A fake IW371618 is a replica of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph, a 41 mm stainless steel watch with an in-house calibre 69355 automatic movement. Most copies give themselves away in five places: dial printing, subdial finish, case thickness, caseback engraving, and the movement visible through the display back.
What is the IWC IW371618?
IW371618 belongs to the Portugieser Chronograph family that IWC refreshed in 2020 around its own manufacture calibre. The design keeps the classic two-register layout, with a chronograph minutes counter at 12 o'clock and running seconds at 6 o'clock, and it has no date window.
The case measures roughly 41 mm across and about 13 mm thick, and the movement beats at 4 Hz (28,800 vph) with a power reserve near 46 hours. IWC builds the reference in steel with alligator straps or a steel bracelet, so the reference number mainly tracks dial color and strap choice.
Why are there so many fake IW371618 watches?
The Portugieser Chronograph is one of the most recognizable dress chronographs on the market, and its silhouette is clean and simple. That makes it easy to copy at arm's length and hard to copy in detail, which is exactly why so many replicas exist.
The design also has few visual anchors. There is no dive bezel, no date, and no lume plots, so buyers cannot lean on obvious functional cues and instead have to examine finishing up close.
How do you spot a fake IW371618?
Does the subdial finish look recessed?
Genuine dials use recessed subdials with fine concentric snailing and clearly separate hands. Copies usually show flat or lightly printed counters, and the hands inside them look stamped with blunt, uneven tips.
Is the dial printing crisp?
The "IWC Schaffhausen" signature should be thin, sharp, and evenly spaced at every angle. Replicas tend to use a heavier font, uneven gaps between letters, or a minute track that blurs under magnification.
Do the case dimensions match?
A genuine example sits at about 41 mm wide and near 13 mm thick with lugs that curve down toward the wrist. Many fakes run 1 mm wider or noticeably thicker, which changes how the watch sits and how it reads in profile.
Is there a date window?
The IW3716 family has no date at all. If you see an aperture at 3 o'clock, the watch is not an IW371618, and copies often blend this reference with the larger Portugieser Chronograph Classic that does carry a date.
What does the caseback and movement tell you?
A real one has a sapphire display back with crisp reference engraving and a decorated rotor over striped and grained plates. Cheap fakes hide behind a solid caseback or show a generic movement with a glued-on decorative plate.
How do the crown, pushers, and clasp feel?
The crown and chronograph pushers should move with firm, even resistance and no side play. On the bracelet, check the clasp engraving, the link gaps, and the overall weight, since copies often feel light and rattle slightly.
What do fake IW371618 price tiers tell you?
- Quartz copies sit at the bottom, run a battery, and usually have a sweeping seconds hand that ticks once per second.
- Entry automatic copies use generic Asian movements, often with the wrong subdial spacing and a thick case.
- High-end clones copy the dial, case, and bracelet closely, but still rarely match the movement finishing or the exact hand shape.
Quick checklist before you buy
- Measure the case width and thickness against the 41 mm and 13 mm reference points.
- Confirm there is no date window anywhere on the dial.
- Confirm the chronograph minutes counter sits at 12 and running seconds at 6.
- Inspect the dial text and minute track under a loupe or a phone macro lens.
- Ask for a clear photo of the movement through the caseback.
FAQ
Is the IW371618 the same watch as the Portugieser Chronograph?
Yes. IW371618 is one reference inside the Portugieser Chronograph line, which shares the same 41 mm case and calibre 69355 movement across dial and strap variants.
Does the IW371618 have a date?
No. The reference has two subdials and no date aperture, so any date at 3 o'clock signals a different model or a replica.
How much does a genuine IW371618 cost?
Retail pricing for a steel Portugieser Chronograph runs in the region of 8,000 US dollars, which is why the copy market for this reference is so active.
What is the fastest single check for a fake?
Look at the subdials and the dial text together. Flat, printed counters with heavy lettering and a soft minute track are the most common signs on lower-tier copies.