstration, thanks. I am afraid to check my watch now... And my suspicions have been confirmed: I got burned with a fake, not too great either.
Excellent review. I no longer buy watches off Amazon or Ebay because virtually everything that ticks is now being counterfeited. I will only buy from ADs whose online stores are an extension to their brick and mortar operations. One such is Island Watch (NYC) and another is H S Johnson in the UK. There are others, of course, but those have been reliable watch sellers for me.
I had to watch this twice. The second time holding the PADI I bought a few years ago but not worn. The lazy gits didn't fill out the warranty card on mine. The strap matches the real one and came with Prospex tags. The rotating bezel is at half seconds with the lume not protruding. The threads on the crown look good. The difference on mine is that the dial and case back have "Movement Japan" written next to the 4R36. I didn't open it up because I don't have a case back opener like yours and I don't want to scratch it up. Question, how did you determine the manufactured date from the serial number?
I think I also spotted the S on the Fakeo is shaped slightly differently. But based on those manufacturing imperfections on the genuine (which is quite to my surprise) perhaps the logos aren't identical you compare two genuine side by side also?
FFS. It's a genuine Seiko movement so there is ABSOLUTELY no point comparing it to a genuine Seiko movement. The big question is... are you smart enough to work out why?
I own a pair of turtle PADI exactly same as you have but I have changed my bracelet for miltat Super Jubilee, I have big problem right out the box my watch are -55 sec daily is this possible that they came like this from the factory? What can I do to fix it guys?
Thanks Mark for a real eye opener. I for one would like to see a full strip down just to see if the movement is indeed real. Where did you purchase your SRPA21K from. I actually like it so much I would like to get same. Cheers: khawp khun maak khrap
Thanks for all the nice videos. You should do one on a service on a speedmaster. Albeit being quite a common watch, there doesn't seem to be any video about servicing it on the web...
One of the biggest tells in these fakes is the click-mechanism on the timing-bezel. I'd love it if you could do a video on that. All genuine Seiko's have a system with a flat clickspring where the bezel with its cutouts sits on top. Many other and cheaper watches have a system with a oversized click-spring like on a mainspring barrel inside the bezel, which makes it clicking and unidirectional, but also far less nice and sophisticated-feeling. I know this because I removed the bezels from all my watches that have one (using the right tool, not a hacksaw like one can see people claim is perfectly fine on the YT). But very few ever open up a cheap bezel...
This is the very first Watch Repair Channel video that I have laid eyes on. I enjoyed the presentation and production values. I subscribed immediately after the video, which is an odd thing for me to do, as I am a crabby old S.O.B. that likes naught, and dislikes being "bothered". Thanks for the dose of watch education, and I look forward to seeing more of your videos. Good day.
Hi there. I am new to this art... I just found a Victorinox 24524 which works with the crown out... Could it be fixed? I have tried to contact the manufacturer, but it is no longer in production, so it can't be fixed. I am from El Salvador, by the way, and it is quite expensive to find good pieces here.
I’ve watched a lot of fake / real comparisons but nothing like a genuine watchmaker pro doing it. !! Love to see some Oris watches taken apart, just got a genuine Aquis. !! A real beauty
I was going to say, aren't they both seiko movements? The nh36 is the older work horse(cheaper) movement? I'm new to all this so don't judge me too harshly.
Jeffrey Tally , I think the NH versions are the same series but just meant for resale to other manufacturers to put into their watches. I did not know about the different locations of production mentioned by Jay.
NH36 and 4r36 are the same accept for the labeling on the counter weight. Both runs the same if you calibrate it. NH36 is for the open market sellers or manufacturer who wants to use Seiko movement.
Hello. 23:30 "Did I miss any detail that might be usefull?" . I don't know if you consider a waterproof test a "detail" for a diver's watch... LOL I own a "standard" Seiko Pepsi (not the PADI one) with over a hundred dives to it's log (among which a -65 metres) and it's been running beautifully for more than ten years. It has been a bit fast during the first eight years (+ 3 minutes/month), and the accuracy has improved over the last two years, so I guess the frictions in the movement are increasing a little... But, so far, so good! This is by far the best watch I've ever had. At the time, I paid 200€ for this timepiece, and that was (as time has told) really worth it! Seiko is a high quality and reliable brand with reasonable prices. A friend of mine bought a 600€ Tissot that got full of water after five -30 metres dives (maybe an expensive fake... ). But if you don't dive, I believe any middle of the road fake or cheaper brand should do the job. And speaking about accuracy, we all have atomic controled time on our smartphones... When Covid period is over, I may go for a Russian "Vostok" watch ( meranom.com/en/amphibian-classic/ ). Automatic and waterproof, some original designs, same factory since 1942 and appointed by the Russian army. From 60$ to 300$, but same movement inside. They have more expensive and designer models fitted with some Japanese movement.
