Late 2007 Seiko decided to get out of the shaver business. We don't know the reason, but it was a very small portion of their business...In any event Seiko had for a long time (decades) contracted out the manufacturing of its shavers to a Japanese private label shaver manufacturer founded in 1939 and manufacturing shavers since 1956. Seiko has sold its design rights and transferred the trademarked name "Cleancut." Cleancut products are now simply labeled "Cleancut" on the barrel and marked on the end cap with the name of the distributor, ID Corporation. As of September 2008 their were no "Seiko" branded ES412's in the distribution channels. There are enough "Seiko" branded ES1080's in the distribution channels to last until roughly the end of 2008. As the largest Cleancut dealer our inventory converted to the new ID Corporation ES412's immediately after the first shipment came in. Other companies that don't turn their product as frequently may have "Seiko" branded ES412 Cleancuts for months. The ES1080's we sell will continue to be branded "Seiko" for the next few months while Seiko branded inventory lasts.

The long and the short of it is, if it has "Cleancut" on the barrel of your ES412, you have the real deal. Same ingenious design, same quality manufacturer...same shaver.