Answer first
IW938720 is not a reference number in IWC's public catalog. Searches for it return replica listings, not an IWC product page. IWC reference numbers carry the prefix IW and four to six digits, such as IW3716 or IW503001. The 9387 block does not appear in current or recent IWC collections. A seller who uses this code is using an internal label. It does not identify a real IWC model.
How IWC reference numbers work
IWC prints the reference on the caseback and on the warranty card. The number points to a case size, a movement, a dial variant, and a strap. Two watches can share a name, such as Portugieser, and hold different references. IWC lists active references on its own site. A reference that appears on no IWC page is a code made by a seller.
What replica sellers do with codes
Sellers in the replica market attach codes to listings for several reasons. Some copy a real reference and add digits to avoid matching a search. Some invent a number for a design that no brand makes. Photos in these listings get reused across shops. The same code can point to different watches on different sites.
- Copied reference plus extra digits.
- Invented code for an unbranded design.
- Reused photos with no link to the actual item.
Legal position in the United States
Counterfeit watches are illegal to traffic in the US. 18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods and carries up to 10 years in prison for a first offense, plus fines. 15 U.S.C. § 1114 gives trademark owners a civil claim. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit shipments and publishes seizure statistics each year. A buyer can lose the item and the money paid. Payment methods used in this market give little recourse.
Checks to run on any reference
- Search the exact number on the brand's own site.
- Compare the caseback photo with the catalog photo.
- Check the movement number against the brand specification.
- Ask for a serial number and a dated warranty card.
- Reverse image search the listing photos.
What is not known
No public record ties IW938720 to a factory, a movement, or a release date. Any claim about the steel, the crystal, or the movement in such a listing is unverified. This article states what can be checked. It does not confirm the item exists as described.