The best fake IW371768 for most buyers is the mid-tier automatic with a running chronograph and a 41 mm case, because it matches the proportions and dial layout of the Portugieser Chronograph it copies without the price jump that comes with a heavily decorated movement. Four criteria decide whether a replica is worth owning: the movement type, the case and dial geometry, the front-facing parts (crystal, hands, crown, strap), and how the seller handles returns. Everything below is organized around those four points.

Movement type

Sellers list the IW371768 as part of the Portugieser Chronograph line, a vertical bi-compax design with subdials stacked at 12 and 6 and a small date window at 3. What sits inside a replica of that watch varies far more than the outside does, and the movement is where most of the money goes.

Quartz and meca-quartz

Pros

  • Lowest cost of entry and the lightest case on the wrist
  • Accurate timekeeping with almost no servicing concerns
  • Chronograph pushers usually function, even on cheap builds

Cons

  • Sweeping seconds hand is a giveaway: quartz ticks, it does not sweep
  • Subdial spacing rarely lines up with the original
  • Thin movements force thin cases that feel hollow

Best for: a first purchase or a wear-it-anywhere beater where nobody will inspect the seconds hand.

Automatic chronograph (Valjoux 7750 family and its copies)

Pros

  • Correct sweeping seconds and a genuine chronograph module
  • Parts and service are widely available because the architecture is common
  • Case thickness lands close to the original Portugieser profile

Cons

  • Rotors and bridges are rarely finished to the standard of a Swiss in-house caliber
  • Pusher feel can be stiff or spongy out of the box
  • Heavier than expected and louder when the rotor spins

Best for: the buyer who wants the watch on the wrist to behave like a mechanical chronograph every day.

Heavily decorated automatic

Pros

  • Best visual match through a display back, with Geneva stripes and engraved plates
  • Closest dial-side proportions to the reference

Cons

  • Highest cost, and the decoration is cosmetic rather than functional
  • Fewer sellers stock it, so returns and exchanges get harder

Best for: collectors who plan to show the movement and accept that they are paying for appearance, not accuracy.

Case and dial geometry

The case is the second place a replica shows itself. Check the diameter across the bezel, the lug-to-lug span, the thickness at the crown, and whether the crown sits flush against the mid-case. On the dial, verify that the two subdials are the same size, that the date window is not oversized, and that the printing sits at the same radius from the center on both halves of the dial.

Pros of a well-proportioned case

  • Wears like a dress chronograph instead of a slab
  • Accepts standard 20 mm straps without gaps at the lugs
  • Photographs correctly from every angle

Cons of a poorly proportioned case

  • Bezel width eats the dial, pushing the subdials inward
  • Overpolished lugs blur the line between brushed and mirror surfaces
  • Case back engraving is often shallow or misspelled

Best for: anyone buying sight unseen from photos, since geometry is the one thing you can measure before paying.

Crystal, hands, crown, and strap

These parts cost little to make and are the easiest place for a factory to cut corners. Ask for angled photos of the crystal edge, the hand set at 10:10, and the crown threads.

Pros of upgraded front parts

  • Sapphire with an inner coating resists scratches and glare
  • Correctly blued or polished hands catch light the way the original does
  • A screw-down crown and lined strap make daily wear comfortable

Cons of stock front parts

  • Mineral glass scratches within months
  • Hands look flat and painted rather than faceted
  • Stitched straps fray at the buckle and smell of cheap dye

Best for: buyers who intend to wear the watch daily and want the parts they touch to hold up.

Seller and legal checks

No replica is a genuine IWC, and no reputable seller should suggest otherwise. Buying or importing counterfeit goods carries real risk in the United States, including seizure at the border and lost money. Treat any listing that promises authenticity papers, a factory warranty card, or a Swiss service history as a warning sign rather than a feature.

Pros of a careful purchase

  • Return window in writing before payment
  • Real photos of the exact unit, not catalog renders
  • Clear statement that the watch is a replica

Cons of a rushed purchase

  • Seized shipments with no refund
  • Reselling a fake as genuine is fraud in every U.S. state
  • No recourse when a seller disappears after payment

Best for: buyers who want a novelty or a comparison piece and understand they are not buying an investment.

Which build to pick

Choose the mid-tier automatic if you want one watch that behaves correctly on the wrist. Choose quartz only if cost is the deciding factor and you accept the ticking seconds hand. Choose the decorated movement only if you plan to display the back and treat the purchase as a visual exercise. In every case, confirm the movement, the measured case size, and the return terms in writing before you send money.