Quick answer
The IW323724 is an IWC Ingenieur Automatic reference, and counterfeits of it circulate on the secondhand market. Most fakes fail at three points: the case back engraving, the movement finish, and the bracelet end links. A real IW323724 shows crisp engraving with even stroke width and sharp edges. A fake shows rounded letterforms, shallow cuts, and polished grooves where the genuine case back has a matte finish. If you have two minutes and no tools, start with the case back and the reference number font.
What you need before you start
- A 10x jeweler loupe or a phone macro lens
- A spring bar tool, only if the seller allows the case to be opened
- Reference photos of a genuine IW323724 from an owner forum or auction archive
- Any service paperwork, box, or warranty card the seller claims
Step-by-step checks
- Ask the seller for the full reference and case serial, then compare both against IWC's own reference record before you handle the watch.
- Turn the watch over and inspect the case back engraving with the loupe. On a genuine piece the reference, the serial, and the brand text sit on one clean baseline with even spacing.
- Run a fingernail across the engraving. Genuine engraving catches the nail on a sharp edge, while a stamped or cast fake feels smooth.
- Study the digits in the "IW323724" string. Counterfeits often use wrong digit shapes, such as a flat-topped 3 or a curved-legged 7.
- Compare the crown against the case. It should sit flush with no visible gap and turn without wobble.
- Inspect the dial printing under magnification. Look at the logo and the model text for sharp edges, since fakes show ink bleed and uneven stroke weight.
- Cycle the date through every position from 1 to 31 and confirm the numeral centers in the aperture.
- Examine the bracelet end links and clasp. Genuine end links meet the case with a tight, even gap on both sides.
- Open the case with the seller's permission and study the movement. Look for perlage, Geneva stripes, and blued screws. A plain rotor with glued-on decoration is a fake.
- Tilt the crystal under a light. Genuine IWC sapphire carries an anti-reflective treatment, while cheap fakes show none or a heavy purple wash.
- Match the serial on the warranty card to the serial on the case back, digit for digit.
Price and paperwork red flags
A genuine IW323724 in good condition trades inside a narrow price band that you can check against sold listings on the major marketplaces. A price well below that band, a seller who refuses to open the case, or a warranty card with a mismatched serial are all reasons to stop. Boxes and papers are easy to copy, so treat them as supporting evidence and not as proof.
When to walk away
- The case back engraving feels rounded under a fingernail
- The reference digits do not match IWC's published font
- The movement shows no finishing on the bridges or rotor
- The seller blocks an inspection by a watchmaker
- The serial on the case and the paperwork disagree
If two or more of those boxes are ticked, treat the watch as a fake IW323724 and end the deal.