Your Seiko Might Be Fake

How To Spot A Fake Seiko Alpinist | Clicky Bezel
If Your Seiko Has This, It Might Be Fake
Did you know there are fake Seiko Alpinist watches out there? It’s a scary thought, especially for a Japanese enthusiast watch brand less than the $1000 mark.
Today, we are taking a look at a fake Seiko Alpinist replica purchased through Craigslist. We are joined by Ripley Sellers, a good friend of the channel, as he talks about his story picking up this watch replica and compares it to a genuine Seiko Alpinist to see differences from the case, to even the movement itself.
This video was filmed during Wind Up Watch Fair San Francisco 2022 as Ripley Sellers was in town from Los Angeles to share his experience with this fake Alpinist. We figured we might as well put together an impromptu video for you all. Hope you all enjoy it!
If you found this video helpful, please consider subscribing to Clicky Bezel as we have a few more videos we think you’ll find exciting. Thanks for watching and subscribing!
00:00 Intro
00:22 Acquisition Story
00:39 First Look: Dial
00:48 First Look: Strap
01:03 Doge: Ziggy
01:06 Closer Look at the Seiko Alpinist Fake
01:16 Engravings
01:31 Movement
01:53 An Even Closer Look
02:16 Case
02:39 Date Wheel
02:46 Dial
03:39 Overall
04:36 Ripley Out
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#seiko #alpinist #seikowatches #watches #seikoprospex

[@ClickyBezel]

Read my article on Fashion Beans: www.fashionbeans.com/article/seiko-alpinist-review/

[@reebud]

I watched this video.... to be honest, I still couldn't tell the differences

[@tk423b]

If the delta on the time grapher is less than 10spd, it’s not a Seiko.

[@quinncide]

This vid is actually pretty funny. “You’ll notice that the fake has a metal gear whereas the real Alpinist uses a *self lubricating polymer* gear.” Bro. The word you’re looking for is *plastic.* The real one uses a *plastic* gear smdh.

[@TerroristJames]

Very informative video. Thank you!

[@ClickyBezel]

Thanks for watching!

[@notDonaldFagen]

Because the authentics aren't crazy expensive, the same superfakers that churn out close AAA Rolex reps can pretty much match the Alpinist pretty easily. That IS scary. A lot of people want an Alp, and don't think twice about authenticity because we all assume nobody would bother to fake a Seiko under a grand.

[@greatonreviews]

Wow so informative, thank you guys.

[@ClickyBezel]

Glad it was helpful!

[@GOBbluthagain]

Love the video

[@ClickyBezel]

Thank you!

[@davidstjohn7943]

Great one, thanks both. Hope you team up again. Can't believe that fake though; not sure I'd have spotted it without taking the caseback off. Although the $40 price tag would have been a bit of a giveaway. Scary.

[@NickAlexTheo]

I noticed the misalignment of the 1 and 2 numerals at the 12 o'clock position. If you look closely it is skewed to the left a tiny bit. Or maybe my eyes fool me

[@ClickyBezel]

Thank you! Ripley is great and always welcome on the channel whenever he is in town again. Yes, it would easily fool a lot of us

[@sqh9165]

I recently ordered a Seiko from the Prestige collection I think from Ebay for my fiance as a wedding gift. I am petrified that I've ordered a fake despite doing hours on sellers. How would I go about getting it evaluated for authenticity? I am NYC based. Could I bring it to a Seiko retailer?

[@user-uf2ny4kr6g]

Hello sir my mom have a two pieces of sieko 5 watch but we didnt know if it is original or not picture indicate below, thank you

[@apayatakes]

Was hoping you could provide info on the green ridge nato strap at 4:00. Thx

[@ClickyBezel]

I got the strap from CNS Straps! I think it was called their vintage NATO? Either way, you should check them out regardless!

[@penu009]

Is the glass also sapphire on the fake watch?

[@nishikanta200]

Where to get the fake one

[@ehrenkrause9861]

Good to know if I've been looking to get that watch for the last 6 months now do my diligence

[@ClickyBezel]

Glad my video helped you out on making an informed decision on these watches! It’s unfortunate that it has come down to this, but this is the world we live in nowadays. Thanks for taking the time to watch my video!