Yep, we all hate fakes, but getting a genuine seiko movement & 99% of the look.....🤔. I can see why some would buy this particular fake with their eyes-open & be completely happy with it. I would never buy a feiko, but I do have a few very cheap Chinese watches with genuine seiko & miyota movements that I'm 100% happy with. The seiko SARB I own is perfection to me (even under the loupe) & If I'd paid full price for Mark's seiko, those identified defects would really bother me & I'd have return it.
The only thing about the fake that made me say "That stinks" was the misalignment of the calendar. Other than that, I was waiting for the part that proves the genuine is worth 4-5 times the cost. Didn't see it.
This video helped me identify a fake Padi that I bought second hand. Bezel was super nice and had the right feel like the Original. It had the NH36 text, greenish dial and the pip on the bezel tjat gave it away. I got a full refund and now buying the real thing, retail! Thanks mate!
Got mine through UK distributor, all the shops had sold out & all said there was a waiting list. Got the distributors number phoned them & it was here next day. The thing that really impressed me was the lume. I think if you like watches you should own at least one Seiko.
Hey! I want to buy a seiko automatic diver Watch! But I’m confused between two models. Seiko SRPE09K1 monster vs seiko SRPE07K1 turtle. While SRPE09K1 fits quite in my budget SRPE07K1 is a bit over budget (5000 Indian rupee more) ! Is it worth to go over budget and go on to buy SRPE07K1 or is SRPE09K1 just fine ? Help will be really appreciated 😊
This is a SUPER FANTASTIC REVIEW! The fake seiko is actually amazing with that price point, if a Seiko Modder get that fake, they could easily replace the dial, change the mineral glass to sapphire, mod the bezel insert to ceramic, caseback with aftermarket parts / mods and they only need to say, "This is a modded seiko," All is well. Yes they will spend around 200 USD more, but still much cheaper than the original seiko in that model This explains why so many micro brands are making homage watch, especially focusing on Seiko Turtle, SKX, Tuna, Marinemaster lookalike, but with their own brand + Seiko NH35/NH36 (Which is made outside Japan) + SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL + CERAMIC Bezel + They have amazing finishing touch, no misalignment or any funny QC issues. And the selling price is a half, or even a quarter compared to the original seiko which those homage watches are referring to. For Example: Heimdallr, San Martin, Steeldive, and many more!
What if the Chinese copy was on par with the original? I heard the Chinese are making good watches nowadays. I heard they will be the leading watch makers in the future. Good upload!
You never miss a thing dude! You're meticulous and competent which is why I like your videos....I think we need to see if the fake will stand up to the die grinder test......
I have four watches by Steeldive which for the most part make homage dive watches of early designs mostly Seiko,all utilise the NH35 movement.All of them have a beat error of about 1.1 to 1.3,it would be interesting to see you strip that fake and see how much that rather large beat error can be corrected.I am happy with the steeldive version of the old Seiko 6105 turtle which is of a very good standard,especially when you see what the originals are selling for..............................
I had a Seiko watch about forty years ago, nothing fancy just a relatively heavy stainless sports watch that was popular at the time. A couple of years ago I was looking for a classic AMW 320R Casio divers watch (the ‘Arnie’ Schwarzenegger), didn’t realise it had been discontinued and instead I bought a Seiko 200m scuba divers watch, this wasn’t a cheap watch, I sourced it internationally from EBay in the US, I’d only owned the watch a few months when I realised I was adjusting the time on a regular basis, eventually I mailed the watch to Seiko UK for repairs, they charged me £90 and returned the watch with a faulty winder and it was still losing time on a regular basis, I returned it a second time with a cover letter and a copy of my ‘repair’ invoice, they tried charging me £90 for the second time and after a long exchange of emails it was returned, the winder had been repaired but it still loses time. In the interim I’d bought a second ‘cheap’ Seiko for around £110, it lasted about a year and just stopped, I mailed it to Seiko and surprise it’s a £90 repair, returned to me just before Covid 19 started and it hadn’t been repaired at all, six months later it was returned to me in working condition except the day display was stuck on and displaying Thursday, Lots of emails back and forth with Seiko UK asking for a further £90 to repair the watch for a second time, eventually they have returned the watch to me but the experience with Seiko uk has soured my relationship with this manufacturer and I’d opt for Casio or similar next time around.
