A replica IW371790 is a third-party copy of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph reference IW371790, built to resemble the original at a far lower cost. Buyers usually judge one on four points: case size and thickness, dial printing, the movement inside, and the strap. It is also worth knowing up front that importing or selling counterfeit watches is illegal in the United States and much of the European Union, so the purchase carries legal and financial risk.
What the IW371790 Reference Is
The reference belongs to the Portugieser Chronograph family, IWC's dress-sport chronograph line. That family is known for a round stainless steel case of roughly 41 mm, a narrow bezel, a domed sapphire crystal, and a clean dial with a rail-track minute scale. The chronograph layout uses two subdials: a 30-minute totalizer at 12 o'clock and small running seconds at 6 o'clock. Current-generation models in the line use IWC's in-house calibre 69355, a column-wheel chronograph movement, which is part of why the original carries a four-figure price.
Production versions of this reference have shipped with silver-plated, blue, and other dial finishes, on alligator leather straps with a folding clasp. Any copy is measured against those baseline details.
How Replicas of This Reference Are Built
Copies fall into rough tiers, and the tier explains most of the visible differences.
- Entry tier: quartz movement, printed dial, plated case with a stamped caseback, mineral glass, and a generic leather strap. The subdials are usually decorative and the pushers may not function smoothly.
- Mid tier: automatic chronograph movement, closer case proportions, sapphire or sapphire-coated crystal, and a dial with applied markers. Subdial spacing tends to be the giveaway.
- Upper tier: decorated automatic movement with a column-wheel layout or a convincing clone, sharper dial printing, better case finishing, and a leather strap with stitching that matches the original pattern.
Details Buyers Inspect
- Case diameter and, more importantly, thickness. Copies often sit noticeably taller than the original.
- Subdial position and size. On the genuine layout the two registers are symmetrical and set well inside the dial.
- Dial printing, especially the brand name thickness and the minute track.
- Hand shape. Leaf-shaped hands with a polished finish, not flat stamped metal.
- Caseback engraving and reference markings, which are frequently shallow or misaligned on copies.
- Crown and pusher feel, plus how the chronograph starts, stops, and resets.
- Strap quality and clasp markings.
Movements Used in Copies
The movement is the single biggest cost driver. Quartz versions keep time and cost little, but the chronograph sweep is a dead giveaway because the seconds hand ticks rather than sweeps. Automatic versions most often use a modified three-register chronograph movement, or a copy of a two-register layout, and can run reasonably well when serviced. Genuine column-wheel behavior, where the pushers feel light and precise, is the hardest thing for a copy to reproduce.
Price Bands and What Changes
Copies sell across three broad bands: budget pieces with quartz movements and plated cases, midrange automatics with better dials and crystals, and upper-tier pieces with decorated movements and higher-grade finishing. Moving up a band buys better materials and closer proportions, not authenticity. No copy carries a manufacturer warranty, authorized service, or documented water resistance.
Legal and Ownership Considerations
Counterfeit watches infringe registered trademarks. US Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments of counterfeit goods, and selling them exposes a seller to civil and criminal liability. Owners also run into practical limits: authorized service centers will not touch a copy, water resistance claims are unverified, and resale value is close to zero.
Common Questions
Does a replica IW371790 keep accurate time? A quartz copy usually does. A mechanical copy can keep reasonable time when regulated, though accuracy varies by movement and sample.
Can a copy be told apart from the original? Yes. Case thickness, subdial spacing, movement finishing, and chronograph feel are the usual tells under close inspection.
Is buying one legal? Laws differ by country. In the US, importing counterfeit goods is prohibited, and this article is informational only, not encouragement to buy or sell counterfeits.