Answer
IWC Schaffhausen has never sold a watch named Portugieser 30. The Portugieser line uses reference numbers such as IW3716, IW3583 and IW5007. Searches for "fake Portugieser 30" point to one of three things: a counterfeit IWC Portugieser listed under a seller code that contains 30, a listing that quotes the line's 3 bar water resistance rating, which equals 30 meters, or a misread reference number.
No official IWC model carries 30 as a model name. Treat any title that pairs Portugieser with 30 as a seller label, not a factory reference.
What the real watch measures
The Portugieser Chronograph ref. IW3716 is the model copied most often. Case diameter is 41 mm. Thickness is 13.1 mm. Water resistance is 3 bar, or 30 m, which covers splashes and rain and not swimming. The movement is IWC calibre 69355, an in-house automatic chronograph with a column wheel and a vertical clutch, 46 hours of power reserve. The two subdials sit at 12 and 6. The date window sits at 3.
The earlier ref. 3714 used calibre 79350, a modified Valjoux 7750. That reference was discontinued in 2020.
Points to check
- Subdial position. Counterfeit 7750 builds sit lower and read wider apart.
- Date font. Real windows use a flat, centered numeral. Copies show heavier strokes.
- Movement finish. Calibre 69355 shows Geneva stripes, circular graining and blued screws. Copies show plain plates or a rotor with stamped text.
- Caseback text. Real engraving is crisp and holds depth. Reference numbers appear as IW3716, not 3716.
- Crown action. A column wheel chronograph starts with a light push. A 7750 copy needs more force and the pushers rattle.
- Serial and reference pairing. Any mismatch between caseback and papers is a red flag.
Price facts
US authorized retail for a Portugieser Chronograph on a leather strap sits near $8,000 to $9,000. Counterfeits of the same model sell for $200 to $600. "Super clone" tiers run $700 to $1,200.
Legal facts
US law bans counterfeit watch sales. 18 U.S.C. 2320 sets criminal penalties, including prison terms and fines, for trafficking in counterfeit goods. Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments at import. A buyer who ships a counterfeit into the US can lose the item and the money.
Servicing is the second cost. Watchmakers who accept counterfeit work charge rates that exceed the value of the watch, and parts do not match genuine supply. Unknown: the factory code behind the "30" label. No public source confirms it.