The best way to check comes from the IWC FAQ Page (see below), with
their most important advice being if the vendor refuses to give you
the number, there's probably something fishy going on. So just ask
and see if the vendor hesitates.
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Question: You are offered an IWC: is it authentic or not?
Answer: All watches produced have a case number, which is registered
by IWC, before they leave the factory. This permits us for instance to
provide you with an extract from the ledger, for which a charge is
made, for watches more than 10 years old. Alternatively, the case
number together with the model number will give us an indication of
whether this could be an authentic IWC watch.
Only a physical check at our factory or by an approved IWC dealer will
establish whether the watch is in fact authentic or a fake.
Question: Where can I find the number?
Answer: In the majority of wristwatches the case number is on the
outside of the case back and should consist of 6 to 7 digits,
depending on the age of the watch. This number was engraved between
the leather strap attachment lugs on a small number of wristwatches.
If the number is no longer legible, it is repeated on the inside of
the case back of all watches.
In pocket watches you can find the number on the inside of the case
back. It would be very helpful, for older pocket watches, if you could
also provide us with the movement number, given the possibility with
these particular pocket watches that the movement and the case did not
originally belong together. This number is located directly on the
movement and should consist of 5, 6 or 7 digits.
Question: I have the number. What do I do now?
Answer: If the watch is more than 10 years old, you can send us the
number and a brief description of the watch.
We will compare the data provided by you with those in our ledger, and
we can then advise you whether such a watch was manufactured by us and
whether your description of the watch agrees with our records. You
should nevertheless be aware that the information provided in these
circumstances is without obligation on our part since, as already
mentioned, only a physical check can validate the authenticity of a
watch.
If the watch in question is of more recent date, we recommend that you
have the watch examined by us or an approved dealer.
Question: The vendor is not prepared to tell me the number. What should I do?
Answer: If the vendor is not prepared to tell you the number, you may
wish to reconsider and ask further questions. Please be aware that all
watches which leave the factory have a case number. Vendors shall be
prepared to tell you the number. If the number is no longer legible,
the case can be opened by a watchmaker, preferably one of our IWC
concessionaires, and the number can be read on the inside of the back.
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All from: https://www.iwc.ch/utilities/faq/faq-en.asp
Hope that helps,
Andrew. |
