Short answer
A fake Portugesian chrono is a copy of the IWC Portuguese Chronograph. "Portugesian" is a misspelling of "Portuguese." IWC Schaffhausen is the maker. The chronograph joined the Portuguese line in 1998 under reference IW3714. Sellers list these copies under many names: first copy, 1:1, AAA, super clone. Those words come from sellers. No standards body defines them.
The watch being copied
The first Portuguese Chronograph used a 40.9 mm steel case. Case thickness was 12.3 mm. Lug width was 20 mm. The movement was caliber 79350, a Valjoux 7750 base with 31 jewels and a 44-hour power reserve. The dial carries two subdials: running seconds at 6 o'clock and chronograph minutes at 12 o'clock. Water resistance is rated at 30 m. Steel references include IW371401 and IW371404. Later Classic and Automatic versions changed case size and movement, so reference numbers matter.
How copies differ
- Quartz: one tick per second on the small seconds. Case can sit thinner than 12.3 mm.
- Asian automatic: 21,600 to 28,800 vibrations per hour. Subdial spacing and date window position can shift.
- Cloned automatic: a copy of the 7750 layout. Weight sits closer to the original. Price is higher.
Checks that separate the groups: subdial spacing, date wheel font, crown logo depth, case back engraving, sapphire coating, and total weight. A steel Portuguese Chronograph on a leather strap is a light watch for its size. Lighter copies are common.
Legal status in the United States
IWC holds registered trademarks with the USPTO. Federal law bars import of goods that carry a counterfeit mark. That rule is 19 U.S.C. § 1526. Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy shipments. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320, with prison terms of up to 10 years for a first offense in some cases. A narrow personal-use rule at 19 CFR 148.55 allows one item of each type in a traveler's baggage. Resale is not covered by that rule. Buying a copy is not the same legal act as selling one, and penalties differ.
What a listing will not tell you
Photos in a listing are often of a different watch than the one shipped. Movement photos are the part sellers fake with the most effort. Ask for the reference number being copied, the movement name, and the case measurement. If a listing omits all three, the details are unknown.