The short answer
No authorized dealer sells a replica IW938993. Every copy comes from an independent online seller, a factory middleman, or a reseller in a forum marketplace. So the real answer to where to buy is a method, not a name: pick a seller with a verifiable, multi-year track record, get photos of the exact unit before payment, and pay with a method that can be reversed. The rest of this guide walks through that process.
Prerequisites
- The correct reference number and its specs, checked against IWC's catalog. Reference numbers get mistyped, and sellers list the wrong case size or dial variant when the buyer does not check.
- A realistic budget. A decorated automatic chronograph copy runs well above entry quartz pricing.
- A payment method with chargeback rights, such as a credit card through a processor that backs buyers.
- Knowledge of your own customs rules. In the US, importing counterfeit goods is illegal and shipments get seized.
How to vet a seller before you buy
- Confirm the reference specs on IWC's official site. Note the case diameter, lug width, dial layout, and movement type. You need this baseline to judge photos.
- Pull up the seller's review threads on at least two independent watch forums. Look for buyers with long post histories, not first-time accounts.
- Read the negative threads first. Search the seller's name plus "scam", "seized", and "refund".
- Request timestamped photos of the actual unit with a handwritten card next to the case. Stock factory photos prove nothing about the watch you will receive.
- Ask which movement the watch runs and who services it after the sale. A seller who cannot name the movement is a reseller with no factory access.
- Get the quality-control terms and return window in writing, in the chat or email thread, before you pay.
- Pay by credit card or a buyer-protected platform. Decline wire transfer, gift cards, and crypto.
- Photograph the package on arrival and unbox on video. This is your evidence if the watch is wrong or damaged.
Red flags
- Prices far below the market for the movement type. Underpricing is the oldest bait in this niche.
- No physical address, no chat record, and a domain registered a few months ago.
- Pressure to pay off-platform after a deal is agreed.
- Refusal to send a timestamped photo.
- Reviews that all appeared in the same week and read the same way.
What happens after the sale
Expect a wait of two to six weeks for international shipping, and expect a customs risk on every order. A seized parcel is often a total loss because the transaction is not one a court will enforce. Replica watches also carry no manufacturer warranty, so any repair comes out of your pocket at a local watchmaker. Factor both costs into the price before you commit.
Legal note
Counterfeit watches infringe a trademark, and selling or importing them is illegal in the US and the EU. Enforcement falls on sellers and importers, but buyers absorb the loss when a shipment is stopped. Treat the purchase as a gamble with no recourse and decide whether the price justifies it.