Fake IW371479 vs Original: The Short Version
The IW371479 sits inside the Portugieser Chronograph line, and that matters. This is a watch built on restraint: a bi-compax dial, leaf hands, applied numerals, a slim steel case, and almost no text. Nothing on the face hides a mistake, so when a replica goes wrong you see it fast.
My pick, before any of the details: a top-tier replica running a decorated Asian 7750 with a double AR-coated sapphire and a real leather strap. It is still not the genuine article, but it removes the three tells people notice from across a table, which are a milky crystal, flat dial printing, and soft chronograph pushers.
Why I Land There
Budget versions save money in the wrong places. The crystal gets one coating or none, so the dial turns gray under indoor light. The printing on the minute track blurs. The pushers feel like wet sponge. Those faults are hard to unsee once you notice them.
Mid and top tiers spend where it counts. Proper double anti-reflective coating makes the dial read as if it floats. A correct 7750 architecture gives the chronograph a real snap on start, stop, and reset. A strap cut from actual leather curves at the lugs instead of kinking.
How to Get Fake IW371479 Watches
Where Fakes Give Themselves Away
Case and crystal
The genuine case measures 40.9mm on earlier generations and 41mm on the current one, in steel with brushed flanks and polished chamfers. On a fake, the chamfer is often too wide or missing outright, and the lugs look thick from the side. The crystal is the bigger flag. Genuine sapphire is domed and coated on both faces, so reflections nearly vanish. Replicas tend to show a blue or purple sheen with a hard reflection from every angle.
Dial and hands
- Applied numerals should look like cut metal, not painted dots.
- Leaf hands need to reach the minute track. Short hands are the classic replica tell.
- Subdial rings should be crisp and evenly spaced.
- The date aperture on the original is cut with sharp corners and no ragged edge.
Movement and pushers
Earlier references used the 79350, a reworked Valjoux 7750. The current generation uses caliber 69355. A replica with an Asian 7750 can run well for years, but check the pusher feel and where the chronograph seconds hand parks. If it rests at 11:58 instead of dead on 12, walk away.
Strap and caseback
Engraving is where cheap work shows up first. Look at the font weight on the reference number and serial, and how deep the cut runs. Then check the strap. Real leather creases with wear. Synthetic material glazes and cracks at the spring bar.
Other Options, Ranked
1. Top-tier Asian 7750 build
My pick for anyone who actually wears the watch. Best dial, best crystal, best pusher feel. This is the one that survives a close look from a friend.
2. Mid-tier 7750 build
Fine on the wrist from a few feet away. Expect a weaker crystal and softer pushers. It costs less and shows more.
3. Quartz or slim automatic builds
Avoid these. Subdial spacing runs off and the seconds hand ticks. Anyone who knows the reference spots it in a second.
How I Check One in Hand
- Tilt the crystal toward a window. Coating should kill most of the reflection.
- Run the chronograph start, stop, and reset three times. It should snap each time.
- Compare hand length against the minute track.
- Read the caseback engraving with a phone macro shot.
- Weigh it. Steel on leather should feel dense for its size, not hollow.
Bottom Line
The original wins on movement finishing, crystal quality, and the fit of every part. A good replica gets close in photos and falls short in the hand. Buy the top tier or buy nothing, and always know which one is on your wrist.