Short answer: IW93820 does not appear in published IWC catalogs as a standard reference, so a listing that leans on that number is selling a look, not a documented model. Treat it as a description of a style and price it that way. Our top pick for most buyers is a stainless steel automatic first copy on a leather strap, judged on four criteria: whether the reference matches a real catalog entry, case finishing and edge quality, dial printing with date alignment, and the feel of the movement and crown.
What "fake IW93820" usually refers to
The string copies the shape of an IWC reference: the IW prefix followed by digits. Replica sellers reuse that shape because it reads as legitimate to a buyer who has never opened a catalog. In practice the number gets attached to pilot-style and Portugieser-style cases, and often to several of them at once.
- It signals "brand-inspired" more than a specific factory model.
- The same number may be listed under more than one case diameter.
- Listing photos can show a genuine watch while the shipped item differs.
How to verify a reference in five steps
- Search the number on the brand's own site and on a large marketplace. Compare case size, dial layout and movement type.
- Ask the seller for a photo of the caseback engraving, not a stock image.
- Compare crown position, lug width and date window shape against catalog photos.
- Check whether the same number returns results in more than one size. If it does, the number is a catch-all.
- Ask what happens if the reference turns out not to match. A seller who will not answer is telling you something.
Top pick: stainless steel automatic on leather
This configuration suits most buyers because leather draws the eye away from mid-case finishing, and the case size is easy to match to a wrist.
- Pros: balanced proportions, easy strap swaps, sweep seconds from the automatic movement, low visual weight on the wrist.
- Cons: leather wears faster than steel, water resistance is usually modest, polished bezels show scratches.
Use it for office and weekend wear. Choose this if you want one watch that reads as a dress piece.
Second option: steel bracelet build
- Pros: more presence on the wrist, easier to clean, solid end links change the whole look.
- Cons: bracelet finishing is the hardest thing to reproduce, squeaks and sharp edges appear early, extra weight.
Pick the bracelet version for daily wear, and only after you check the clasp in person.
Third option: chronograph case
- Pros: subdials add visual interest, pusher feel is a useful quality signal, works with sportier straps.
- Cons: more parts to go wrong, misaligned subdial hands are common, case gets thicker.
Choose a chronograph if you want a busier dial and accept those tradeoffs.
What to inspect on any first copy
- Dial printing under a loupe: text edges should be clean, not fuzzy.
- Index alignment with the chapter ring.
- Date centered in the window at several positions.
- Crown threads that engage without grit.
- Caseback engraving depth and consistency.
- Strap stitching density and edge paint.
- Rotor noise when you tilt the watch.
Red flags in a listing
- The reference appears nowhere on the brand site or on marketplace archives.
- One blurry photo, or photos that vary between shots.
- Pressure to pay off-platform.
- Vague claims about the movement with no details.
- A price far below the going rate for the stated materials.
Bottom line
Judge the watch in front of you, not the number in the title. If a seller cannot show the reference on a catalog page or a marketplace archive, treat IW93820 as a style label and negotiate on materials, finishing and movement. A clean dial, aligned date and quiet rotor matter more than any string of digits.