What does fake IW371642 mean?

A fake IW371642 is a counterfeit copy of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph, a stainless steel automatic chronograph made in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Counterfeit sellers market these watches as super clones or 1:1 replicas, often with forged boxes, manuals, and serial numbers. The reference number is genuine; only the watch in your hand decides whether you own an IWC or a copy.

What is the genuine IW371642?

IW371642 is one reference inside the IWC Portugieser Chronograph family, a line built around a clean twin-register dial and a stainless steel case of roughly 41 mm. The current generation runs IWC's in-house calibre 69355, a column-wheel automatic chronograph with about 46 hours of power reserve. One reference equals one exact dial, hand, and strap combination, so the fastest check is matching the watch in front of you against IWC's own record for that number.

Are IW371642 watches commonly counterfeited?

Yes. Portugieser models sit in the same price band as Rolex and Omega, which makes them a steady target for counterfeit factories in Asia. Most copies use a generic chronograph movement rather than a column-wheel calibre, and that gap is the hardest thing for a counterfeiter to hide. Cheap fakes are spotted in seconds; the better ones need a loupe and a view of the movement.

How do you spot a fake IW371642?

1. Look at the movement first

Open the caseback and look for IWC's signed rotor, Geneva stripes, and the column wheel under the chronograph bridge. Most counterfeits hide a Valjoux 7750 clone or a Seagull chronograph with a glued-on rotor decal. A rotor that wobbles or rattles loudly against the wrist is a strong fake signal.

2. Check the dial printing and subdials

Genuine IWC dials use crisp raised printing, applied numerals with sharp edges, and subdials that sit exactly on the vertical axis. On fakes, the International Watch Co. and Schaffhausen text often looks thick, smudged, or unevenly spaced, and subdial hands can differ in length and finish. Subdial centers that drift a fraction of a millimeter off-axis are common on copies.

3. Examine the case and caseback engraving

IWC cuts the reference number, serial number, and Swiss made markings into the caseback with a fine, deep engraving. Fakes usually show shallow laser etching, the wrong font, or a serial that returns nothing when checked with IWC. Lug shape and the polished-to-brushed transitions also tend to be softer on copies.

4. Test the crystal and anti-reflective coating

A genuine sapphire crystal carries a double-sided anti-reflective coating that shows a faint blue sheen at an angle and almost no glare straight on. Counterfeits often ship with single coating, mineral glass, or no coating at all, which washes the dial out under bright light. Compare the watch side by side with a reference photo of a real example.

5. Inspect the strap, buckle, and packaging

Strap, buckle, and box are the easiest items for a counterfeiter to fake, so treat them as decoration rather than proof. Look for a signed IWC tang buckle or folding clasp with even engraving and a leather strap with consistent grain and a clean stitch line. Forged warranty cards and manuals are widely available, and a card proves nothing without an IWC service record.

6. Question any low price

A genuine IW371642 trades on the secondary market for thousands of dollars, so a listing at a few hundred dollars is counterfeit, stolen, or nonexistent. If the seller refuses an authentication inspection or a return window, treat the deal as a loss waiting to happen.

Is buying or selling a fake IWC legal in the United States?

No. Counterfeit watches infringe IWC's trademarks and violate the Lanham Act, and US Customs can seize and destroy imported counterfeits. Selling a copy as genuine also becomes wire fraud or mail fraud once payment or shipping crosses state lines. Even a personal-use import can be stopped at the border.

How do you verify a real IW371642 before buying?

• Request a caseback photo and confirm the reference and serial against IWC's record.
• Ask for a video of the chronograph running and resetting cleanly to zero.
• Pay with a method that offers buyer protection, never a wire transfer to a stranger.
• Have a boutique or independent watchmaker open the case before the return window closes.
• Budget for a service if the watch has no recent service history.

FAQ

Do fake IW371642 watches use real IWC parts?

Rarely, and never as a complete watch. A counterfeiter may fit an IWC-signed rotor or caseback onto a generic movement, but the case, dial, hands, and movement remain aftermarket. IWC does not sell spare parts openly to the public.

Can a jeweler tell a fake IW371642 instantly?

An experienced watchmaker usually can once the caseback is open and the movement is visible. The best copies can survive a casual glance from across a counter, which is why every authentication should include the movement.