Short answer
A fake IW371701 is a counterfeit of the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph reference IW371701. IWC built this watch from 2006 to 2012. The genuine watch has a 42 mm steel case, caliber 79320, a day and date window at 3 o'clock, and a soft-iron inner case for magnetic protection. Replicas copy the outside. They miss the movement, the inner case, and the caseback work.
The 3717 is one of the most copied IWC models. Most fakes run an Asian 7750 clone. The real caliber 79320 is a modified Valjoux 7750, so the base layout looks familiar. The gaps sit in the finish, the engraving, and the parts IWC adds.
Reference IW371701: the numbers
- Production: 2006 to 2012
- Case: stainless steel, 42 mm diameter
- Movement: IWC caliber 79320, automatic
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Power reserve: 44 hours
- Jewels: 25
- Crystal: sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Caseback: solid steel
- Water resistance: 60 m
- Magnetic protection: soft-iron inner case
- Dial: black, day and date window at 3 o'clock
What replicas get wrong
Movement
The 79320 has 25 jewels and runs at 28,800 vph, the same numbers as the base 7750. Numbers alone will not separate them. Open the case and read the rotor. The genuine rotor carries the IWC name, the Probus Scafusia motto, and the caliber number in deep engraving. Copies use laser etching or printing on a flat surface. Some fakes add a display back. The real 3717 has a solid caseback.
Case and caseback
The genuine case measures 42 mm across, crown excluded. The caseback is solid and engraved with the reference 3717, a case number, and the IWC mark. The engraving has depth. Copy engraving looks shallow, and the font runs wider or thinner than the original. The soft-iron inner case adds mass. Many fakes drop it.
Dial and hands
Check the day and date aperture at 3 o'clock. On the genuine dial both discs sit centered in the window, and the font matches the printed text. On copies the window sits off center or the day text sits high. Check the lume on the hands and markers in low light. Genuine lume charges and fades at a steady rate. Copy lume fades in minutes.
Crystal
The sapphire crystal has anti-reflective coating on both faces. The coating shows a faint blue or purple tint at an angle. Copies coat one face or use mineral glass, which picks up scratches.
Checks in order
- Measure the case at 42 mm and compare the weight against a known example.
- Look at the day and date window and the font inside it.
- Check the crystal tint at an angle.
- Read the caseback engraving and the reference number 3717.
- Have a watchmaker open the case and check the rotor engraving, the balance, and the inner case.
- Send the serial number to an IWC service center for confirmation.
IWC service centers can confirm a serial number when the watch is submitted for service. A seller who blocks that step is a risk.
Price and paperwork
Genuine steel IW371701 watches trade on the secondhand market in the low to mid four figures in US dollars, based on listings from recent years. Box, papers, and service records raise the price. Fakes sell for a few hundred dollars. A price far below the market range is a signal, but some sellers ask real money for a fake. Paperwork can be copied. Do not treat a card or box as proof.