The fastest way to spot a fake IW371446 is to check three things: the case size, the dial layout, and the movement inside. The real IW371446 is a stainless steel Portugieser Chronograph with a 40.9 mm case, a blue dial, no date window, and caliber 79350. Counterfeits usually fail on at least one of those points, or on the quality of the caseback engraving.
What Is the IWC IW371446?
The IW371446 belongs to the Portugieser Chronograph family known as the 3714 series, which IWC produced for about two decades before replacing it with the 41 mm ref. 3716. It pairs a steel case with a blue dial and a black alligator strap. The chronograph layout is a 30-minute counter at 12 o'clock and running seconds at 6 o'clock.
Specs worth memorizing before you compare any watch:
- Reference: IW371446, Portugieser Chronograph
- Case: stainless steel, 40.9 mm wide
- Thickness: about 12 mm
- Dial: blue, applied numerals, feuille hands, no date
- Movement: caliber 79350, automatic chronograph based on the Valjoux 7750
- Crystal: domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 3 bar (30 m)
Those numbers matter because copies are built to look right in listing photos but drift at the millimeter level. A case that measures 41.5 mm or 39 mm is a tell on its own.
How Do You Spot a Fake IW371446?
Movement and caseback
The genuine watch runs caliber 79350, an automatic chronograph with a 44-hour power reserve and a beat rate of 28,800 vph. The rotor carries IWC engraving and the plates show finishing that costs real money to copy. A watchmaker with a caseback wrench can confirm the movement in minutes.
Caseback engraving is the cleanest tell. Genuine IWC engraving is deep, sharp, and even, with the reference, the serial number, "International Watch Co.", "Schaffhausen", and "Probus Scafusia" all in matching type. Laser-etched fakes look shallow and fuzzy at the edges, and the same serial number shows up across different listings.
Dial, hands, and subdials
Real dial printing stays crisp under a loupe. The logo, the "Schaffhausen" text, and the "Automatic" line sit level with even spacing, and the applied numerals have polished bevels that catch light on one edge. Fake dials show thicker fonts, crooked printing, and flat numerals with no bevel.
Hands are another giveaway. Genuine feuille hands are polished and faceted down the center line. Cheap copies use stamped sheet metal that looks dull and flat from any angle.
The IW371446 has no date window. Any 3714 with a date at 3 o'clock is wrong, and many low-cost copies add one because the base movement has a date wheel sitting there.
Case, crown, and pushers
The crown sits flush with the case band, and the pushers start, stop, and reset with a firm click and no side-to-side wobble. Soft or mushy pusher action points to a worn movement or a cheap substitute. Case finishing on the real watch mixes brushed flanks with polished bevels that stay distinct, while fakes blur the transition between the two.
Crystal and strap
IWC fits a domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating that cuts glare to a faint sheen. Fakes often ship with mineral glass, or with sapphire that shows a strong blue or purple tint at an angle. If the dial washes out purple in daylight, question the watch.
Straps are the easiest part to swap, so treat them as a weak signal. A genuine alligator strap has a buckle with crisp IWC engraving and even stitching. Fake buckles look soft and the thread wanders off the edge.
What Do Replica IW371446 Watches Get Right?
Some China-made copies use a real Asia Valjoux 7750, so the subdial positions, the winding feel, and the pusher action can come close to the original. Case dimensions are usually within a fraction of a millimeter, and the blue dial shade is often in the right range. That is enough to fool a phone photo.
What low-cost copies cannot match: movement finishing, engraving depth, sapphire coating quality, hand polishing, and service support. No independent watchmaker stocks parts for a counterfeit, and IWC service centers will not touch one.
IW371446 Authentication FAQ
Does the IW371446 have a date window?
No. The Portugieser Chronograph 3714 has no date. A date at 3 o'clock means the watch is fake or a different reference.
What movement is inside the real IW371446?
Caliber 79350, an automatic chronograph based on the Valjoux 7750, with a 30-minute counter, running seconds at 6 o'clock, and a 44-hour power reserve.
How much does a genuine IW371446 sell for?
Pre-owned prices sit in the mid four figures in US dollars, and a full set with box and papers adds to the total. A steel Portugieser Chronograph listed at a few hundred dollars is not real.
How Do You Verify an IW371446 Before You Buy?
- Ask for a clear photo of the caseback with the serial number visible, then check the font and engraving depth.
- Ask the seller to measure the case with calipers and send the readout.
- Request a photo of the movement with the caseback removed.
- Ask for service records or a recent appraisal from a watchmaker.
- Pay through a method with buyer protection, or use an escrow service for a private sale.
If a seller refuses any of those steps, walk away. Anyone selling a four-figure watch expects the question and has the paperwork to answer it.