What a Fake IW545133 Actually Is
A fake IW545133 is a non-genuine copy of the IWC reference IW545133. It copies the outer design, but the case, dial, hands, crystal and movement come from a third-party workshop. The label covers a wide range: a $40 quartz knockoff on a folded steel bracelet, a mid-grade automatic with a printed dial, and a high-tier 1:1 build with a decorated clone movement and a sapphire crystal. Which one you are looking at decides the fair price, the service life, and how closely it reads as genuine on the wrist.
Genuine IWC watches are made in Schaffhausen and carry factory serials, service records and a warranty. A replica carries none of that. Your job is not to prove it is fake. It is to work out which tier it belongs to and whether the asking price matches that tier.
Before You Start
- The authentic spec sheet for IW545133: case diameter, thickness, lug width, dial layout, movement calibre.
- Digital calipers accurate to 0.01 mm.
- A 10x jeweler's loupe.
- Macro photos of the genuine watch from at least four angles.
- A kitchen scale that reads in grams.
- Neutral, bright light with no colored bulbs overhead.
How to Judge a Fake IW545133 Step by Step
- Write the genuine numbers on paper: case diameter, case thickness, lug width, and total head weight in grams.
- Measure the replica's case diameter, thickness and lug width with calipers and note each figure next to the genuine one.
- Weigh the watch head alone, without the strap, and compare it with the published figure. Steel replicas usually come in light.
- Set the dial under the loupe and read every printed line, checking letter height, spacing and whether the text sits flat or rises off the surface.
- Study the hands at 10x for bevel quality, polish, and the exact point where each tip stops against the markers.
- Check the subdial or date window position against the reference photo, since a wrong subdial spacing is the hardest flaw to hide.
- Grip the crown and wind it through ten full turns, feeling for grit, slip or a hollow click.
- Look at the crystal edge under the loupe for the dome profile and the blue or purple sheen of an anti-reflective coating.
- Turn the watch over and inspect the caseback engraving for font weight, depth, and the spacing between the reference and serial numbers.
- Examine the movement through the display back for jewel count, bridge finishing, and screw heads that show plating wear at the slots.
- Inspect the strap or bracelet for stitch count, keeper shape, buckle engraving, and how tightly the spring bars seat in the lugs.
- Photograph the replica at the same four angles as the reference shots and compare the images at 100 percent zoom.
- Ask the seller for macro photos of the movement, plus measured weight and dimensions, before any payment.
Red Flags
- Dial text that looks sprayed or blurry under 10x magnification.
- Case thickness off by more than 0.5 mm from the genuine figure.
- A movement plate stamped with a calibre name that does not match the engraving style of the original.
- Sapphire that scratches with a light key rub, which points to mineral glass instead.
- A seller who refuses to send movement photos or a weight figure.
Replica Tiers and What They Cost
Quartz builds run cheapest and carry a stepped seconds hand that never sweeps. Mid-tier automatics use a generic movement, a mineral crystal and stamped hands. The 1:1 tier uses a cloned automatic movement, a sapphire crystal with coating, applied indices and hand-polished hands, and it usually matches the genuine case dimensions within a tenth of a millimeter. Gold-toned models use ion plating or PVD, not solid gold, so the finish wears through at the crown and clasp edges with daily use.
Treat any water resistance claim on a replica as unverified. Gaskets on copies are rarely tested to a standard, so keep the watch away from pools and showers regardless of what the caseback says.