Short answer
IW93801 does not appear in IWC Schaffhausen's public model list. Current IWC references start with IW and carry six digits, for example IW371617 or IW500705. A listing that shows "replica iw93801" is using a seller code or a factory code, not a catalog number from the manufacturer. Ask the seller for the case diameter, the movement, and the model the watch copies before you send money.
No public source confirms a genuine IWC reference IW93801. Treat any page that presents it as a factory reference with caution.
Why the number matters
The reference number ties the watch to a case size, a dial layout, a movement and a production year. When the number does not resolve, the buyer cannot check the watch against a known original. That removes the main test for shape, font and proportion. Dealers who sell replica watches often reuse codes across batches, so the same number can ship with two different case sizes.
Checks before payment
- Case diameter in millimeters, measured without the crown. IWC sizes run from 36 mm to 46 mm across families.
- Lug width in millimeters. A 22 mm strap on a 20 mm lug gap is a mismatch.
- Movement type and beat rate. Swiss and clone automatics run at 28,800 vph, or 4 Hz. Quartz runs at 32,768 Hz.
- Power reserve in hours. State the number, not "long reserve."
- Crystal material. Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both faces is the standard on the originals.
- Caseback engraving depth and serial format.
- Weight in grams. Steel cases of 41 mm to 43 mm usually fall between 70 g and 110 g on a strap.
- Water resistance claim. Ask for a pressure test result in bar or ATM.
Price bands
Replica pricing tracks the movement. Watches at $120 to $250 carry quartz or low-grade automatic movements. Watches at $300 to $600 carry clone or modified Swiss automatic movements with decorated rotors. Watches above $700 claim Swiss-assembled movements and closer case finishing. A seller who cannot name the movement is not selling at the top of that range.
US legal position
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. US Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments and destroy them. Selling a replica watch as genuine adds fraud exposure under state law. Buying one for personal use carries lower risk than resale, but seizure at the border is still possible and the money is not returned.
Questions to send the seller
- Which original model does this copy, and what is its catalog reference?
- Case diameter, lug width, thickness in millimeters?
- Movement maker, caliber number, beat rate, power reserve?
- Photos of the caseback, the crown and the dial at 12 o'clock under daylight?
- Return window in days, and who pays return shipping?
If the answers are vague, or the reference number still resolves to nothing, walk away.