Short answer

"Fake Big Pilot 510501" is the phrase buyers use for replica versions of an IWC Big Pilot's Watch. Listings run from about $50 for quartz copies to $600 or more for high grade clones. No replica uses an IWC in-house calibre. Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize the parcel.

What reference 510501 is

The number 510501 is an IWC reference in the Big Pilot's Watch family. Big Pilot cases measure 46 mm or more across, with a large conical crown, a soft iron inner case for magnetic shielding, and a sapphire crystal. Classic Big Pilot models carry a seven day power reserve. IWC lists the case size, movement, and finish for each reference on its own site. Check that page for 510501 before you compare a copy, because sellers reuse the code for watches that do not match it.

Replica tiers and price bands

Replica sellers sort stock into tiers. Names differ by dealer. The bands below come from public listings and forum posts.

  • Quartz or basic automatic: $50 to $120. Plated brass or low grade steel, mineral glass, printed dial.
  • Mid tier automatic: $150 to $300. 316L stainless steel case, sapphire or mineral crystal, Asian automatic movement.
  • High grade clone: $350 to $600 and above. Cloned case profile, engraved rotor, sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating, replica box and papers.

Checks that separate tiers

  1. Case diameter. Measure with calipers. A 42 mm case sold as a 46 mm Big Pilot points to a low tier build.
  2. Crystal. Sapphire scratches glass and steel. Mineral glass does not. A water drop test or a diamond tester settles it.
  3. Dial and hands. Look at index alignment, the date window font, and lume color in daylight. Copies show gaps at 12 and uneven printing.
  4. Movement. A seven day reserve takes seven days to verify. Wind the watch, set it down, and check the time each day. A copy that stops at 40 hours does not match the original specification.
  5. Caseback. Reference numbers on copies are often stamped, not engraved, and the font differs from the original.
  6. Weight. Steel copies of a 46 mm watch often weigh less than the original.

Movement facts

IWC builds its own calibres for the Big Pilot line. Replica makers use Seagull, Hangzhou, or Miyota based movements, or quartz. Calendar and moonphase displays on copies are driven by added modules or are fixed. Ask the seller for a photo of the movement and a timegrapher reading. Sellers who cannot send either are reselling stock they have not handled.

Legal status in the United States

Counterfeit goods are subject to seizure and destruction by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trafficking in counterfeit watches carries civil liability under the Lanham Act and criminal penalties under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Counterfeit items do not qualify for the personal use exemption that CBP applies to some trademarked goods. A seized parcel means the buyer loses the money and the watch.

Quick facts

  • Reference code: 510501, IWC Big Pilot's Watch family.
  • Copy price range: $50 to $600 and above.
  • Original movement: IWC in-house. Replica movement: Seagull, Hangzhou, Miyota, or quartz.
  • US import status: prohibited for counterfeit goods.