Thanks, Mark that was great fun. I was able to follow along with my identical fake PADI with you and learn from the master. At about $45 USD, I knew it was a fake and was greatly encouraged to learn it has a real NH36 movement at least. Still looking forward to the start of level 4 chrono classes. Cheers from the US!
So Once again, another buyers tip! the fake is a bargain! get the fake and save nearly $500!! keeps great time, looks the same to the naked eye and costs a fraction of the price!
A very good comparison. I was surprised that a watch of this price range would be targeted for counterfeiting, but I can see that it can return some good money for these bandits.
They are counterfeiting everything now. With guitars it used to only be the top of the line stuff that had fakes. Now fake Epiphones and Squires are showing up. Those are the import downmarket lines from Gibson and Fender.
** Errata - 11:20 I voiced the genuine and fake thicknesses the wrong way round. The fake is 13.8mm thick and the Genuine is 13.3mm **
** EDIT - Also forgot to mention, most of these fakes seem to have the same serial number being 630711 - including the one featured here. **
In this video I perform a very comprehensive comparison of a very convincing clone of a $500 Seiko Prospex PADI Pepsi divers watch.
Probably because the fake caseback wasn't as tight and it was ready to leak on your first dive. Imagine people complaining online that their SEIKO diver leaked.
Thanks for this. Seems to me most of the attention is paid to fake Rolex’s, which is interesting, but only part of the story.
Is it just me, I think the fake dial looks slightly better than the genuine one? 😳
Can you make a review about ciga z series
Yep I also have a fake, Same serial as yours. I also noticed the font used on the caseback is wrong. The k in seiko is much different and also they didn't add the special edition marking to the back either.
I really liked how you meticulously open up the watch and examine every single details. I have gained much knowledge not only how to identify fake and genuine watches but also be able to see and understand the art of making it works to what it truly becomes of the watch. Thank you.
Thanks only someone of your caliber could pull this off, this is the first detailed and best comparison anywhere on RUclips hands down.
Good educational video Mark . I am going to share this one on a few more groups for you so people are more aware.
Glad I spotted the fake yesterday in the FB group ! I’d have died if I got it wrong...
It was easy!
The fake is the one with the properly aligned chapter ring...
Hello, can you please tell me if you've heard of fake Dracula Monsters?
can you do a water pressure test on the case, it would be interesting to see how well that works
Excellent idea! Will it withstand against 2 atm of pressure?
consider the maliciousness of an uncertified depth rating 😱
probably as water resistant as a screen door on a submarine.
I would probably be very inconsistent from unit to unit.
Your videography has really improved over the last two years. Thanks for educating us!
The scariest part you mentioned is that if the fake was closer in value to the real you may have gone for it! Thanks for the review and alerting us on what to watch out for!
The real problem is that the fake is a better value for the money, and is just simply using the generic movement along with the old 60 click bezel and sticker.
@@OrbitalRescueSage Depends on what purpose you buy it for. I suspect that the fake one won't be waterproof.
@@heiner71 it takes 15 minutes of relubing seals and tightening caseback to make it properly waterproof.
@@OrbitalRescueSage I have a fake SKX, I also have the original and bought the fake to do some modding and use it as a beater on holidays since the original is now out of production. The problem is that, if you like watches, you won't stop looking at the imperfections and noticing the lower quality details. Also, if you like a brand, then you know you're wearing a fake and it's not the same thing, regardless of the price (the SKX is not an expensive watch). If you don't care about the watch itself and just want to show off and buy a fake Rolex just as a status symbol, then it's a different story.
@@TommasoPaba - I couldn’t agree more with you. When you wear an expensive looking copy, you tend to be shy in case someone “knows”. You are then watching for reactions. In Asia many people “know” and it’s hard to get away with it, but back in the US or UK, people are not so aware and discerning unless you attend a watchmakers convention wearing one, or people know you’ve just got back from Asia and they might guess.
This video scared the hell out of me and I have to grab mine and check it from top to bottom with a loupe in hand. The verdict, GENUINE. Thanks Mark for uploading.
Excellent and very interesting video; would’ve loved to have seen the two movements be put through a timegrapher though!
Quite an interesting video. Good stuff to know. Thank you for teaching these differences. I am sure a lot of people will get a lot out of this. Something else I noticed is that where the crown meets the watch on the genuine, it's flat, or dimples in but on the fake, it buttons outward towards the watch
Just goes to show that the original should be priced at around $200.00.
Best comment!
Yeah I don't think that watch is as much elsewhere. He bought it from Thailand. Seikos in Thailand are more expensive, probably due to the import tax.
My thoughts too, the real one's price is inflated.
Pay the 75 🤣
Nice video!
