What is the IW371772, and why do fakes show up so often?
The IW371772 is an IWC Portugieser Chronograph reference, and most fakes sold under that number are replicas built around a third-party chronograph movement. Telling them apart comes down to dial printing, sub-dial spacing, caseback engraving, and the movement inside.
The design is plain: a round steel case in the 40 to 41 mm range, two sub-dials at 12 and 6 o'clock, leaf hands, and a dial marked "IWC" and "SCHAFFHAUSEN". Plain designs are easy to copy at arm's length and hard to copy up close. That gap is where you do your checking.
How do you tell a fake IW371772 from a genuine one?
Check the parts a replica factory skimps on: printing, hand finish, case edges, and the movement. Four checks cover most of it.
Fake IW371772 Price: Replica IWC Pilot Chronograph Buying Guide
Dial printing and sub-dials
- Genuine printing is sharp under a loupe. Fuzzy edges on "SCHAFFHAUSEN" or thick letterforms point to a redial or a copy.
- Sub-dials on a genuine have crisp cutouts and sit on a straight 12-6 axis. Copies often sit off center or use two sub-dials of unequal size.
- Applied markers throw light from every angle. Printed or thin plated markers look flat and grey.
Case, crown and caseback
- Genuine case flanks carry one direction of brushing with a sharp break to the polished bezel. Buffed or replica cases show rounded edges.
- Caseback engraving on a genuine is deep. Laser text on a copy looks shallow and grey.
- The crown sits flush with no wobble. Chronograph pushers on a genuine have a firm stop and a clean reset.
Movement and caseback glass
The 79320 calibre in a genuine IW3717 chronograph is a Valjoux 7750 base that IWC finishes and adjusts. If the watch has a sapphire caseback, the decoration should be visible and even. A bare grey movement with a plain rotor means replica. So does a seller who will not send a movement photo.
Weight, strap and paperwork
- A steel Portugieser chronograph has real heft. Copies feel light, or heavy in a way the case size does not explain.
- Genuine alligator straps have irregular scale size and a soft hand. Stamped leather with even squares is a copy tell.
- The reference number should match across the warranty card, the caseback, and the invoice.
What replica grades exist for the IW371772?
Three grades show up in the market, and the price follows the movement more than the case finish.
- Quartz copies, about $40 to $90: dead sub-dials, stamped dial, shallow caseback text. One look in your hand ends the argument.
- Asian 7750 copies, about $150 to $350: working chronograph, decent dial print, rough winding and a noisy rotor.
- Swiss or ETA 7750 builds, about $400 to $800: closest in feel and the only grade a watchmaker can service with normal parts. It is still not an IWC calibre.
Those numbers are ballparks. Sellers move them with the exchange rate, the strap, and the box.
Where do replica IW371772 builds fall short?
Replica makers get the silhouette right and the small stuff wrong. These four gaps repeat across grades.
- Dial text: font weight and spacing on "SCHAFFHAUSEN" run thick, and the "IWC" letters sit too close together.
- Hands: leaf hands on a copy are stamped and flat. Genuine hands have a polished bevel that catches light along the center line.
- Pushers: start and stop feel mushy on a 7750 copy, and reset can snap back with a click you feel through the case.
- Caseback fit: the gap between caseback and case middle is uneven, and water resistance is a guess on any replica.
What should you ask before you buy a replica IW371772?
- Which movement is inside, and can you send a clear photo of it?
- Do the sub-dials run, or are they decorative?
- Is the caseback engraving laser or stamped, and does the reference number match the card?
- What is the return window, and who pays shipping if the watch arrives dead?
- Is the strap leather or synthetic, and what size is it?
Is buying a replica legal?
Rules vary by country. In the US, selling counterfeit goods is illegal, and customs can seize a package that carries a trademark. Buying a replica for personal use sits in a grey zone that shifts by state and by border. Check your local rules before you send money.
Frequently asked questions
Is the IW371772 still in production?
IWC has run many Portugieser Chronograph dial variants, and older references like this one live on the secondhand market more than in the current catalog. Check iwc.com or an authorized dealer for what is on sale now.
Does a replica IW371772 keep good time?
A good Asian 7750 or ETA 7750 copy can hold time close to a regulated Swiss movement once it is adjusted. The weak points are the chronograph reset and the rotor bearing, not the base timekeeping.
Can a jeweler tell it is a replica?
Yes. A watchmaker who has handled a real Portugieser will spot the dial print, the case edge break, and the movement finish fast. Without opening the watch, the gap narrows but does not close.
Why is the reference number hard to look up?
IWC reference numbers use six digits after the IW prefix, and dial variants share a base number. That is why IW371772 appears with different dial colors and why listings disagree on specs. Match the photo to the reference, not the other way round.