Short answer
A replica of IW371717 copies the IWC Portugieser Chronograph: a steel case near 41 mm, two subdials on the vertical axis, leaf hands, applied numerals, and a Valjoux-type chronograph inside. Copies come in three tiers. The tier shows in the movement, the subdial spacing and the dial printing.
What the reference is
IWC builds the Portugieser Chronograph in a 41 mm case with calibre 69355, a column wheel movement with a 46 hour power reserve and a 4 Hz balance. Water resistance is 30 m. The earlier IW3714 generation used a modified Valjoux 7750 (calibre 79350) in the same case size class.
IWC reference numbers in the IW3717 block cover several dial and metal versions. Ask the seller for the full reference on the caseback and on the card. A seller who cannot state the full reference has nothing to compare against.
Three checks that decide quality
1. Subdial spacing
On the gen the two subdials sit close to the center line. Many A7750 copies push them apart, or add a date window the reference does not have. Measure the gap between the subdial rims and compare it with a photo of the gen shot at the same angle.
2. Case and crystal
Use calipers. Diameter, thickness, lug width and crown size are numbers, not opinions. Ask for diameter, thickness and lug width in mm. A 41 mm copy that measures 13 mm thick holds a 7750. A copy near 12 mm needs a thinner movement and costs more. The crystal should carry anti-reflective coating on both faces.
3. Printing and hands
Check the stroke weight of the IWC logo, the text under the balance and the minute track. Leaf hands should show a clean center ridge. The steel version uses heat-blued hands on the gen; most copies use paint or PVD, and the tone reads flat under daylight.
Movement tiers
- Entry: Asian 7750, 28,800 vph, 44 hour reserve, 7.9 mm thick.
- Mid: Asian 7750 with decorated plates and a reworked rotor.
- Top: clone of the 69355 with a column wheel and a thinner stack.
Ask which movement, which maker, and the power reserve the seller measured on a full wind. A 7750 based copy needs service every 3 to 5 years in daily use. Add that cost to the purchase price.
Price bands and red flags
Replica chronographs of this type sell between about USD 250 and USD 700, set by movement and finish. Prices move, so treat a quote as a starting point. Red flags: no movement name, no return window, stock photos on every listing, claims of Swiss origin at a low price, and a price well under the band for the stated movement.
Questions to send the seller
- Full reference and dial color.
- Movement name and maker.
- Measured diameter, thickness and lug width.
- Weight on the strap in grams, with a scale photo.
- Video of the chrono start, stop and reset.
- Return policy and warranty length.
Get answers in writing before payment. A seller with a real watch in hand answers in minutes.