Long story short, I've been lurking on WUS for about three years, obsessing over a GSAR for the past two, and earlier this month finally pulled the trigger and ordered one from Marc at Long Island Watch. Watch arrived yesterday and while I own just under 40 different watches, mostly Japanese automatics and nothing too fancy, I've finally got a question and need some advice from the experts here so finally registered and here I am.
Long story short, my GSAR has all the standard info and serial number on back but no manufacture date. I will post pics below.
I had read a comment somewhere that the Marathon GSAR was stamped with a serial number and manufacture date because Marathon sold primarily to government agencies and they required this. The leftovers would be sold to retailers. However, as of recently, Marathon is now selling directly to dealers and retailers, hence the lack of manufacture date.
Now, I'm in NO WAY am suggesting that I was sold fake. I have ordered a number of watches from Long Island Watch and Marc is absolutely OUTSTANDING and an absolute pleasure to deal with. I would honestly order every watch I regularly buy from him..it's just that sometimes, I just have to fly to Japan for the JDM models, and it's my excuse to go on two-week drinking/eating binges across that country and come home with random Seiko and Orient automatics that I beat to hell.
I'm just wondering if anyone can confirm this change of protocol with Marathon?
If so, it would definitely jive with what I've heard and also what I've seen in my research on the GSAR. In the past, they came in boring little cardboard boxes--my GSAR was delivered in a gorgeous, massive black box with tissue and padding and basically gift-wrapped. If Marathon is now selling directly to the retail market and omitting manufacture dates on the new GSARs, that all makes sense.
Thanks in advance for an expertise from the WUS experts.
808