Quick answer
A fake IW323724 is a counterfeit watch built to copy the IWC reference IW323724. Copies fail on details you can measure: case diameter and thickness, total weight, dial printing under 10x magnification, date window placement, crown thread quality, and the depth and font of the caseback engraving. Before you send money, compare the watch to the factory specification, ask for the serial number, and have a watchmaker open the case. Any seller who blocks those steps is a seller to avoid.
What you need
- A 10x jeweler loupe
- Digital calipers and a gram scale
- Bright, diffuse light and a lint free cloth
- High resolution photos of the actual watch, not catalog images
- The factory spec sheet for the reference
- Access to a watchmaker or a brand service center
Step by step checks
- Ask the seller to confirm the reference in writing and send a close photo of the caseback. The stamp must read IW323724 with even spacing. Copies often drop a digit, change the font, or add a gap.
- Measure the case with calipers. Compare diameter and thickness against the published spec for this reference. A difference of half a millimeter or more points to a copy.
- Weigh the watch head and the bracelet. Counterfeit cases are often thinner or use a lighter alloy, so total weight lands under the factory number.
- Put the loupe on the dial. Genuine printing has sharp edges and even height. On fakes the logo looks thick, the minute track smears, and applied markers sit crooked or too high.
- Study the date window. Check its shape, its distance from the center, and how the disc sits under the aperture. An oversized or misaligned window is a common replica fault.
- Inspect the hands. Bevels should be polished metal, not paint, and the lume should fill each hand without spilling onto the sides.
- Wind the crown and feel the thread. Genuine threads engage with a smooth pull and seat with a firm stop. Fakes grind, wobble, or take too many turns.
- Read the caseback engraving at an angle. Real engraving shows depth and crisp edges. Acid etched or laser copies look flat, shallow, or dotted.
- Have a watchmaker open the case. Compare rotor engraving, jewel count, finishing, and beat rate against the correct movement for IW323724.
- Confirm the serial number with IWC. A boutique or service center can verify that the serial and reference belong together and check whether the watch is listed as stolen.
- Examine the box, warranty card, and booklets. Serial numbers must match the case, and card printing should be sharp and correctly spelled.
- Pay through a method with buyer protection, or arrange an in person inspection at a watchmaker before money changes hands.
Red flags
- Price far below the current market for the reference
- Seller refuses an inspection, escrow, or a return window
- Stock photos instead of photos of the actual watch
- Serial number missing, blurred, or mismatched with the papers
- Listing uses words such as first copy, mirror, 1:1, or clone
- Pressure to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or crypto
- Caseback spelling errors or the wrong reference digits
If you already bought a fake
- Stop all further payments to the seller.
- Photograph the listing, the messages, the receipt, and the watch itself.
- Open a dispute with your card issuer or payment platform inside the stated window.
- File a report with IC3 and the FTC, then give the case number to your bank.
- Report the listing to the marketplace and leave a factual review.
- Get a written authentication from a watchmaker if you need evidence for a claim.