A fake IW371759 is a copy of the IWC Portugieser chronograph made outside IWC's factory and sold at a fraction of the original price. The quickest tell is the caseback: the real watch shows a finished, numbered IWC calibre through sapphire, while most copies hide a generic movement behind steel or a printed plate. Dial print, subdial spacing, and case finishing confirm it in good light.
What is a fake IW371759?
A fake IW371759 is any watch built to imitate the IWC Portugieser chronograph reference IW371759 without IWC's involvement. Copies range from cheap quartz lookalikes to first copy builds that use an automatic chronograph movement and a hand-finished case.
The genuine reference sits in IWC's Portugieser family: Arabic numerals, leaf-shaped hands, a slim bezel, and two subdials stacked at 6 and 12. Most examples come in stainless steel at roughly 41mm across, with a display back.
Original examples trade in the thousands on the secondary market. The exact figure depends on age, condition, and whether box and papers come with the watch.
How do you spot a fake IW371759?
Four checks settle it: the movement, the dial print, the case finishing, and the price. Run them in that order and a replica shows itself before you reach the third.
Check the caseback and movement
The real watch has a sapphire display back with a decorated, numbered IWC calibre. A fake often uses a solid caseback, mineral glass, or a decorated plate glued over a generic movement. Look at the rotor: on a copy, the striping stops at the edge of the metal instead of flowing with it.
Compare dial print and subdial spacing
Zoom in on the numerals and the IWC Schaffhausen text. Genuine print sits crisp under a loupe, with even stroke width and no ink bleed. Fakes show thicker strokes, wrong font weight, and subdials that sit a hair too close to the center.
Weigh it and feel the crown
A steel Portugieser chronograph feels dense for its size, and the crown turns with light, even resistance. Replicas often feel light in the hand and have a crown that grinds or wobbles. A scale photo next to a caliper shot settles a lot before money changes hands.
Test the pushers and the date change
Press the top pusher. It should click once, start the seconds hand, and stop with a second press from the bottom pusher. Mushy travel, a hand that jumps backward, or a date that flips at noon all point to a cheap movement.
What do replica versions get wrong?
Most replicas get the outline right and the small parts wrong.
- Case finishing: genuine cases have sharp, hand-polished flanks and a brushed top that meets at a clean line. Fakes round the edges off.
- Dial depth: the real dial uses applied numerals with polished edges and a slight step. Copies print them flat.
- Crystal: genuine sapphire shows almost no reflection at an angle. Fake sapphire often carries a blue or purple tint.
- Strap and clasp: IWC alligator straps have a specific grain and a signed deployant. Replicas use calf leather stamped to look like gator.
- Serial and reference: numbers on a fake are stamped deep and uneven, or repeat across batches.
What does a fake IW371759 cost?
Prices split into three bands.
- Cheap copies, quartz: $40 to $90. Heavy tell: a ticking seconds hand and a painted caseback.
- Mid-tier automatics: $150 to $350. These run a Chinese chronograph movement and look right in a listing photo.
- First copy grade: $400 and up. Sapphire crystal, a working automatic chronograph, and hand-finished case edges.
Anything far above that range is a sales pitch, not a better watch.
Fake vs first copy vs genuine: what changes
The gap lives in the parts you cannot see in a listing photo.
- Genuine: IWC calibre, signed and numbered, serviceable by IWC, and it holds resale value.
- First copy: close case and dial work, generic chronograph movement, no service history, and resale value near zero.
- Cheap fake: correct silhouette only, and it often stops working within a year.
What should you ask before buying a replica IW371759?
- Movement type: automatic chronograph or quartz. Ask for a photo of the running movement.
- Crystal: sapphire or mineral. Sapphire survives a scratch test with a coin; mineral does not.
- Size and weight: ask for caliper and scale photos, not factory renders.
- Real photos: a seller with the watch in hand can shoot it under any light you ask for.
- Return window: at least 7 days, in writing, before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Can a jeweler tell a fake IW371759?
Yes, and it takes under a minute in most cases. A watchmaker opens the caseback, checks the movement finish and the case number, and knows.
Do fake IW371759 watches keep good time?
A decent automatic holds within 20 to 30 seconds a day when new. The weak points are the chronograph module and the pushers, which wear out first.
Is buying a fake IW371759 legal?
Selling counterfeit watches is illegal in the US and most of the EU. Buying one for personal use sits in a gray zone, and customs can seize a shipment without refunding you.
What is the closest legal alternative?
A homage or a mid-range chronograph from brands like Tissot, Hamilton, or Seiko gives you a similar look with a real warranty. If the goal is the Portugieser look at low cost, a first copy grade piece is the usual compromise.