Condition Grades

Japanese watch listings on Yahoo Auctions Japan and Mercari Japan use consistent condition vocabulary. Learning these terms lets you read a listing title and form an accurate first impression before translating the full description. The same terms appear in Tonbo alert summaries and condition estimates.

The Condition Hierarchy

新品 (shinpin) — New. Factory sealed or never worn. Rare on auction; usually means NOS (new old stock) or an unwanted gift.

新品同様 (shinpin doyou) — Like new / mint. Worn once or never worn, no visible marks. The seller claims it's indistinguishable from new in practical use.

未使用 (mishiyou) — Unused. Similar to shinpin doyou; not necessarily sealed but never actually worn. Sometimes used for watches that were worn on one occasion.

美品 (bihin) — Beautiful item / near-mint. The most common positive condition claim on Japanese auction listings. Means the seller considers it in excellent shape with minimal signs of wear. Covers a wide range in practice — some 美品 listings are genuinely flawless; others have light scratches the seller has normalized. Compare listing photos closely.

中古良品 (chuuko ryouhin) — Good used condition. Used, but the seller considers it above average for a pre-owned piece. Typically has some visible wear on the case, bracelet, or crystal but nothing the seller characterizes as damage.

良品 (ryouhin) — Good condition. A step below 中古良品. Used and shows some wear, but functions properly and is reasonably presentable.

中古 (chuuko) — Used. The baseline used condition marker. No specific quality claim; the watch has been owned and worn. Expect typical wear for its age.

傷あり (kizu ari) — Has scratches. The seller is explicitly flagging visible scratches. Often paired with 美品 or 中古 to narrow the condition. A listing reading 傷あり美品 means the seller considers it beautiful overall but is being honest about specific scratches.

汚れあり (yogore ari) — Has dirt/staining. Visible soiling, oxidation, or staining. Common on vintage pieces with patina, or on bracelets that have accumulated grime in the links.

難あり (nan ari) — Has issues / defects. A catch-all for notable problems: significant scratches, dial damage, moisture damage, or a bracelet in poor condition. Expect meaningful restoration cost or accept the flaws.

不動 (fudo) — Non-running. The watch does not run. Could be a dead battery (quartz), a wound-down movement (though most listings disclose winding), or a mechanical fault. Always factor in service cost.

ジャンク (janku) — Junk / as-is. The seller is explicitly disclaiming the watch's functional state. May not run, may have parts missing, may have visible damage. Sold for parts or to someone who will restore it. No returns, no warranty of any kind.

Condition and Price Adjustments

These condition markers translate directly to resale value. A 美品 example of the same reference will command 10-20% more than a solid 中古, and a 難あり listing will typically sell for 30-40% below a clean example in the US market.

Tonbo's condition heuristic in alert summaries reads the listing title for these keywords and applies a multiplier to the US comp median to estimate a condition-adjusted sell range. A listing that reads 難あり triggers the 0.60 multiplier (60% of median); a listing with OH済 (overhauled) gets 1.10 (10% above median). These are approximations — the listing page itself and the photos are the authoritative source.

Verification Before Purchase

Japanese sellers are generally accurate with these terms, but the calibration varies. A watch listed as 美品 by one seller may have what another seller would call 傷あり scratches. For higher-value purchases, use Buyee's or ZenMarket's inspection service to see photos of the actual piece after it arrives at the Japan warehouse and before it ships internationally.

For listings where the condition note is missing entirely, assume 中古 quality unless the photos clearly show otherwise.