Short answer
On nearly every listing labeled "IWC 1002," the 1002 is not the name of an IWC watch. It is usually a movement caliber tag the seller copied off a spec sheet, or an internal batch code from the factory that built it. IWC does not sell a model called the 1002, and the number you actually need sits on the caseback: an IW reference like IW3716 or IW5007. Get that number first. Then judge the watch. Everything else on the listing is packaging.
Movement numbers and reference numbers are not the same thing
IWC has used numeric movement names for a century. Vintage calibers such as the 89, the 852 and the 8541B are movements, not watches. So when a seller writes "1002," they may be pointing at the engine inside rather than the case it sits in. One problem: 1002 does not match any of IWC's well-known vintage calibers, and it does not appear in the current lineup either. Searches for it turn up storefronts, not catalogs.
Modern IWC references follow a cleaner pattern. They start with IW and then four or five digits, printed on the caseback and on the paperwork: IW3716 for the Portugieser chronograph family, IW5007 for the Big Pilot line, IW3227 for older Ingenieur models. If a listing can't produce a real IW number, treat "1002" as decoration.
What to verify on a replica sold as 1002
- Movement. Ask for the caliber by name. Most chronographs at this price run an Asian 7750 derivative; most three-hand models run a 2824 clone. A decorated rotor and engraved bridges do not make a movement in-house.
- Case size. Compare against the real reference, not against the listing photos. A 2mm difference is obvious on the wrist and invisible in a zoomed shot.
- Dial work. Look for applied indices rather than printed ones, crisp date font, and a logo that sits flat instead of looking raised and plasticky.
- Crystal. Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides reads almost invisible at an angle. Mineral glass shows a gray haze.
- Bracelet. Solid end links that sit flush against the case are the tell. Hollow links and shallow clasp engraving are the cheap tells.
Rough price bands
- Under $120. Base metals, mineral glass, unbranded quartz or a rough automatic. Fine as a costume piece, not something to hand down.
- $200 to $350. The sweet spot. Sapphire, a serviceable automatic, decent dial printing.
- $400 and up. Closer case geometry, better finishing, sometimes a Swiss ETA inside. You are paying for details nobody sees from across a table.
Questions worth sending a seller
- What is the exact movement, and who makes it?
- What is the case diameter and lug width in millimeters?
- Is the crystal sapphire, and is it coated on both sides?
- Can you send a photo of the caseback and the clasp?
- What happens if it arrives not running?
The part sellers leave out
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States, and customs officers seize and destroy them. That risk lands on you, not the seller. Beyond the legal side: no IWC service center will touch it, the water resistance claim is untested, parts are hard to source, and resale value is close to zero. Buy it as a watch to wear, not as an asset. If the price feels like a bargain on a real IWC, that is the whole point of the listing.
Bottom line
Ignore the 1002. Ask for the IW reference, the movement name, and the measurements, then compare those answers to the genuine model. A seller with a real watch to move will answer all three in one message. A seller with a batch code and a stock photo will change the subject.