A fake IW371407 is a watch built to imitate the IWC Portugieser Chronograph reference IW371407. The fastest way to judge one is to check three things in order: the two-register layout with the chronograph minutes counter at 12 and running seconds at 6, the case profile at roughly 41mm across and close to 13mm thick, and how the pushers respond when you start, stop, and reset the chronograph.
What the IW371407 Reference Actually Is
The IW3714 family is the Portugieser Chronograph line: a stainless steel case, a clean dial with applied Arabic numerals and feuille hands, a printed minute track, and no date window. Reference IW371407 is one configuration inside that family, which matters because copies are usually built from the same base blueprint no matter which dial color or strap the seller lists.
If a listing describes the watch with a date at 3 o'clock or a three-register layout, that description alone tells you it is not modeled on this reference. Those details belong to other chronographs, and sellers often mix them up when they are working from stock photos of genuine pieces.
Why This Reference Gets Copied So Often
- Symmetrical two-register dials are easier to reproduce than asymmetric layouts.
- No date window means no date wheel alignment to get right.
- The design is clean, so small printing errors stand out immediately, which pushes makers toward better dial work.
- Demand for the Portugieser look is steady, so factories keep the case tooling in use.
Quick Checks That Expose a Low-Grade Fake IW371407
Start with the dial and work outward. A cheap copy usually fails at least one of these points within a few seconds of handling.
- Subdial position. The two counters should sit on a vertical line through the center of the dial. Off-center subdials are the clearest sign of a generic movement dropped into a case that was not made for it.
- Logo and text printing. Look at the brand name and place name under 12. Crisp, evenly weighted lettering is normal on better work. Thick, blurry, or double-struck text is not.
- Applied numerals. They should sit flat and catch light along polished edges. Printed numerals pretending to be applied are a giveaway on budget builds.
- Hand finishing. Feuille hands should be smooth along both faces with no burrs or visible tool marks at the tips.
- Case brushing. The transition between brushed and polished surfaces should be sharp, not washed out or rounded over.
- Pusher feel. Press each pusher slowly. A mushy, gritty, or inconsistent action means a low-end movement.
Detail Work: Where Better Copies Separate Themselves
Once the basics pass, the differences move to small areas that are hard to fake well.
- The minute track should be printed thin and even, with no ink spread between the hash marks.
- The subdial rings should be recessed slightly, not painted flat onto the dial surface.
- Sapphire should show almost no color cast when viewed at an angle.
- Lug tips should be polished where the strap meets the case, with no sharp edges left from casting.
- Engraving on the caseback should have depth and clean interior walls, not shallow, sandblasted lettering.
- Strap stitching should be even along the whole length, with the same thread weight on both sides.
Movement and Pusher Feel
Chronograph pusher action tells you more than any photo. On a well-built copy, the start press is firm, the stop press is distinct, and the reset snaps the hands back to zero in one motion. If the chronograph seconds hand drifts past zero on reset or stops short, the reset mechanism is poorly finished.
Wind the watch and listen. A rough, dry, or scraping sound suggests minimal lubrication and a short service life. A steady, quiet tick with smooth rotor movement is a better sign. Timekeeping over a full day matters more than a seller's claim about accuracy on a timing machine.
Box, Papers, and Serial Consistency
Copies often arrive with packaging that looks convincing at arm's length. Check that the serial number on the caseback matches the number on any card or booklet, that the font used is the same across all documents, and that the print quality holds up under a magnifier. Mismatched numbers are common on lower tiers and easy to catch.
What "First Copy" Means in Practice
In the replica market, "first copy" describes the top tier of a given reference rather than a specific factory. A first copy IW371407 is built with correct subdial spacing, applied numerals, proper case finishing, and a chronograph movement that matches the pusher feel of the original closely enough to pass casual handling. Below that tier sit mid-range builds with printed details and generic movements, and below that are budget pieces that fail the dial and pusher checks outright.
Before You Buy
- Ask for clear photos of the dial straight on, the case from the side, and the caseback.
- Request a short video showing the chronograph starting, stopping, and resetting.
- Confirm the subdial layout in writing, including the position of each counter.
- Ask what movement is inside and how it is finished.
- Check the return terms in case the piece does not match the listing.
Run the dial, case, and pusher checks in that order. They take less than a minute together and will tell you more about a fake IW371407 than any seller description.