What Is a Fake IW371704?
A fake IW371704 is a copy of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph reference IW371704: a 40.9 mm steel chronograph with a silver-plated dial, gold-plated hands and numerals, and the caliber 79350 movement. IWC stopped making this reference years ago, so copies now outnumber real watches in the open market. Most tells sit on the dial and under the caseback, and a phone camera plus a loupe will find them.
Where to Buy Fake IW371704: Buying Guide
The Genuine Reference at a Glance
- Case: stainless steel, 40.9 mm across, about 12.3 mm thick, 30 m water resistance
- Dial: silver-plated, two subdials (chronograph minutes at 12, small seconds at 6), date at 3
- Movement: IWC caliber 79350, 28,800 vph, 44-hour power reserve, built on the Valjoux 7750
- Crystal: sapphire with antireflective coating on both faces
- Strap: black alligator leather with a steel pin buckle or folding clasp
A copy can match one or two of those specs. Matching all of them at once costs money, and that cost is what shows up in the details.
Fake IW371704 Price Comparison: Buyer's Guide
Fake or Replica: Does the Word Matter?
People use both words for the same thing. "Fake" is the general term for any copy; "replica" is the trade term for higher-grade builds that copy the case and movement layout. The distinction matters when you buy, because a $90 fake and a $600 replica of the IW371704 are not the same object.
How to Spot a Fake IW371704
1. Count the subdials first
The 79350 inside the real watch is a 7750 with the 12-hour counter removed, which leaves two registers: chronograph minutes at 12 and running seconds at 6. A stock 7750 has three, so any IW371704 with a subdial at 9 is wrong. Cheap fakes paint a fake register on the dial or drop in a quartz movement whose small seconds ticks once per second. Start the chronograph and watch the sweep.
Best Fake IW371704 Watch: Tier-by-Tier Replica Review
2. Zoom in on the printing and numerals
Genuine dials carry applied gold numerals with polished bevels and sharp edges. Copies use stamped brass with soft edges that reflect light in a flat, dull way. Look at the word Schaffhausen under magnification: real printing holds its serifs, fakes blur or bleed at the edges.
3. Check the case, crown, and pushers
Real pushers have short travel and a firm click; the crown threads engage without wobble. Fakes feel spongy, and the crown can catch or spin past its stop. The case flanks should show straight brushing with polished bevels running along the lugs.
4. Read the caseback engraving
Reference, serial, and hallmarks on a genuine watch are cut with consistent depth and sharp edges. Copies laser-etch a shallow line that looks sandy under a loupe. Caseback threads and the gasket seat matter too: a fake that leaks is a fake that rusts.
5. Look at the movement
Most 3717 references show the caliber through a sapphire back. You should see a signed rotor, blued screws, and clean finishing on the bridges. Fakes paint the plates, hide the movement behind a solid back, or fit an undecorated clone that looks unfinished next to the real thing.
6. Weigh the strap and buckle
Real alligator has irregular scales and a matte finish. Printed calf has a repeating pattern and a plastic sheen, and the stitching sits uneven. A steel case also has heft; a plated brass fake feels light in the hand.
What Top-Tier Replicas Get Right
Good IW371704 replicas match the case diameter, thickness, and two-register layout, and they run a modified 7750 so the chronograph functions the way it should. Sapphire with inner antireflective coating appears on better builds as well.
What they skip is finishing. Bridge decoration, engraving depth, and the fit of the crown gasket stay behind the original. That gap is part of what the real watch costs, and it is where a replica shows its price.
Red Flags in Any Listing
- A price far below the rest of the market for a watch described as genuine
- Stock catalog photos instead of pictures of the actual watch
- No movement photo, or a movement shot that is blurred on purpose
- A seller who will not send a video of the chronograph starting, stopping, and resetting
- "Swiss made" claims on a watch priced like a clone
Buying a Replica IW371704: What to Ask For
- Macro photos of the dial, date window, and subdial hands at rest.
- A clear shot of the movement with the rotor in two positions.
- Timegrapher numbers (rate, amplitude, beat error) from three positions.
- A video of the chronograph start, stop, and reset, plus the date change.
- Caseback photos that show the reference and serial engraving.
Ask about the return window before you pay. A seller who refuses returns on a working chronograph is telling you something about the watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the IW371704 still in production?
No. IWC moved the Portugieser Chronograph to the ref. 3716, which uses the in-house caliber 69355. The 3717 generation, including the IW371704, is discontinued, which is why copies are common.
How can I tell a fake IW371704 in one look?
Check the subdials. Two registers at 12 and 6 is correct for the 79350; a third register at 9 means a stock 7750 and a fake. Not every fake fails this test, but every watch that fails it is a copy.
Does a replica IW371704 keep good time?
A regulated 7750 clone can run within a few seconds a day. The risk is later: parts and service on a clone movement are a gamble, and the watch may need a full replacement instead of a repair.
What does a genuine IW371704 sell for?
Secondary market prices depend on condition, box, and papers, and they land in the low thousands of dollars. Replicas sell for a fraction of that, which is the whole point of the copy market.
Can a watchmaker tell a replica from the real thing?
Yes, and fast. A watchmaker opens the caseback, checks the movement finish and the engraving depth, and knows within a minute. Dial details confirm it.