Short answer
IW938738 does not exist in the IWC Schaffhausen catalog. IWC reference numbers carry the prefix IW followed by six digits. IW938738 matches that format, but the brand has never published it. Listings that use the number sell a replica of an unnamed watch. The photos in those listings come from other references. The number is invented, mistyped, or copied from a wholesale stock code.
How the number is built
IWC uses IW plus six digits for current references. Real numbers in that shape cover the Portugieser, Pilot, Aquatimer, and Ingenieur families. A buyer sees a familiar pattern and assumes the watch is genuine. That assumption is the function of the listing.
Why a seller picks a number that does not exist
- A search for the number returns no official page, so the buyer cannot compare specs.
- A dead reference keeps the listing out of brand enforcement searches.
- Stock codes from wholesale sheets get copied into retail ads without a check.
- Typing errors pass between resellers and become "the model."
How to test any reference number
- Search the brand's own site. If the number returns nothing, the model is not official.
- Ask for a caseback photo. Genuine references show a reference number and a serial number.
- Compare diameter, case material, movement, and water resistance to the published spec sheet.
- Compare the price to the secondary market. A price 90 percent below market points to a replica.
- Request a service estimate from an authorized dealer. The dealer will confirm the reference.
Legal status in the United States
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import and sell. 19 U.S.C. 1526 bars import of articles that bear a counterfeit trademark. The Lanham Act covers sales inside the country. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes shipments and can destroy the goods. Buyers face seizure of the package and, in some cases, civil claims. Federal law grants no personal-use exception.
Price and risk
Replica sellers list Swiss super clone watches from about $150 to $900. Genuine IWC watches in steel start near $5,000 and climb past $30,000. The gap covers no legitimate costs. Movement finishing, warranty coverage, and service support do not exist at the low end. Payment by wire or crypto leaves no chargeback path.
If you already bought one
Keep the listing, the payment record, and the tracking number. A dispute with a card issuer needs those files. A customs seizure notice names the importer and gives a window to respond. Reselling the watch inside the US carries the same liability as the first sale.
What is known and what is not
No public record ties IW938738 to any IWC model. IWC has not issued a statement about the number. Photos attached to these listings differ from seller to seller. Treat any spec sheet printed by the seller as unverified.