[@mikesurratt1922]

If he had a real one right there...why couldn't he show us the difference in movements side by side..taking the case back off the real one is not that risky considering his level of competence. Why did he have to use a picture of the right movement when he had one on hand...???...???

[@ClickyBezel]

We were a bit pressed on time that day. It was totally impromptu as Ripley was in town 😅. Sorry to disappoint.

[@Qm455]

While I don't want a fake Seiko, I do, at the same time want one of these! I've been trying to find a case for modding, that has an inner rotating bezel (they just don't exist as far as I can see) and one of these would be perfect (with some major changes!). Anyway, nice vid', It's good to know about these as I would be horrified if I bought an Alp' only to find it was fake 😤.

[@ClickyBezel]

These would be perfect for modding. Thanks for watching!

[@luiscardenas2251]

What is it to get that green nylon strap? I’m doubling it.

[@WesWatchRoom]

Kinda scary to think these are out there and if you didn't have a genuine one, you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference without dismantling it.

[@ClickyBezel]

Exactly! Especially for faking a Seiko, I wouldn’t think twice about it unless something is seriously off. Thanks for watching!

[@NFS-shade]

There is no way ordinary user like me can open the watch to check the genuine condition.

[@ClickyBezel]

That’s what makes these fakes so terrifying. Unless you’ve handled a genuine Alpinist or have one side by side, it takes an expert to really point out the real from the fake.

[@atomalbert]

How do you know it’s not a factory variant? I mean if the “fake” looks exactly the same, works as advertised (e.g. 200m water resistance, sapphire crystal, daishock), is it a fake? Easier to believe it’s a fake if quality is worse than the original or different from what Seiko says the original is

[@fss5678]

Wow truly scary, a fake $700 seiko😰😰

[@ClickyBezel]

Right?! Thanks for watching!

[@beyond36horology]

Seeing this video after watching a video by Watch Crunch saying the same. Scary.

[@ClickyBezel]

I’m glad WatchCrunch made a video on this topic. It’s scary and enthusiasts should stay vigilant. Thanks for watching!

[@Awkwardfruitfly]

I’ve sent my alpinist in to seiko to have it serviced. Would they have even noticed and mentioned it to me if it was fake?

[@ClickyBezel]

I'm sure if they notice something unusual or not genuine, they will probably mentioned something to you. I hope yours is a genuine one! Thanks for watching.

[@eliasmoubarak946]

I guess fake watches can t be fixed easily

[@NickAlexTheo]

Ref no on that piece? Is that the latest version of the alpinist? The one offered in my market has different text on the dial..

[@HardePeople]

They show the old one I believe and yours will probably have the prospex logo

[@ClickyBezel]

Not sure if the exact reference number but this Alpinist belongs to the generation before Seiko started putting the Prospex logo on their dials.

[@jh-il5sb]

that would be the sarb017, of course!!

[@james6048]

Careful Ripley is good man he'll steal your fans. 😂😂

[@ClickyBezel]

It’s because of his dog Ziggy right? I’m kidding haha. What can I say, he’s an industry professional with a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for watching!

[@knight0924]

Random question but can anyone tell me what type of nato that green one is?

[@SuperMariooo25]

Could be a ribbed nato from cheapestnatostraps

[@ClickyBezel]

Bingo!

[@knight0924]

@@SuperMariooo25 thank you!

[@knight0924]

@@ClickyBezel thanks!!

[@EmHotep4520]

Would it just make sense to buy directly from Seiko or a Seiko licensed dealer?

[@ClickyBezel]

Absolutely! This is the best way to purchase a Seiko. However, a lot of enthusiasts like myself are on the secondary market to find deals. With these fakes out, it’s best to tread carefully nowadays unfortunately. Thanks for watching!

[@EmHotep4520]

@@ClickyBezel Thank you for responding. Should know of any reliable/credible watch dealers, please share.

