A fake IW93806 watch is a copy of an IWC-style reference that IWC did not make and will not service. You can flag most of them in under a minute by checking the case back engraving, the dial text, the crown threads, and the weight in your hand. Price is the fastest tell: genuine IWC watches in this class sell for thousands, while fakes sit in the low hundreds.
fake iw93806 watch vs. original
What Does the IW93806 Reference Mean?
Modern IWC references use six digits after the "IW" prefix, such as IW371401. A five-digit tag like IW93806 turns up in marketplace listings far more than in IWC's own catalog. That points to seller shorthand, a typo, or a number picked to keep a listing off brand searches.
So judge the watch behind the tag, not the number. Look at the case shape, the dial layout, and the logo, and decide whether they match an IWC design or a loose imitation of one.
How Are Fake IW93806 Watches Graded?
Sellers use tiers that describe build quality, not official standards. The same watch can appear under three different names on three different sites.
- Entry tier: quartz movement, printed dial, hollow case, light bracelet.
- Mid tier: automatic movement, often a basic Miyota or Seagull copy, solid case, crisper dial printing.
- Higher tier: clone movement, case dimensions within a millimeter of the original, sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
None of these tiers ship with an IWC warranty, and none use IWC parts.
How to Spot a Fake IW93806 Watch
Run these checks in order. Two or three failures confirm the watch is not genuine.
- Case back engraving. Genuine IWC engraving is deep, crisp, and even. Fakes show shallow laser etching, rounded letter edges, or a reference number that does not match the case.
- Dial printing. Look at the logo under 10x magnification. Applied logos sit flush with sharp edges. Printed fakes show feathering, misaligned text, and uneven spacing between the brand name and the city line.
- Crown. The logo on a real crown is stamped with clean relief. Threads on a fake feel gritty and cross-thread in the first few turns.
- Weight. Stainless steel cases feel cold and dense. Plated brass or zinc alloy feels light and warms up fast in the hand.
- Crystal. Genuine sapphire sheds water and shows almost no reflection. Mineral glass on a cheap fake shows color fringing at the edges.
- Movement. A clear case back should show finishing, blued screws, and perlage or Geneva stripes. Cheap fakes show bare plates, glued rotor weights, and few jewels at the balance.
- Box and papers. A genuine set has a stamped warranty card with a matching serial, a numbered booklet, and a fitted inner box. A photocopied card with no serial is a red flag.
What Fakes Cannot Copy
Movement finishing is the hardest thing to fake at low cost. A workshop can copy a dial, a case, and a bracelet, but it cannot match the tolerances, lubrication, and regulation of an in-house caliber.
Service is the other gap. IWC will not touch a fake, and independent watchmakers struggle to source parts for clone movements. Water resistance ratings on fakes are claims, not tested specs. Resale value sits near zero.
What Does a Fake IW93806 Cost?
Listings fall into three broad bands. Quartz copies sit at the bottom, automatic copies with decent cases sit in the middle, and higher-tier copies with clone movements and sapphire crystals sit at the top.
A higher price does not mean a genuine watch. The jump from a cheap copy to an expensive copy buys a better movement and case, not authenticity.
Is Buying a Fake IW93806 Legal in the US?
Selling counterfeit goods that carry a trademarked logo breaks US trademark law, and US Customs can seize shipments at the border. Buying carries less legal exposure than selling, but the buyer has no recourse if the watch never arrives or stops running.
Know the difference between a lookalike and a counterfeit. A watch carrying no brand logo is a different product from one stamped with a brand name and sold as if the brand made it.
Before You Pay: A Short Checklist
- Ask for a photo of the case back with the serial visible.
- Ask for a movement shot with the case back off.
- Ask for a 10x macro of the dial logo.
- Confirm the strap or bracelet material and the clasp stamping.
- Ask what happens if the watch arrives dead or damaged.
A seller who answers all five questions has handled returns before. A seller who dodges the movement shot is telling you something.
FAQ
How can I tell if an IW93806 is fake in one look?
Check the case back engraving depth and the dial logo. Shallow etching and feathered printing are the two most common tells.
Do fake IW93806 watches keep good time?
Quartz copies hold a few seconds a month and need a battery. Automatic copies can run within 20 to 30 seconds a day out of the box, and that figure drifts without service.
Is a fake watch worth servicing?
For entry and mid tier copies, a service costs more than the watch itself. Higher-tier copies with clone movements can be serviced, but parts availability is the bottleneck.
What is the difference between a replica and a counterfeit?
The words get used for the same product. In legal terms, a counterfeit carries a trademarked logo, and that is the version customs officers and brand lawyers target.