The replica IW371701 is a copy of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph ref. IW371701, the steel model with a silver-plated dial and two black subdials. A good copy nails the case size, the dial layout and the leaf hands. The weak spots are almost always the movement, the case thickness, the date font and the caseback finishing. Budget roughly $250 to $600, and plan to judge the watch from macro photos rather than the listing headline.
Start with the real thing
The genuine IW371701 runs a 40.9mm steel case at about 14.5mm thick, with a silver dial, applied rhodium numerals, a railroad minute track and a date window at 3. Inside sits IWC calibre 79320, a modified Valjoux 7750 with a 44-hour power reserve, running seconds at 6 and a 30-minute counter at 12. Sapphire crystal, 30m water resistance, alligator strap. Those numbers are the yardstick. If a seller cannot state them, that tells you something.
Where replicas usually miss
- Thickness. Most copies use a 7750 base with a transfer module to move the running seconds to 6. That adds height. Anything over 15.5mm looks wrong under a cuff.
- Subdial spacing. The 12 and 6 layout is the hard part. On cheap versions the subdial rings sit too close to the center or crowd the numerals.
- Dial print. Look for fuzzy edges on the IWC lettering, uneven spacing in "Schaffhausen," and numerals that are printed rather than applied.
- Date. The window should sit clean at 3 with a thin frame. Replica date wheels often use a heavier, rounder font.
- Hands. Leaf hands should reach the minute track without crossing it. Bent or stubby hands are a giveaway at arm's length.
- Caseback and rotor. Engraving depth and rotor decoration separate the $250 tier from the $600 tier.
Movement choices
Three tiers show up in the market. The cheapest use a plain A7750 with a bolt-on transfer plate: noisy rotor, thick case, but any watchmaker with 7750 parts can service it. Mid tier uses a better-finished 7750 clone with a decorated rotor. Top tier uses a properly reworked 7750 with Geneva stripes, blued screws and a custom oscillating weight. Ask which one you are buying, and ask for timegrapher numbers. A rate between -10 and +15 seconds a day with reasonable amplitude is acceptable at this price.
What to inspect before paying
- Macro photo of the dial straight on, not at an angle.
- Side profile shot so you can measure thickness.
- Caseback photo, inside and out.
- Chronograph start, stop and reset on video. The 30-minute hand must snap back to zero.
- Date change at midnight, which should flip cleanly.
- Crown and pusher feel, plus thread condition.
Legal and practical notes
Selling counterfeit watches is illegal in the US, and customs can seize a shipment. There is no factory warranty and resale value is close to zero. A genuine IW371701 trades used in the low-to-mid five figures, so a few hundred dollars buys a look, not an asset. Buy it as a watch you enjoy wearing, and set expectations there.
Bottom line
The replica IW371701 can look convincing on the wrist if you pick the right tier. Pay for the movement and the dial work, skip the cheapest listing, and check the six items above before money changes hands.