[@ahha6304]

How do I know that my Seiko is genuine: I got a watch from online buy that 14 minutes after in 1 hour, so I send to claim at Seiko distributor, and they changed the calibre for me (as I saw some dive/pressure testing certificate, which performed 3 times) That's how I know it was genuine Seiko, I can claim for calibre QC problems haha

[@progguy10]

the funny thing about the fake alpinist is its gonna have a seiko movement. if that worked on rolexes id buy more fake rolexes

[@ClickyBezel]

The ultimate Frankenstein haha. Thanks for watching!

[@japd7897]

The chances I could identify a fake one is 0%.

[@ClickyBezel]

Scary isn’t it?! Thanks for watching.

[@ThurstonHowell3rd]

Buying directly from Seiko, Casio, etc is the best way to avoid getting a fake. More expensive yes, but you'll have peace knowing that it's 100% genuine.

[@24934637]

Believe it or not, I actually own a fake Casio F91W!

[@lincolnbeard3110]

We don't deserve Ripley!

[@ClickyBezel]

It’s like he’s done this before!

[@SgtDuster]

Now knowing that it's a fake and putting that aside, I think that you can say that you got a good watch for 40$.

[@clark3830]

If the watch is made with real Seiko parts, it IS a Seiko just not completed or made at the factory. It should be called a Frankenstein or modified Seiko. An example would be having a transplant say of an organ. You are no longer a human by you statement. Therefore, you must be a Frankenstein. Fake depicts not of the company that made the parts. We need to state what is true.

[@Unused_1]

I've never read such nonsense spoken with this much conviction. You are a clown.

[@NathanHassall]

This background music while your talking is obnoxious but distracting too.

[@ClickyBezel]

Sorry.

[@NathanHassall]

@@ClickyBezel forgiven

[@sprsk]

Great info ... Great work ... But men ... that camera movement and shake gets me sick ... pitty, why ?

[@ClickyBezel]

My table was shaking not the camera. Sorry about that!

[@sprsk]

@@ClickyBezel no worries .. just keep it in mind :D Its great that u responded so fast

[@juniorjr5328]

😅😅 fake seiko?! That’s something new

[@ClickyBezel]

Insane right?

[@dha1451]

who in the world is going to take apart a $40-50 watch to see on the inside if the watch is fake or real? for that price you just accept it or not buy at all.

[@ClickyBezel]

People like us I guess 😆😆. The curiosity is real!

[@dha1451]

@@ClickyBezel I get your point but even if you can take it apart, you wouldnt be able to do that at the point of sale. Its at home and its too late. It wasnt a criticism, it's just a comment that ordinary people would never go that far.

[@ClickyBezel]

I take no offense. Ripley bought the watch knowing it’s fake and was curious as to what the guts of the watch contains. WatchCrunch also did a similar thing to fully dissect the watch just to see how far the counterfeiters went. It’s all fun but for most, it’ll be very tough spot the fake unless a genuine one is next to it. Even then, it is still super tough!

[@vgama]

The problem is when the fake is being sold for 600$ and you don't have a real one to compare even if you open the case up

[@WaiLIp]

This video makes me fear of buying JDM

[@ClickyBezel]

It's always worth buying from a trusted source. Thanks for watching!

[@Bob.martens]

How to spot a fake Seiko? it has a nice strap.

[@ClickyBezel]

Haha exactly. Shame on Seiko...

[@robedmunds7163]

Hey, they even fake Casio f91-w, so buyer beware

[@24934637]

That's true! I actually own a fake one! Just bought a real one to replace it yesterday!

[@gerardowmby7156]

You expect me to take my watch apart to inspect it?? And buy two of them to compare them? And how do you know the second one is genuine?

[@Smolensk85]

No one expects nothing from you, man. You do whatever you want.

[@charlesduncan910]

ρгό𝔪σŞｍ

[@zedotasco]

Lol. There arent any alpinist fakes. At least yet..sarb 017 have a lot of quality Control problems . The spb121j1 have more quality and Control quality. Also there are sarb017 that are reburbished. there arent any fakes . Dont lie to people to get views.

[@ClickyBezel]

I would never do such a thing… I know it’s hard to believe but take another look. Also, WatchCrunch covered this exact topic a few days ago and hit exactly the same points. Thanks for watching!

[@vgama]

How are you so sure?