The stick-on 4R36A was hilarious 😆
I might have missed it but, did you check the case finishes?
Love your channel! Your in-depth knowledge and attention to detail are spot on and make everything so much more interesting.
This was REVELATORY! I would never have known w/o your in depth analysis! Thank you sir!
Watching this with autogenerated captions:
How to spot a fake psycho vs a real psycho. ☺
That's good advice you just can't buy. Cheers Mark!
Amazing that they made all the work with marking the movement to look like the genuine one. Not too many open up the back case on a working automatic.
Well, the NH36 comes stock with the grey movement spacer which is actually 1mm thinner than the black Seiko diver’s movement spacer. It also comes with a 3 o’clock day wheel that needs to be replaced with one for the 4 o’clock crown position. I mod Seikos as well as build them from scratch with aftermarket case parts and have extensive experience with this movement as an upgrade to the 7S26. The NH36 is manufactured in either Malaysia or Japan according to the TMI technical guide for the movement.
Por eso sigen Siendo medio original, emplea moviento Seiko..
Yes please, further strip down and comparison, would like that very much.
But there is no real difference between a 4R... and NH36. So Seiko have done the "upgrade" in name so that fakes can be spotted. So would a strip down reveal anything?
NH36A are great movements and widely used on cheap watches from other brands, my invicta pro diver have the Sii and NH36A markings on the weight next to the Invicta Marking, the NH36A is manufactured by Seiko and it is farly cheap, only 34-37usd on ebay.
Geday Mark,
The movement is a genuine NH36. You can buy them for about 40USD from the Chinese shopping sites. There wouldn't be an economic reason to copy them. The "Tribal Tattoos" under the rotor are pretty common on all 7S derived movements. Not sure of the reason, perhaps it's part of the rivet for the bearing? The rest is garbage though. The hair would have been introduced by the guy fitting the "decoration disc".
As far as I'm aware, All SEIKO movements except GS are made in one of several factories around Asia. There's no discernible difference between any of them, and when you think about it rationally, would the Japanese find it acceptable for each factory to just kinda do their own thing? The theories about some sort of secret sauce being in a movement from a certain country just aren't true. I don't think any of the 7S derived movements are manufactured on the Japanese homeland. That said, it's somewhat common for the SEIKO robots to be asleep at the wheel and do some truly terrible oiling, but it's not isolated to one factory. There's no such thing as a "monday, wednesday, friday movement", to use a British car industry analogy. The stock oiling on the 7S derived movements ranges from "Just OK" to "Absolutely awful". But this is why the movements are $40 and not many hundreds. If you rebuild a stock 7S derived movement, oil it with MOEBIUS oils, they usually perform between 10-30 degrees better amplitude wise and have a much straighter timegrapher line. Another point to note is since the 7S36C variant, the lower barrel arbor has been jewelled, which solves the major wear issue with these movements and the introduction of the ETA style regulator pin, a lot of the issues with these movements can be tuned out.
In bulk these movements have to be $15-20 since there are Invicta models which sell for $50 that use this movement.
Thanks so much for this comparison. The replica/fakes are getting better and better as they are now branding the movements with fairly convincing accuracy to the untrained eye. I used to be a bargain hunter but now I only purchase direct or from an authorized seller. Bottom line is how YOU personally feel when you wear your watch. Do you want to wonder if it's real or have that piece of mind that it's 100% genuine?
Great lighting/backdrop/framing for your face shots in this video!
Thank you for the brilliant explanation. I thought some of the Turtle deals were too good to be true. I feel satisfied that I bought mine from a local Seiko Dealer 👍😎
Yes Mark, They are very identical. I do own them both. A fake from Thailand for 110 Euro and an Original from Holland's shop in a promotion for 400 Euro. Yes, the original is far well finished and better in many things in outside! But like time keeping! The original Seiko and the fake did and do perform totally equal and outstanding!!! The Fake did run (After my intervention) in 2 to 3 sec + in a day! So, every Sunday I noticed some 10 to 15 sec + ! Than in the night on Saturday and Sunday I take the Watch of my hand for the night and put it on the shelf next to my bed with the glass downside (which was the position for my Watch to loose time)!!! So, in the Mondays I see my Fake watch again in minus 15 seconds. I never did unscrew the crown to correct the time for SEVEN months. I did use the crown every second month to change the calendar to jump from 31 to 1, because not every month has 31 days... After the Seventh month my wife did buy me an Original one and the "old one" i did give to her Father. p.s. do not laugh, at that time I thought it was an original Seiko, b.w. her Papa is happy with that Seiko! me to with his daughter!!! ;)
peace .v..
