Adam Reeder
Seiko has been one of the world’s most beloved and respected watch brands for the past century. The Japanese watchmaking giant was founded in the heart of Tokyo in the 1880s and has built a reputation for the perfect balance of quality, innovation, and value. Fans of the brand are some of the most loyal consumers, snapping up these Japanese-made watches in droves.
One thing most Seiko enthusiasts around the world agree on is that they prefer Japanese-made Seikos over the overseas versions. But is this preference well-founded? The answer is obvious: it depends.
“JDM” vs. “Made in Japan”
It’s worth pointing out that what we’re actually talking about in this article is Japanese Seiko, not “JDM” Seiko. Japanese Seiko is often referred to as “JDM”, but this is actually a bit of a misnomer. JDM stands for “Japanese Domestic Market”, a term borrowed from the automotive industry to refer to Seiko models that are only sold in Japan. Many, if not most, JDM Seikos are made in Japan, but strictly speaking, JDM does not necessarily mean made in Japan.
Hold on, aren’t all Seikos made in Japan?
You might be thinking that all Seiko watches are made in Japan, regardless of where they are made. If so, we’re sorry to say that this is not the case. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when the change occurred, but it’s commonly known that Seiko moved some of its production facilities to Hong Kong in the early to mid-1980s. This was primarily a cost-cutting measure.
Since then, Seiko has split production between Japan and (mostly) Singapore, Malaysia and Korea. It’s easy to tell the difference between “Made in Japan” and overseas models by looking at the dial and reference number. Most JDM versions have “Made in Japan” printed on the bottom of the dial, while most overseas models just say “Japan” along with the movement number at the bottom. Japanese-made Seikos also have reference numbers ending with a J. But what does “Made in Japan” actually mean and what do you get?
Ambiguous facts
Just as it’s hard to find information on when Seiko started its overseas production lines, it’s not always easy to find out if a “Made in Japan” Seiko is really made in Japan. Watch forums are filled with anecdotes and conspiracy theories surrounding the “Made in Japan” conundrum. Just as Switzerland has a percentage of Swiss parts requirement for a watch to be labeled “Swiss Made,” Japan has its own regulations.
On top of that, in addition to Japan’s self-imposed restrictions, every country that imports watches has its own requirements for what constitutes a “Made in Japan” watch. In this article, we’ll look at the US Trade Commission’s regulations (because the US was a big international market for Seiko and their regulations were easier to decipher than others), then we’ll look at Japan’s own rules for what constitutes a true Made in Japan watch.
The U.S. Trade Commission’s general guideline for all clocks and watches is that where the movement is assembled is the legal country of origin for the entire watch. The rule defines the movement as the “essence” of the watch, and considers the hands, dial, and case to be merely accessories to the movement. It also states that even if the movement parts are manufactured in another country, the country where the movement is “assembled” is considered the country of origin for the watch.
By this definition, if the case, dial, hands, and movement parts are all manufactured elsewhere, but the movement itself is assembled in Japan, the watch is considered “Made in Japan” according to the U.S. government.
Japan is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization. The organization’s agreed rules on country of origin state that the country in which a watch is assembled is considered the country of origin. However, APEC does not distinguish between the movement and the other parts of the watch. However, the JWCA, which oversees watchmaking in Japan and includes Seiko, has adopted stricter guidelines. JWCA member companies will only print “Made in Japan” on a watch dial if the movement was assembled in Japan and the rest of the watch was also assembled in Japan.
However, as mentioned above, it is important to remember that the components themselves may have been manufactured in other countries. As long as the movement and the watch are all assembled in Japan, the watch may be labeled “Made in Japan.” So the issue is not as simple as you might hope. It is good to take this fact into consideration when deciding between a Japanese or international Seiko model.
Is it worth it?
Naturally, Seiko “Made in Japan” versions tend to be a bit more expensive than their international versions. But is this premium worth it? To determine that, we need to see if there are truly visible differences between the two.
The most common argument in favor of buying a Japanese Seiko is regarding quality control. Over the past few years, Seiko has come under fire from many watch enthusiasts for quality control issues with their watches. Many of these complaints concern misaligned hands, misaligned bezel inserts, and scratches or imperfections on the dial. These issues are likely driving more people to choose a Japanese Seiko. To answer the question of whether it is worth choosing a Japanese Seiko, it depends on what you want to get out of your purchase. There are both practical and emotional reasons for choosing a Japanese Seiko.
If you want to buy a Seiko made in Japan, it may be worth it, as Japanese Seikos are likely to have strict quality control restrictions, regardless of whether they are made in a Japanese factory or under Japanese supervision. It is important to remember that most foreign-made Seiko models are free of quality control issues. Similarly, it is important to remember that not all JDM models are flawless watches without defects. Buying a watch is a gamble, but if you are unsure about quality control, you may want to avoid the risk.
Anecdotally, there are fewer complaints about quality control issues with Japanese-made Seiko watches than with models aimed at overseas markets, so if your primary concern is getting the highest quality product, going “Made in Japan” is probably a good choice, but it’s important to balance that with whether you want and are willing to pay a higher price.
That being said, Japanese models are only about 15% more expensive than foreign models. But don’t bother if you’re looking for perfection. Most Seikos are under $1,000, even Japanese or JDM models, so you might find a faulty one. If you’re looking for the perfect Japanese watch, I would always recommend Grand Seiko, which is made in Japan (though like Seiko, some parts for Grand Seiko are sourced overseas, just like high-end Swiss watches use non-Swiss parts).
If you want a Japanese or JDM Seiko because you want the most Japanese Seiko possible, you will be disappointed with the overseas models. As someone who has owned both Japanese and overseas Seikos, it’s fun to know that your watch has some “special” extra features that most watches don’t have. It adds a little extra flair to an otherwise run-of-the-mill watch. This is especially true with JDM Seikos, because it adds that special feeling of owning a watch that was never sold in your country.
If you’re someone who enjoys the novelty of owning a “Made in Japan” or JDM model, this is probably the right choice for you. As we all know, watch collecting is a fairly emotional endeavor to begin with, so the choice between a Japanese or JDM Seiko and an overseas-made one often goes the same way. For my purposes, paying a little extra to get your hands on your favorite Seiko made in Japan model is actually worth it. That said, as just about everyone in the watch community will attest, you can’t go wrong with any Seiko, regardless of where it was made.
