Short answer: "replica Portugieser small seconds" covers two different IWC watches, and which one you get depends on which factory built it. The newer target is the Portugieser Automatic 40, ref. IW3583, a 40.4 mm steel watch with a small seconds subdial at six and no date. The older target is the 42.3 mm Portuguese Automatic, ref. IW5007, with small seconds at nine and a seven day power reserve indicator at three. They share a family look and wear nothing alike. Settle which one you want before you compare prices, because sellers use the same listing title for both.
The two references, side by side
The Automatic 40 is the one most people mean now. It is about 10.8 mm thick, sits flat on the wrist, and has a clean dial with applied numerals and leaf hands. It reads as a dress watch that happens to be 40 mm wide.
The 5007 is a bigger, thicker watch at roughly 14 mm, and the dial carries more furniture: a power reserve scale, a date window at six, and the running seconds parked at nine. If a listing shows both a date and a subdial at six, it is copying the Automatic 40 style dial with a date grafted on, which IWC never made. That alone tells you how much attention the factory paid.
What the better copies get right
Case proportions come first. A good Automatic 40 copy keeps the thin bezel and the long, gently curved lugs, and the watch sits at the same height as the original instead of bulging under a shirt cuff. The dial furniture is next. Applied numerals should have crisp edges and a polish that catches light without looking chrome plated. The leaf hands should taper, not bludgeon.
Then the subdial. This is where most of them lose me. On the genuine watch the small seconds ring is recessed and the printing is fine and consistent. On a cheap copy the ring is flat, the printing is heavy, and the hand sits too high on a stubby axle. Look at a close up photo at an angle, not straight on.
Where replicas fall short
Finishing inside the caseback is the usual weak spot. Engraving depth, the lettering weight, and the brushed versus polished contrast are rarely exact. Crystal quality varies too: some copies use sapphire with decent anti reflective coating, others use mineral glass that scratches and reflects like a mirror.
Water resistance is the one I would not gamble on. A replica is not tested to the original's rating, and the gaskets are not the same. Treat any copy as splash resistant at best, and never swim in one.
Movements you will see
Most Automatic 40 copies run an Asian automatic with a subdial module, often a 2824 style movement or a Miyota derivative. That is a serviceable base if the module is set up well. On the 5007 copies, check whether the power reserve hand actually moves. On cheaper builds it is a dummy that travels with the winding, or does not travel at all. Ask the seller directly and get a video.
Quick inspection checklist
- Subdial hand length and axle height. It should sit flush and reach the track.
- Dial printing under a loupe. Look for bleeding and uneven weight.
- Applied numeral edges. Sharp, not rounded or plated.
- Crown action. Smooth winding, no grinding, correct logo depth.
- Caseback engraving and the reference number format.
- Strap quality. Most copies ship with a stiff, shiny leather that gives the watch away before the dial does.
- Timegrapher numbers if the seller has them. Rate and amplitude tell you more than any photo.
Price bands
Roughly speaking, entry copies sit under $200 and look the part in photos only. Mid tier lands around $300 to $500 and is where the dial and case start to hold up. Above that you are paying for movement finishing and better quality control, not for accuracy you can see from a foot away.
Practical and legal notes
A replica is not a genuine IWC. It has no manufacturer warranty, resale value is close to zero, and independent watchmakers may refuse to service it. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is also a federal crime in the United States, and customs seizures happen. Know what you are buying and where the risk sits before you spend.