Answer

Replica IW371484 watches are copies of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph. The genuine reference has a 40.9 mm steel case, a height near 12.3 mm, a sapphire crystal, and caliber 79350, an automatic chronograph with a 44-hour power reserve at 28,800 vph. The dial carries a 30-minute counter at 12, small seconds at 6, and a date at 3. Replica prices run from about $90 to $600. Price tracks the movement inside the case, not the case finish.

What the reference number covers

IWC uses one reference number per dial and case combination. IW371484 identifies one such combination inside the 3714 Portugieser Chronograph family, a series sold from the late 1990s into the 2010s. Case metal, dial color, strap, and hand finish change from reference to reference. A seller may print IW371484 on a box for a watch that matches no genuine combination. Compare dial color, numeral style, and subdial position against IWC catalog photos before you buy.

Movement grades in replicas

  • Quartz, $90 to $150. Pushers do not run a chronograph. Subdials sit still or move in one-second steps.
  • Asian 7750 copy, $250 to $400. Working chronograph, 28,800 vph, 40 to 44 hours of reserve. Cases run thicker than the genuine.
  • Decorated 7750 copy, $450 to $700. Engraved bridges, blued screws, and a rotor marked 79350. Case height lands closer to 12.3 mm.

Five checks

  1. Small seconds. The genuine hand runs at 6. Many 7750-based copies run it at 9, which leaves a wrong subdial on the dial.
  2. Case height. Ask for a caliper photo. Numbers above 13.5 mm sit high on the wrist.
  3. Date font. The genuine disc uses a thin serif typeface. Copies use a wider, heavier font.
  4. Hands. Steel references carry gold-plated leaf hands. Copies use painted brass that fades to a dull yellow.
  5. Caseback. Look for the reference number, the movement number, and clean engraving lines. Laser etching looks gray and flat.

Limits and legal position

No replica carries an IWC warranty. IWC will not service, repair, or authenticate a copy, so a broken movement has no factory route. In the US, 18 U.S.C. 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods, and Customs and Border Protection can seize a shipment. Resale value sits near zero. Water resistance on a copy is unverified, so keep it out of water no matter what number appears on the caseback.

Questions for a seller

  1. Which movement, and what is the beat rate?
  2. Measured case height, in millimeters, with a photo.
  3. Photo of the caseback engraving.
  4. Return window and payment method.