Short answer: "imitation Portofino small seconds 39" is a seller's listing name, not a model IWC ever printed on a card. What you are buying is a copy of the Portofino dress watch with a small seconds subdial at six, listed at a nominal 39mm. Expect $80 to $150 for a quartz version, $200 to $350 for a decent mechanical one, and $400 and up for the top factory tiers. The first thing to verify is a caliper photo of the case, because "39" is a label that often measures 37mm or 40mm in the hand.
What the design is supposed to be
The Portofino line is IWC's quiet dress watch: thin polished bezel, tall clean dial, slim lugs, leather strap or a fine mesh bracelet. The small seconds variant moves the running seconds to a subdial above six o'clock and drops the center seconds hand. Stick or Roman markers, a modest date at three on some versions, a signed crown. Restraint is the whole point. When a copy gets the proportions right, it looks expensive from across a table. When it gets them wrong, the dial reads flat and the case looks like a puck.
Duplicate Portofino Small Seconds 39 Buying Guide
Case size and thickness are where listings lie
Ask for a photo of the case on digital calipers, lug to lug as well as diameter. A dress watch lives or dies on thickness. Anything over about 11mm on a 39mm case starts sitting high under a cuff, and a lot of cheap copies hide a thick movement under a domed caseback. Lug to lug around 45mm is comfortable on a 6.5 to 7.5 inch wrist. Also look at the crown: undersized and sharp is a tell, and so is a crown that sits proud of the caseband.
Cloned Portofino Small Seconds 39: What to Check Before You Buy
The dial is where cheap copies fall apart
- Subdial printing. The tiny concentric rings and any markings inside the small seconds should be crisp at 10x. Fuzzy rings mean pad printing, not a stamped or applied finish.
- Hand length. The seconds hand should reach close to the outer track of the subdial without touching it. Short stubby hands are the most common flaw at the $100 level.
- Marker alignment. Sight down the 12 and 6 axis. Applied markers that lean even slightly will bother you every time you check the time.
- Font weight. Brand text that looks bold or blurry compared to press photos is a giveaway, and so is a date window cut too wide.
- Dial color. Silver-white dials frequently arrive with a gray or cream cast in person that photos hide under studio light.
Small seconds means a different movement
This trips up a lot of buyers. A standard clone of an ETA 2824 or a Miyota 9015 runs center seconds, so a small seconds dial needs either a subdial module, a dedicated small-seconds caliber, or quartz. On the mechanical side you will mostly see Seagull ST17 family movements, sometimes an Asia small-seconds automatic, occasionally a hand-wound. The ST17 is not fancy, but it is cheap to service and holds up. Ask for a ten second video with the watch running and the crown pulled to the time-setting position, and ask for a movement photo through the caseback. If the seller cannot produce either, walk.
replication portofino small seconds 39
Crystal, finishing, and strap
Sapphire with a proper anti-reflective coat makes a dress watch look twice its price. Mineral glass looks fine new and scratches within months. On the case, check that the bezel polish meets the caseband brushing on a clean line, and that the lugs are chamfered rather than left sharp. Strap quality is the cheapest thing to upgrade, so do not reject a good case over a stiff band. If it comes on mesh, tug the clasp and check the link gaps.
How I would vet a seller
- Ask for dated QC photos of the exact watch, not stock images.
- Request caliper shots of diameter and thickness.
- Request a timegrapher readout if it is mechanical. Anything past plus or minus 20 seconds a day is a conversation.
- Confirm water resistance claims in writing, then never swim in it anyway. Gaskets on copies are the first thing to fail.
- Check the return window. A seller who will not take a return on a $250 watch is telling you something.
Price tiers and what they actually buy
Under $150 you are usually looking at quartz or a low-grade automatic with a printed dial. From $200 to $350 the dial finishing, crystal, and case machining make a real jump, and this is where most buyers should shop. Above $400 you are paying for movement decoration, better hands, and closer case proportions. Past that point the returns flatten fast on a watch this simple.
One practical warning
Selling counterfeits is illegal in the US, and customs does seize packages. You get no manufacturer warranty, no service history, and parts that may not exist in two years. Buy with that in mind, budget for a service, and treat the watch as what it is: a lookalike, not an investment.