A fake IW371779 fails on three points first: the two subdials sit too close to the center or at the wrong height, the chronograph pushers feel soft instead of crisp, and the caseback engraving is shallow or filled with the wrong font. A genuine IWC Portugieser Chronograph also runs an in-house calibre 69355, while most replicas hide a Valjoux 7750 clone or a Seagull ST19 behind the caseback.
What Is Reference IW371779?
The IW371779 belongs to the IWC Portugieser Chronograph line, a 41 mm stainless steel chronograph with two subdials, feuille hands and applied indices on a clean, thin-bezel dial. The chronograph minutes counter sits at 12 o'clock and the running seconds at 6 o'clock, a layout the Portugieser has kept for decades.
Inside, IWC fits calibre 69355, a self-winding chronograph movement with roughly 46 hours of power reserve. That movement is the single hardest part of the watch to copy at a low price, which is why the back of the watch is where most fakes give themselves away.
Which Details Give a Fake IW371779 Away Fastest?
- Subdial spacing and diameter that look cramped against the center pinion.
- Pushers that travel with a spongy click rather than a firm, short throw.
- Printed or poorly stamped caseback text instead of crisp, deep engraving.
- Rotors that spin loudly or feel gritty when the watch is tilted.
Dial, Hands and Subdials
On the genuine dial, the printed minute track is razor sharp under a loupe and the applied indices catch light along a polished bevel. Replica dials often show fuzzy printing, slightly domed or flat indices, and subdial rings that are printed rather than recessed.
The feuille hands should be thin at the base, taper to a sharp leaf point and be polished on every surface. Fakes frequently leave the hands a touch too thick or dull at the tips.
Case, Crown and Pushers
The steel case has a smooth profile with no sharp lip where the bezel meets the midcase. Run a fingernail along that seam: a genuine watch feels continuous, a fake often catches.
Pushers should start and stop the chronograph with a short, clean click, and the reset should snap the hands back to zero in one motion. Mushy travel, a rattling crown or a stem that wobbles side to side points to a copied case.
How Do You Check the Movement and Caseback?
A display back should reveal finishing that matches the price: Geneva stripes, blued or polished screws and an engraved rotor. Look for the reference number, the serial number and the calibre marking, all engraved rather than laser printed.
Serial and reference stamps should be the same depth, the same font and centered in their fields. Lasered, faded or mismatched numbering is the clearest single warning sign.
Price and Provenance
An authentic IW371779 does not sell far below the going secondary market rate from a credible dealer or private seller with a paper trail. A steep discount plus a seller who avoids service history or box and papers is a stronger signal than any single visual flaw.
Quick Authentication Checklist
- Compare subdial size, position and recess against official photos.
- Feel the pushers and the crown for firm, short travel.
- Check engraving depth on the caseback and the rotor.
- Confirm the movement family and power reserve claims.
- Verify serial, reference and service history with the seller.
Can a High End Replica IW371779 Pass a Visual Check?
At arm's length, yes. A good copy can match dial layout and case shape, but it rarely matches movement finishing, pusher feel or engraving depth. A watchmaker with a loupe and a timing machine settles the question in minutes.
Is the Back of the Watch More Reliable Than the Front?
Usually. Dial printing has improved on replicas, while movements have not kept pace. If the watch has a display back, start there instead of the dial.