The version most buyers should start with is the ZF Factory replica of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph IW371694, because it is the build that comes closest on the four things that decide whether a Portugieser replica reads as real on the wrist: case diameter and thickness, dial printing and subdial depth, the finish on the applied numerals and leaf hands, and how the chronograph movement behaves when you push the pushers. Everything below is judged against those criteria rather than against marketing language, and every claim about the genuine watch should be checked against IWC's own product page for the reference before you spend money.

ZF Factory IW371694: the top pick

ZF is the name that comes up most often in owner threads about this reference, and the reason is consistency rather than any single flashy detail. The dial lacquer has depth, the printing on the minute track holds up under a loupe, and the subdial rings sit at the right height instead of looking stamped flat into the plate.

Pros

  • Dial printing and applied numerals are clean at arm's length and survive close inspection.
  • Case profile and lug curve follow the genuine Portugieser lines, so it sits the way the real watch sits.
  • Subdial placement at 6 and 12 is correct for the two-register layout, which is the first thing a knowledgeable eye checks.
  • Caseback engraving is crisp, and the sapphire crystal carries a proper anti-reflective coating.

Cons

  • Case thickness still runs slightly over the genuine watch because of the movement and decoration plate underneath.
  • Strap quality out of the box is the weak point, and most owners swap it inside a month.
  • Availability moves in batches, so the exact dial variant you want may be out of stock for weeks.

Best for: buyers who want one watch, done properly, and are willing to pay for the mid-to-upper tier instead of chasing the cheapest listing.

APSF and AZ Factory: the close second

Both factories turn out a version that most people would struggle to separate from ZF on a table. The differences show up in the small stuff: hand finishing on the chamfers, the shade of the dial under warm light, and how the crown threads feel when you wind it.

Pros

  • Case and dial work are close enough to ZF that the gap is a matter of taste, not quality.
  • Pusher action is often smoother out of the box.
  • Broader stock of dial variants at any given time.

Cons

  • Quality control is less even, so a bad unit is more likely.
  • Strap and buckle hardware are a step behind.
  • Batch-to-batch variation means last month's review may not describe this month's watch.

Best for: buyers who have a trusted seller willing to send real photos of the actual unit before shipping.

Budget builds: what you give up

Cheaper versions of this reference exist, and they are not automatically bad, but the savings come out of specific places. The dial printing softens, the subdial rings lose depth, and the movement is usually a plainer copy of the same base calibre with rougher finishing behind the caseback.

Pros

  • Lowest entry cost if you want the look for occasional wear.
  • Fine as a second watch or a travel beater you do not worry about.

Cons

  • Dial printing and hand finishing fall apart under close inspection.
  • Chronograph reset is often sloppy, with the seconds hand landing off zero.
  • Resale value in the replica community is close to nothing.

Best for: buyers who want the silhouette and accept that the details will not hold up.

Criterion 1: case size and thickness

The IW3716 family uses a 41 mm case, and any replica that measures more than about half a millimetre over that figure will wear visibly taller on the wrist. Ask the seller for caliper photos of the case diameter, the thickness with the crystal included, and the lug-to-lug measurement. A seller who will not send them is telling you something.

  • Check: lug width should match the genuine strap size so aftermarket straps fit without trimming.
  • Check: crown and pushers should sit flush with the case band, not proud of it.

Criterion 2: dial, printing and subdial depth

This is where the money shows. On a good dial the minute track is unbroken, the numerals are applied rather than printed, and the subdial rings have a visible step down into the plate. Photograph the dial straight on and again at an angle, then look for fuzzy edges on the printing and for hands that sit too high above the dial.

Criterion 3: the movement and the seconds-at-six problem

Most replicas of this reference run a modified Asian 7750, which is a workhorse but has one known weakness: when running seconds are moved to 6 o'clock, extra transfer gears sit in the train and they are the part most likely to fail. Ask how the watch has been regulated, whether the chronograph has been tested through a full start, stop and reset cycle, and whether the seconds hand returns exactly to twelve. A video of the reset is worth more than a paragraph of description.

Criterion 4: crystal, caseback and strap

Sapphire with a proper coating should look almost invisible at an angle. The caseback engraving should be sharp rather than sandblasted soft. The strap is the easiest thing to replace and the easiest thing for a seller to cheap out on, so budget for a replacement from the start.

Pre-purchase QC checklist

  1. Caliper photo of diameter and thickness.
  2. Straight-on and angled dial photos in daylight.
  3. Video of the chronograph start, stop and reset.
  4. Close-up of the caseback engraving and the crown threads.
  5. Confirmation of what happens if the watch arrives dead or with a misaligned hand.

Who should skip the replica

If you plan to swim in it, service it a decade from now, or hand it down, buy the genuine watch or a different reference entirely. Replica finishing and replica water resistance are not built for that life, and no version on this list changes that.