buying from Japan

Buying Guides

Omega Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing

Omega reference number explained: how to read the 14-digit PIC, tell it from the serial, and sanity-check a Japanese pre-owned listing before buying from abroad.
2026.09.03
Buying Guides
Ownership and Maintenance

Grand Seiko Service Cost from Abroad: Intervals & Calibers

What Grand Seiko service costs when you own the watch abroad: overhaul price by caliber, service intervals, and which Spring Drive calibers must go to Japan (2026).
2026.09.02
Ownership and Maintenance
Buying from Japan

Rolex Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing

The Rolex reference number explained for buyers sourcing from Japan: what each digit encodes, reference vs serial, and how to verify a pre-owned listing.
2026.09.02
Buying from Japan
Buying from Japan

US Watch Import Tariff from Japan: Assembly Country Decides (2026)

The US watch import tariff from Japan in 2026 follows the assembly country. Switzerland and Japan now share one rate: 12.5%, since July 2026.
2026.09.02
Buying from Japan
Buying Guide

Japanese Watch Marketplaces: Yahoo Auctions vs Mercari vs Rakuma

Japanese watch marketplaces compared: Yahoo Auctions, Mercari, and Rakuma — what each is good for, and why buyer protection barely reaches an overseas buyer.
2026.09.01
Buying Guide
Buying from Japan

Casio & G-SHOCK Model Numbers Explained: Reading JDM Codes in 2026

How to read a Casio or G-SHOCK model number on a Japanese listing: what the -JF suffix means, why one watch has three codes, and the JDM caveat.
2026.09.01
Buying from Japan
Buying from Japan

Shipping a Watch from Japan: EMS, Insurance & the 2 Million Yen Gap

Shipping a watch from Japan: EMS vs. couriers, Japan Post insurance caps at 2,000,000 yen, delivery times, and how to close the coverage gap on a high-value watch.
2026.09.01
Buying from Japan
Buying Guide

How to Authenticate a Watch When Buying from Japan in 2026

How to authenticate a watch from Japan when buying remotely: what photos and a serial number can prove, and the one step that actually verifies it.
2026.08.31
Buying Guide
Buying Guide

Seiko Reference Numbers Explained: Reading JDM & GS Codes

Seiko reference numbers explained for Japan buyers: decode JDM codes (SARB, SBDC, SBGA), map them to overseas SPB/SRP references, and verify before you buy.
2026.08.31
Buying Guide
Buying from Japan

Is Buying a Watch from Japan Still Worth It in 2026? Landed-Cost Math

Is buying a watch from Japan still worth it in 2026? We break down the landed cost — price, fees, shipping, duty and VAT — so arithmetic decides.
2026.08.30
Buying from Japan
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