The short answer
Yes, there are fake IW328013 watches. It is not one of the most heavily counterfeited references around, because IWC Pilot's Watches do not sell in Rolex volumes, but the reference does show up in replica catalogs. The copies look fine at arm's length and obvious in the hand. They fail on the same three things: case thickness, dial printing, and the movement you can see through the caseback.
If you are hunting a genuine one, the real danger is not a replica sold as a replica. It is a replica sold as real, usually secondhand, usually with a box and a story attached.
What IW328013 actually is
IW328013 belongs to IWC's Pilot's Watch family, the 3280 series. In IWC's numbering the first block of digits identifies the case and movement family, and the last two identify the dial and strap combination. That matters when you are checking a watch. An IW328013 shares its case, crystal, crown, and movement with the other 3280-series references and differs mainly in dial color and what it is mounted on.
Before you compare anything, pin down the exact spec: case diameter, lug width, dial color, hand shape, movement. IWC's own reference listing gives you all of it, and the caseback engraving on the watch in front of you should match it digit for digit.
The checks that hold up
Case and crystal
Replica cases run thicker than the real thing, because the factory is fitting a stock movement and a spacer instead of a purpose-built caliber. Half a millimeter to a millimeter and a half is common. If you own calipers, use them. If you do not, compare the watch side by side with photos of a genuine one shot at the same angle.
Look at the crystal next. Genuine IWC pilot watches have anti-reflective coating on both faces, which gives a faint blue or purple tint at an angle and near-invisible reflections. Many replicas coat only the outside, or not at all, and the crystal reads flat and gray.
Then the crown. It should be engraved cleanly, sit flush, and thread without grit. Stiff threading on a watch that is supposedly a few years old is a warning sign.
Dial and hands
Print quality is where most fakes give themselves away under a loupe. Genuine dial text is crisp, evenly spaced, and matte. Replicas show soft edges, inconsistent stroke weight, and letters that run into each other. Check the spacing inside the logo and the text line under it.
The date window is another one. Genuine date wheels sit centered and use the same font as the rest of the dial. Fakes sit off center, use a chunkier font, or show a rough edge on the aperture.
Lume is applied by hand on the real thing. Under a light it should be smooth and level. Bumpy or uneven plots point to a copy. Hand length counts too: the minute hand should reach the minute track, and the seconds hand should have the correct shape and counterweight.
Caseback and movement
This is the check most people skip, and it is the most reliable one. Genuine IWC pilot watches run an in-house automatic movement. Replicas run a Seagull, a Miyota, or a decorated Chinese automatic under a rotor engraved to look like IWC. The rotor engraving is often the wrong shape or the wrong depth, and the finishing does not match IWC's work.
Caseback engraving is usually the weakest part of a fake. The reference number, the serial, and the text lines should be cut deep and even. On copies they are shallow, laser etched, or slightly wrong in font. Photos of a genuine caseback are easy to find. Put the two images next to each other.
Price, box, and paperwork
A genuine secondhand IW328013 sells for real money, and a steel IWC pilot watch does not fall to a fraction of that without a reason. If the price sits far under the market, assume there is a reason. Boxes and papers get counterfeited too, and a box tells you nothing about the watch inside it.
Where you run into them
- Peer-to-peer marketplaces and social media sellers using stock photos instead of pictures of the actual watch.
- Messaging app dealers who want payment by transfer or crypto and offer no returns.
- Pawn shops and estate sale listings with no service history.
- Replica forums and marketplaces where the watch is sold as a copy at a tier price.
If you want a real one
- Buy from an authorized dealer or a seller with a long, checkable history.
- Ask for photos of the caseback, crown, dial, and movement, not just the front.
- Confirm the caseback reference matches IW328013 and matches the dial variant.
- Have a watchmaker open it before money changes hands, or use escrow with an inspection window.
- Compare the asking price against current listings for the same reference and condition.
If you are looking at a replica instead
Replica IW328013 watches sell in tiers, from under a hundred dollars up to a few hundred. The cheap end has wrong dimensions, poor dial print, and a movement that will not keep time. The better end gets the case closer and the print sharper, but the movement is still a generic automatic that most watchmakers will not service, and spare parts do not exist. Resale value is zero, and no replica passes a service center inspection. That is the trade you are making. Know it before you spend.