What people mean by "fake IW323710"
Two very different shoppers type that phrase. One owns an IWC and wants to know whether the watch on the wrist is genuine. The other wants to buy a replica and is checking the market before paying. Both need the same starting point, which is the reference number itself. IWC writes references in an eight-character form, and the final two digits are the variant code inside a family. So IW323710 is one specific dial and case combination, not a model name. When a listing uses the number loosely, or shows photos that do not match the variant it claims, that is the first thing to flag.
Authentic examples of any IWC reference sit high enough on the price ladder that the copy market pays close attention. The result is a deep pool that runs from throwaway junk to builds good enough to pass at arm's length.
The checks that separate a good replica from junk
Case and finish
Run a finger along every edge. Real cases have brushed and polished surfaces meeting at a crisp, defined line. Cheap copies round those lines off, and the polishing looks soft and hazy. Bevels on the lugs should be visible and even on both sides. Caseback engraving should cut into the metal with depth and a sharp edge, not sit on the surface like grey laser printing. Check that the crown turns or threads smoothly and that any crown guards are symmetrical.
Dial, hands, and crystal
Under a loupe, printing should be sharp enough to read the smallest text without blur. Applied markers sit level and evenly spaced, and the lume fill rises to the same height in each one. Hand length is a classic tell, so compare shapes and proportions against reference photos rather than memory. Date wheels are where mid-tier builds give themselves away, usually with the wrong font or a number sitting off-centre in the window. Anti-reflective coating matters too. Good coating looks close to invisible from most angles. Cheap sapphire throws a blue or purple sheen.
Movement
IWC automatics of this generation ran either a modified ETA 2892 base, the 30110 family, or an in-house 80110-family calibre, depending on the reference and year. Replicas use neither. What you normally get is a generic Asian automatic dressed up with an engraved rotor and decorative screws. Ask for a running video with the back open. Watch the balance, listen for a clean beat, and compare the bridge layout and any engraving against photos of the genuine calibre.
Bracelet, clasp, and weight
End links should sit flush against the lugs with no step or gap. Shake the bracelet. Rattle means stamped, hollow links. Check whether the real version uses screws or pins, since a copy that swaps one for the other is easy to catch. Clasp engraving should be as sharp as the caseback. Weight is the fastest rough test of all. Solid steel plus a real automatic movement lands in a range that a hollow, tinny build cannot reach.
Grade tiers and price expectations
- Entry tier. Quartz or a low-grade automatic, printed dial, mineral or basic sapphire, hollow bracelet. Fine as a beater, obvious in the hand.
- Mid tier. Decent steel case, cleaner dial printing, AR-coated sapphire, a serviceable Asian automatic. The sweet spot for most buyers.
- Top tier. Closest case geometry, sharpest engraving, best dial detail, a movement that at least mimics the real layout. Priced accordingly.
Line up the price against the tier the photos actually show. Top-tier money for entry-tier images is the most common way people get burned.
Questions to ask the seller
- Can you send photos of the exact watch, not stock images?
- What movement is inside, and can you show it running with the back open?
- What is the case diameter and thickness, measured, not quoted from a spec sheet?
- How does the date change, and does it align in the window?
- What happens if the watch arrives with a fault?
Bottom line
Read the reference first, then judge the build. Anyone who can tell you which variant IW323710 is, and show you real photos of that variant, is already ahead of most of the market. Sort the tiers, match the price to the tier, and treat vague answers as a warning rather than a small detail.