Thank you so much for your in-depth evaluation of the watch. I personally owned one and had concern after seeing some disparaging information regarding the watch. Thanks to you I have absolutely qualified my example as authentic.
I have a lot of customers buying them from wish and even Amazon, some of them don't hack, even though the moment is a nh36. Another issue I noticed is the waterproofing is a dead give away, one customer brought one in, after he washes his hands it was soaked, I cleaned it out and gave it back to him and it seems like the water was coming in through the crown
Watch Repair Channel Mark thank you for your videos and the calming effect bring and have brought to we the viewers in hectic times.
Thank you, Mark, for this detailed comparison. Clearly, there's no honor in supporting the fake product industry but videos like these are critical for alerting consumers to the sophisticated tactics of counterfeit peddlers. Buying a fake for the sake of exposing its fake-ness is worthwhile education. I fully agree with your final assessment that it's the consumer's responsibility to recognize deceptive marketing, suspect the deals that are "too good to be true" and understand that you probably aren't the lucky one who found an honest seller willing to unload a brand new $500 Prospex for $75. If one believes that a genuine Prospex can be sold new for $75, then one must also believe that the labor and materials to build it could not have exceeded about $30 --a ridiculous conclusion that forms the "suspension of reality" that counterfeit peddlers count on to grow their business. Wonderful work, as always!
Using robotic assembly? Considering you can buy a NH36 for under $40 therefore with everyone in that chain making profit they probably cost Seiko a few dollars to make. Each robot installing one piece per second according to Seiko so a watch might only be taking minutes.
Maybe if Seiko actually used some of their lower midrange movements in watches under $1000 or so, better materials and tightened up QC so misaligned parts were far less common the copies or homages would have a harder time selling?
Very interesting video and learned a lot again, I expected to see the circular saw at the end that would split this fake Seiko in 2 pieces.
Wow, a Feiko! Great review - thanks!
Feiko xD
10/10
Was a very eye opening video, as you said the average person would not have been able to spot a lot of the differences you pointed out. Thanks
Love the effort that you put in this video comparison. Thank you.
Just for curiousity. Did you have to pay any custom duties on the expensive one? Thanks
What does the VI mean in the date window of the genuine one, at first? BTW, it looks like the genuine weight also has a hair but it is laying underneath
Cheers Mark,can you do the waterproof test on em ?
This channel had become my reference for watches info. Thanks a lot!
hello sir, any chances on testing the water resist on the fake?
Thanks ! It's a very interesting review about details out of the eye, and thank's for speak an english very very clearly for Spanish people!
Fascinating! Brilliantly made video, I was waiting for you to do this. Thank you, I so enjoy your videos, love your channel.
Thanks for taking the time to make such a entertaining and informative video
It's remarkable that the Seiko brand is being imitated and that it has a "real" Seiko movement.
in that case it is not a fake seiko, just a different module
@@romybuenaventura3133 not made by Seiko though
I'd be inclined to believe it's a genuine NH36 looking at the detailed close ups. Having seen some cheaply made clones of Seiko movements they seem to be noticeably worse in finish. Edges of bridges etc. Which makes sense considering how cheap the NH movements are anyway. Someone mentioned micro brands and cost, bear in mind that while many micro brands watches do use the NH they're typically (at least), checked and regulated for accuracy and (hopefully) assembled in cleaner environments than most fakes which are being pumped out lightning fast.
Amazing! My Feiko has exactly the same serial number as yours and yes, the misaligned day complication is REALLY annoying....
Then buy a real one
Good morning, maybe you have forgotten to mention about the calendar's function, if this is well centered on its display and how it feels when you pass the numbers or the days. Thanks a lot.
Great review. You have convinced me to get a fake. All that watch for 75 USD is amazing.
Yes, the 4R36 and the NH36 are the exact same movement just with different branding made by Seiko. The NH36 is just an OEM version of the movement ;)
Oh, so you watched the video too, did you? And what's the point of your totally redundant comment?
@@johncoops6897 why are you so worked up about his comment ? Did the last 2 years calm you down ? Or are you still upset about random things in your life ?
Hello Mark, thank you! Interesting and nice as usual, but the 2nd oart of the 6139B?
I'm amazed you bought a real Seiko with an aligned bezel.
you mean chapter ring. the whole point of the bezel is that you can align it any way you want.
@@MrMadvillan most dont have it. Seiko has serious Qc issues. They make shit watches for the price
Well most microbrands use the NH36 too..some costing more than a 1000usd
i’m not sure about that. Even a bronz or titanium zelos with a 1000m rating still charge under $1k with a nh35 inside. some very basic micros will attempt a 600$ nh35 watch but i think that’s the limit the market will pay - at that point you might as well get a seiko. Which micros do you know charging +1k?
