Buying from Japan Vintage Watch Lume from Japan: Tritium, Radium, No-Lume JDM (2026)
Vintage watch from Japan missing lume? How Seiko and Citizen used promethium not tritium, and what radium means for import (2026).
buying from Japan
Buying from Japan Buying from Japan TAG Heuer Reference Numbers: Verify a Japanese Listing
A TAG Heuer reference number decodes collection, movement and case, but the serial number alone does not give a production year. Verify it before you pay.
Buying from Japan Panerai Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing
A Panerai reference number (PAM code) names the model but is not engraved on the watch. This guide shows how to verify one against a Japanese listing.
Buying from Japan IWC Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing
An IWC reference number (IW plus six digits) shows a watch configuration but cannot date or authenticate it. Verify it against a Japanese listing before you pay.
Buying from Japan Longines Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing
Decode a Longines reference number position by position, verify it against a Japanese listing, and see what the archive service can and cannot confirm.
Buying from Japan Watch from Japan: 8-Step Pre-Payment Go/No-Go Checklist (2026)
Run this 8-step pre-payment checklist before you pay for a watch from Japan: seller type, serial match, export invoice, and a payment route with real recourse.
Buying from Japan Breitling Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing
Decode a Breitling reference number position by position, then use it with the serial to verify a Japanese pre-owned listing before you pay.
Buying from Japan Cartier Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing
How to decode a Cartier reference number and verify it against a Japanese pre-owned listing in 2026, when Cartier has no public serial lookup.
Buying from Japan Types of Second-Hand Watch Shops in Japan (2026 Guide)
The same watch carries different risk depending on the shop behind the listing. This guide decodes the types of second-hand watch shops in Japan for remote buyers.
Buying from Japan Full Set Watch or Head Only? Box and Papers on a Japanese Listing
What a full set watch listing from Japan includes: what head only means, what each item is worth, and whether a Japanese guarantee card works abroad.