buying from Japan

Buying from Japan

Orient Model Number Explained: Reading JDM Codes in 2026

Read an Orient model number and case-back code to find the caliber, see why RA/RN and RE/RK prefixes flag export vs JDM versions, and spot a mismatched listing.
Buying from Japan

Landed Cost of a Watch from Japan: UK, EU, Canada, Australia (2026)

The landed cost of a watch from Japan to the UK, EU, Canada, or Australia in 2026: VAT, GST, import duty, and courier fees, with a worked example.
Guides

Tudor Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing

Learn how to read a Tudor reference number, tell it apart from the serial number, and use it to verify a Japanese pre-owned listing before you pay.
Shipping & Import

Watch Held in Customs from Japan: Delays, Duty Bills, Fixes (2026)

Why a watch held in customs from Japan gets stuck: valuation queries, paperwork, the CITES strap trap, the suspended de minimis rule, and how to dispute the bill.
Buying from Japan

Customs Declared Value on a Watch from Japan (2026)

The customs declared value for a watch from Japan is the price you paid. It sets your import duty and tax; see how FOB and CIF set it and why undervaluing backfires.
Buying from Japan

How to Pay Safely for a Watch from Japan (2026)

How to pay safely for a watch from Japan: which payment methods leave a dispute route vs. ones you cannot reverse, plus the FX costs and red flags to watch for.
Buying from Japan

Japanese Consumption Tax on a Watch Bought for Export (2026)

Japanese consumption tax is 10 percent, but exports are zero-rated. Learn when it applies to a watch bought from Japan and how export tax-free works (2026).
Buying from Japan

Buying Grand Seiko in Japan: JDM Models and Real Cost (2026)

Buying Grand Seiko in Japan: which references are JDM-only, how the warranty and import tariff work, and how to price the real landed cost for overseas buyers.
Buying from Japan

Vintage Seiko from Japan: How to Date It and Spot Redials (2026)

Vintage Seiko from Japan: date it by serial and caliber, and spot the redials and franken watches common in Japanese listings before you pay.
Buying from Japan

Citizen Model Number Explained: Reading JDM Codes in 2026

Citizen model number explained for buyers of Japanese pre-owned watches: how the model code and caliber number work, and how to verify a listing before you pay.