But they're not trying to be a Seiko PADI turtle they're their own watch
A pressure test comparison should have been very interesting to see too.
question so all those seiko have stamp num?
My heart skipped a beat when I saw this video. Quickly checked my Pady turtle and luckily it is a real Seiko. 4R36 on the dial, numbered bracelet, divers extension, Red to 20 ... everything is correct. Bought a year ago for the price of 460 euros (517 USD). Thanks for the info.
I was wondering how many others watching this were not as fortunate as you.
Bought mine a few days ago at Macy’s for $400 USD plus tax, it was a weekend sale. I just checked mine and it’s authentic. I have all the paperwork and warranty card.
Did absolutely the same.
@josephk7530 I buy many turtles at macys. All legit. I bought from ebay as well and all legit as well. I usually compare the seikos I buy in ebay to one of the many seikos I own. So far so good.
There are a lot of genuine replacing / spare parts out there, even the cases can be bought, a new bezel insert is also no problem
and I am not mentioning all the mods and the parts for them...
Only the purchase of a specific dial sometimes can be a bit tricky.
It was only the questions of time when Seiko will have to deal with not only mod but fakes also.
As a Seikopath you also has to be aware of so called "Franken-Watches" older models with newer genuine part...
There is so much to tell about...
Although there are obvious signs of lower quality those could be addressed 4 less than the difference between the two watches. So the question is if it looks like a Seiko, runs like a Seiko and although most critical bits or actually made by seiko.... unless you are a diver which one is actually the best value?
Well put.
The REAL Seiko.
Amazing demonstration, thanks. I am afraid to check my watch now...
And my suspicions have been confirmed: I got burned with a fake, not too great either.
Excellent review. I no longer buy watches off Amazon or Ebay because virtually everything that ticks is now being counterfeited. I will only buy from ADs whose online stores are an extension to their brick and mortar operations. One such is Island Watch (NYC) and another is H S Johnson in the UK. There are others, of course, but those have been reliable watch sellers for me.
I had to watch this twice. The second time holding the PADI I bought a few years ago but not worn. The lazy gits didn't fill out the warranty card on mine. The strap matches the real one and came with Prospex tags. The rotating bezel is at half seconds with the lume not protruding. The threads on the crown look good. The difference on mine is that the dial and case back have "Movement Japan" written next to the 4R36. I didn't open it up because I don't have a case back opener like yours and I don't want to scratch it up. Question, how did you determine the manufactured date from the serial number?
I think I also spotted the S on the Fakeo is shaped slightly differently. But based on those manufacturing imperfections on the genuine (which is quite to my surprise) perhaps the logos aren't identical you compare two genuine side by side also?
I would definitely like to see you strip that movement down. Great video as always!
FFS. It's a genuine Seiko movement so there is ABSOLUTELY no point comparing it to a genuine Seiko movement.
The big question is... are you smart enough to work out why?
I own a pair of turtle PADI exactly same as you have but I have changed my bracelet for miltat Super Jubilee, I have big problem right out the box my watch are -55 sec daily is this possible that they came like this from the factory? What can I do to fix it guys?
Do you ever finish the waiting for parts watches.
I noticed on the genuine the hour markings have a thicker metallic band around them and the fake is very thin.
9:10 I must say that the sunburst effect on the fake dial looks better than the original...
Thanks Mark for a real eye opener. I for one would like to see a full strip down just to see if the movement is indeed real. Where did you purchase your SRPA21K from. I actually like it so much I would like to get same. Cheers: khawp khun maak khrap
Thanks for all the nice videos. You should do one on a service on a speedmaster. Albeit being quite a common watch, there doesn't seem to be any video about servicing it on the web...
One of the biggest tells in these fakes is the click-mechanism on the timing-bezel. I'd love it if you could do a video on that. All genuine Seiko's have a system with a flat clickspring where the bezel with its cutouts sits on top. Many other and cheaper watches have a system with a oversized click-spring like on a mainspring barrel inside the bezel, which makes it clicking and unidirectional, but also far less nice and sophisticated-feeling. I know this because I removed the bezels from all my watches that have one (using the right tool, not a hacksaw like one can see people claim is perfectly fine on the YT). But very few ever open up a cheap bezel...
You by chance know if they're cloning the Dracula Monster?
This is the very first Watch Repair Channel video that I have laid eyes on. I enjoyed the presentation and production values. I subscribed immediately after the video, which is an odd thing for me to do, as I am a crabby old S.O.B. that likes naught, and dislikes being "bothered". Thanks for the dose of watch education, and I look forward to seeing more of your videos. Good day.
