

How a watch fits and feels on your wrist can also lead you to sniff out faux IWC watches. If the crystal is actually glass or plastic, the water will disperse.” The water should retain surface tension when it is on a sapphire crystal. An easy way of testing the crystal is to place a drop of water on the surface.

“More recent models should include a sapphire crystal over the dial, a material that is used in almost all luxury watches because of its scratch-resistant properties. “On authentic IWC watches, you should expect to see nothing but the highest quality materials paired with exceptional craftsmanship,” says Ekmekjian. IWC is a luxury watch brand with exacting standards, so the materials can be a huge tell. On authentic IWC watches, the subdials should be symmetrical.” Sometimes the subdials aren’t quite symmetrical on faux pieces. “On counterfeits, we often find subdials that are either too close or too far from the center. “IWC watches’ subdials and hands should have placemats that align perfectly with the dial and show laser-sharp precision,” says Ekmekjian. The subdials can also tell a lot about an IWC watch. You should expect to find uniform colors across the dial and very precise laser etching.” The Swiss company uses the highest quality metals to create the face of the watch. “With counterfeits we often find mismatched colors in the numbers, and occasionally faux pieces will have the wrong fonts for the numbering and lettering. “The dial is always the first thing you see when you look at a watch, and it should also be the first area you inspect,” notes Ekmekjian. When inspecting an IWC Pilot’s watch or other model for authenticity, start with the focal point. Unfortunately they’ve also become susceptible to counterfeiting.” So how can you spot the real deal? Ekmekjian explains how everything from the dial to the fine details can reveal an IWC watch’s authenticity. Due to the brand’s heritage and impeccable quality, IWC timepieces have been popular among watch enthusiasts for years. “Their offerings featured everything from precise, reliable pilot’s watches to beautiful luxury timepieces such as the IWC Portugieser, also known as the Portuguese. “During the early 20th century, the International Watch Company had a wider range of products than its contemporaries,” notes Ekmekjian. These achievements cemented their presence in the luxury watch market. The house also produced the first wristwatch incorporating a compass, innovated more accurate movements and developed waterproofing technology that could withstand new depths. IWC gained a solid reputation for its pilot watches in the 1930s and even created a wristwatch for British military use during WWII. Once his dream was fully realized and IWC’s watchmaking facilities were well established, the brand quickly became one of the most successful watch companies.” “Aristo Jones broke away from the norm and created a fully fledged watch factory to manufacture luxury timepieces for the American market. “Though the Industrial Revolution had generally transformed manufacturing in Europe and the United States, at the time of IWC’s founding watchmakers primarily crafted watches in their homes,” notes Serge Ekmekjian, Associate Valuation Manager of Fine Jewelry & Watches at The RealReal. Another advantage of choosing Schaffhausen was its proximity to the Rhine River, which ultimately hydro-powered his machines.

Aristo Jones’ goal was to enlist the region’s skilled artisans while employing American production techniques. In 1868, Boston watchmaker Florentine Aristo Jones founded the International Watch Company in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. And when you trace IWC watches’ storied history, you find the perfect marriage of traditional Swiss craftsmanship and pioneering American entrepreneurship. Whether you’re learning about IWC watches for the first time or have collected them for years, one thing’s for sure - IWC watches are everywhere. IWC watches can be seen on the wrists of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper and even Emily Ratajkowski. Last year GQ crowned IWC’s Portugieser model the Most Popular Dress Watch of the Year, and the iconic line just expanded with a new model. IWC has made a name for itself in the watch world, and if you’re unfamiliar with the horological powerhouse, chances are it won’t be that way for long.
