Short answer
A fake copy of IW371642 is a third-party watch built to look like the IWC Portugieser Chronograph ref. IW371642. The case, dial and strap follow the original. The movement does not. Genuine IW371642 uses IWC caliber 69355. Most copies use a Seagull ST19 or a Chinese clone of the Valjoux 7750. Copy prices sit between $150 and $700. The genuine watch lists near $8,500.
IWC IW371642 Replica Counterfeit: What You Need to Know
One caveat: public listings for IW371642 do not agree on dial color and case metal. Check the IWC spec sheet for the exact variant before you compare a copy.
The reference in numbers
- Case: 41 mm diameter, about 13 mm thick
- Dial: two subdials, running seconds at 6, 30-minute counter at 12
- Movement: IWC caliber 69355, automatic, 4 Hz (28,800 vph), about 46 hours of reserve
- Crystal: sapphire front and back
- Water resistance: 30 m
- Strap: alligator leather with a steel pin buckle
What the copies get right
Good copies match the case profile, the lugs and the dial print. The applied numerals and the leaf hands sit in the right place. The subdial rings carry the correct snailing. At arm's length the watch reads as a Portugieser. That is the point of the 1:1 tier.
Where the copies differ
- Movement: a decorated ST19 or 7750 clone, not a 69355. Rotor engraving is shallow and the perlage is stamped, not applied.
- Subdial function: on some copies the 12 o'clock counter totals 60 minutes, not 30.
- Case thickness: 0.5 mm to 1 mm over spec on cheaper builds.
- Caseback: engraving depth and font weight are off. Reference numbers can be wrong.
- Hands: short at the tips, or flat instead of faceted.
- Strap: corrected grain leather with a printed stamp, not alligator.
- Chronograph reset: the sweep hand lands a few degrees off zero.
Price tiers
Three tiers show up in the market. Entry copies sell for $150 to $300, use quartz or a basic 7750, and get the dial proportions wrong. Mid copies sell for $300 to $500 and add a mechanical chronograph and a sapphire crystal. The top tier sells for $500 to $700 and copies the case dimensions and dial finish with more care. None of them contain an IWC movement. A 69355 service alone costs more than the top copy.
Fake IW371642 Copy: How to Judge One Before You Pay
Checks before you buy
- Start and stop the chronograph. The 12 o'clock counter should advance one step per minute and stop at 30.
- Reset. The sweep hand should return to 12 without drift.
- Time the beat. A phone slow-motion clip at 4x shows 8 beats per second on a 4 Hz movement, 6 on a 21,600 vph copy.
- Weigh the watch. A steel Portugieser on leather sits near 90 g. A light case points to a different alloy.
- Read the caseback. Font, depth and reference number should match the IWC listing.
- Ask for a movement photo. A 69355 has a column wheel and a wide, open rotor.
Legal and ownership notes
US Customs can seize watches that carry a counterfeit trademark. Selling one is a separate offense under 18 U.S.C. Section 2320. A copy carries no IWC warranty and no service history. Resale value is near zero. Genuine Portugieser Chronographs hold value better than most steel chronographs in the same band, but that varies by reference and condition.