Hi there.
I am new to this art... I just found a Victorinox 24524 which works with the crown out... Could it be fixed? I have tried to contact the manufacturer, but it is no longer in production,
so it can't be fixed.
I am from El Salvador, by the way, and it is quite expensive to find good pieces here.
I’ve watched a lot of fake / real comparisons but nothing like a genuine watchmaker pro doing it. !! Love to see some Oris watches taken apart, just got a genuine Aquis. !! A real beauty
I really like this watch, though it's too big for my arm. Great video, I really enjoyed seeing these side by side
NH36 is assembled in malaysian warehouse. 4R36 is in house. same components but cleaner and better lubrication for 4R36.
as well as better time calibration.
I was going to say, aren't they both seiko movements? The nh36 is the older work horse(cheaper) movement? I'm new to all this so don't judge me too harshly.
Jeffrey Tally , I think the NH versions are the same series but just meant for resale to other manufacturers to put into their watches. I did not know about the different locations of production mentioned by Jay.
NH36 and 4r36 are the same accept for the labeling on the counter weight. Both runs the same if you calibrate it. NH36 is for the open market sellers or manufacturer who wants to use Seiko movement.
@@jeff1176 do you even read?
How about the rotating bezel and click spring comparison?..That's a great deal for me,
Hello. 23:30 "Did I miss any detail that might be usefull?" . I don't know if you consider a waterproof test a "detail" for a diver's watch... LOL
I own a "standard" Seiko Pepsi (not the PADI one) with over a hundred dives to it's log (among which a -65 metres) and it's been running beautifully for more than ten years. It has been a bit fast during the first eight years (+ 3 minutes/month), and the accuracy has improved over the last two years, so I guess the frictions in the movement are increasing a little... But, so far, so good! This is by far the best watch I've ever had. At the time, I paid 200€ for this timepiece, and that was (as time has told) really worth it! Seiko is a high quality and reliable brand with reasonable prices. A friend of mine bought a 600€ Tissot that got full of water after five -30 metres dives (maybe an expensive fake... ). But if you don't dive, I believe any middle of the road fake or cheaper brand should do the job. And speaking about accuracy, we all have atomic controled time on our smartphones... When Covid period is over, I may go for a Russian "Vostok" watch ( meranom.com/en/amphibian-classic/ ). Automatic and waterproof, some original designs, same factory since 1942 and appointed by the Russian army. From 60$ to 300$, but same movement inside. They have more expensive and designer models fitted with some Japanese movement.
It surprised me that the genuine Seiko has 1.1ms beat error. I should have expected a more "adjusted" watch. Thanks for the review!
I have that exact watch on my arm!!! I love the seikos. I found mine for $425. Luckily the seiko outlet had some.
Yep, we all hate fakes, but getting a genuine seiko movement & 99% of the look.....🤔. I can see why some would buy this particular fake with their eyes-open & be completely happy with it. I would never buy a feiko, but I do have a few very cheap Chinese watches with genuine seiko & miyota movements that I'm 100% happy with. The seiko SARB I own is perfection to me (even under the loupe) & If I'd paid full price for Mark's seiko, those identified defects would really bother me & I'd have return it.
Is the fake likely going to perform the same as the genuine as far as time keeping, longevity and looks? Toby.
Parts are the same but care of assembly and quality control would be worse.
Still, likely to last well imo.
The only thing about the fake that made me say "That stinks" was the misalignment of the calendar.
Other than that, I was waiting for the part that proves the genuine is worth 4-5 times the cost.
Didn't see it.
Betting your life on a fake dive watch with zero quality control.
@@TheOwlGuy777 I bet that at least half of people who own the padi turtle won't ever dive
same reason that omegas and rolexs are 10x the price
This video helped me identify a fake Padi that I bought second hand. Bezel was super nice and had the right feel like the Original. It had the NH36 text, greenish dial and the pip on the bezel tjat gave it away. I got a full refund and now buying the real thing, retail!
Thanks mate!
Got mine through UK distributor, all the shops had sold out & all said there was a waiting list. Got the distributors number phoned them & it was here next day. The thing that really impressed me was the lume. I think if you like watches you should own at least one Seiko.
Hey! I want to buy a seiko automatic diver Watch! But I’m confused between two models.
