Dating Vintage Seiko, Citizen Watches is not as difficult as you may think, as all the information you need is inscribed on the back case. Dating Vintage Citizen watches can prove a little more challenging but in theory at least they are also as easy to date.Dating Vintage Seiko, Citizen Watches

In the picture above we have a Vintage Seiko Bellmatic with the back-case removed, inscribed on the back-case is all the information needed, Stainless Steel is the watch case & back material, the 4006-5002 is the Model number, Water Resistant is self-explanatory, Japan is country of Origin (Made in) and 213067 is the serial number, the first two digits are the year and month, so you do need to know the decade, this comes with experience, or you can just Google the model number and you should find the decade quite quickly, or you could ask if it is still unclear, I will do my best to help. I know this is a 1970’s model, therefore the first digit equals 1972, the second digit
is the month so 1 equals January. Therefore the watch dates January 1972. Months 1-9 are Jan –Sept, O, N and D equal October, November and December respectively. You can also use the Seiko Calculator, but you still need to know the decade.

Here we have a Vintage Citizen Case back, this is an Analogue Digital Temperature watch, that made its debut in the early 1980’s so I know the decade. The important number we will concentrate on is the 8 digit serial number.Dating Vintage Seiko, Citizen Watches

In dating this Vintage Citizen the first digit is the year, as I know it is a 1980’s model therefore the year is 1989, the second two digits are the month, 05 equals May, so therefore the watch dates from May 1989.

Dating Vintage Seiko, Citizen Watches

Above is a Vintage Citizen Crystron 150m diver back-case, I know the decade of the watch  is 1970’s the first number of the eight digit serial number is 8 so that equals 1978, the second two numbers are 11 therefore the watch dates November 1978.

I hope this helps, it is not always as straightforward with dating vintage Citizens, as the case-back information changed over the decades. Any questions please ask and I will try and help if I can.

Click here for dating Vintage Omega Watches.

Cheers Martin

Citizen Crystron 150m Diver

Seiko Landmaster SBBW005

Seiko Sea horse 6601-9990