Seiko SRPE09K1 monster vs seiko SRPE07K1 turtle. While SRPE09K1 fits quite in my budget SRPE07K1 is a bit over budget (5000 Indian rupee more) ! Is it worth to go over budget and go on to buy SRPE07K1 or is SRPE09K1 just fine ? Help will be really appreciated 😊
I saw a little hack the other day for metal calipers. Use some cello tape on the ends to help prevent scratching 🤙🏼
This is a SUPER FANTASTIC REVIEW! The fake seiko is actually amazing with that price point, if a Seiko Modder get that fake, they could easily replace the dial, change the mineral glass to sapphire, mod the bezel insert to ceramic, caseback with aftermarket parts / mods and they only need to say, "This is a modded seiko," All is well. Yes they will spend around 200 USD more, but still much cheaper than the original seiko in that model
This explains why so many micro brands are making homage watch, especially focusing on Seiko Turtle, SKX, Tuna, Marinemaster lookalike, but with their own brand + Seiko NH35/NH36 (Which is made outside Japan) + SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL + CERAMIC Bezel + They have amazing finishing touch, no misalignment or any funny QC issues.
And the selling price is a half, or even a quarter compared to the original seiko which those homage watches are referring to. For Example: Heimdallr, San Martin, Steeldive, and many more!
Sir , NH36A is equal 4R36A?, sorry, i din't understand. I do'nt hear good in english yet. Thank you very much
i don't know why but the fake one seems like a better deal the more you analyse it.
This video feels like you are teaching them, how to make high-grade fake watch but its good to know how to spot the fake.
lol i'm finding it hard to be sure which is the real rip-off
What if the Chinese copy was on par with the original? I heard the Chinese are making good watches nowadays. I heard they will be the leading watch makers in the future. Good upload!
You never miss a thing dude! You're meticulous and competent which is why I like your videos....I think we need to see if the fake will stand up to the die grinder test......
I have four watches by Steeldive which for the most part make homage dive watches of early designs mostly Seiko,all utilise the NH35 movement.All of them have a beat error of about 1.1 to 1.3,it would be interesting to see you strip that fake and see how much that rather large beat error can be corrected.I am happy with the steeldive version of the old Seiko 6105 turtle which is of a very good standard,especially when you see what the originals are selling for..............................
The NH36 and the 4R36 are the same movement made from the same parts in the same factory. Both are very high quilty movements.
Shame on the scammers. Thank you for a thorough video.
how close could you get the performance of the two given the movements are almost if not the same?
The movements are identical. What performance do you mean, water resistance?
thanks for this!! immediately got my 2 seiko5's out to check the movements
I had a Seiko watch about forty years ago, nothing fancy just a relatively heavy stainless sports watch that was popular at the time.
A couple of years ago I was looking for a classic AMW 320R Casio divers watch (the ‘Arnie’ Schwarzenegger), didn’t realise it had been discontinued and instead I bought a Seiko 200m scuba divers watch, this wasn’t a cheap watch, I sourced it internationally from EBay in the US, I’d only owned the watch a few months when I realised I was adjusting the time on a regular basis, eventually I mailed the watch to Seiko UK for repairs, they charged me £90 and returned the watch with a faulty winder and it was still losing time on a regular basis, I returned it a second time with a cover letter and a copy of my ‘repair’ invoice, they tried charging me £90 for the second time and after a long exchange of emails it was returned, the winder had been repaired but it still loses time.
In the interim I’d bought a second ‘cheap’ Seiko for around £110, it lasted about a year and just stopped, I mailed it to Seiko and surprise it’s a £90 repair, returned to me just before Covid 19 started and it hadn’t been repaired at all, six months later it was returned to me in working condition except the day display was stuck on and displaying Thursday,
Lots of emails back and forth with Seiko UK asking for a further £90 to repair the watch for a second time, eventually they have returned the watch to me but the experience with Seiko uk has soured my relationship with this manufacturer and I’d opt for Casio or similar next time around.
outstanding compariison ,very clear and concise
Thanks, Mark that was great fun. I was able to follow along with my identical fake PADI with you and learn from the master. At about $45 USD, I knew it was a fake and was greatly encouraged to learn it has a real NH36 movement at least. Still looking forward to the start of level 4 chrono classes. Cheers from the US!
So Once again, another buyers tip! the fake is a bargain! get the fake and save nearly $500!! keeps great time, looks the same to the naked eye and costs a fraction of the price!
Try the fake and then the original, then let's see if you remain of the same opinion.
Going fake in life is never the way to go.
A very good comparison. I was surprised that a watch of this price range would be targeted for counterfeiting, but I can see that it can return some good money for these bandits.
They are counterfeiting everything now.
With guitars it used to only be the top of the line stuff that had fakes.
Now fake Epiphones and Squires are showing up.
Those are the import downmarket lines from Gibson and Fender.
Thsnk you for this video. This is very timely as I see these cheap authentic everywhere.