A fake IW371652 is a replica of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph reference IW371652, a 41 mm steel chronograph with a vertical two-subdial dial and an in-house column-wheel movement shown through a sapphire caseback. Spotting one comes down to four checks: dial typography, subdial placement, the movement behind the glass, and the finishing on the case, crown, and strap.
The genuine IW371652 in short
The reference sits in the Portugieser Chronograph family that IWC moved onto its in-house calibre 69355, a self-winding column-wheel chronograph. The case measures 41 mm across and roughly 13 mm thick, with a slim bezel, long curved lugs, and a mix of brushed and polished surfaces. The dial is built around a vertical layout: a 30-minute counter at 12 o'clock, small running seconds at 6 o'clock, applied markers, and leaf-shaped hands. Sapphire crystal sits on both sides, water resistance is modest, and the watch ships on an alligator strap with a steel pin buckle or folding clasp.
How to tell a fake IW371652 from the real thing
1. Dial printing and typography
Genuine printing is thin, sharp, and evenly spaced. Look closely at the word "Schaffhausen" under the logo and at the small "Automatic" line above 6 o'clock. Replicas tend to use heavier ink, uneven letter spacing, or a slightly bolder logo. Use a loupe or a phone macro shot rather than your eye at arm's length.
2. Subdial position and spacing
The vertical layout is unforgiving. On a real IW371652, both subdials sit on the same centre line as the crown, with equal gaps to the outer minute track. Fakes often push one subdial a fraction high or low, or make the counters a slightly different diameter. A straight edge held across the dial centre exposes this fast.
3. Hands and applied markers
Leaf hands should have crisp bevels that catch light along a sharp centre ridge. Replica hands frequently look flat, slightly thick, or painted rather than polished. Check that the chronograph seconds hand returns exactly to zero when reset.
4. Case, lugs, and finishing
Brushing should run in one direction and stop cleanly where it meets a polished bevel. Look at the inner edges of the lugs and the underside of the case, areas replicas usually skip. The crown engraving should be deep and centred, and the pushers should feel firm with a defined start and stop.
5. Caseback and movement
This is the strongest tell. The display back should show a column-wheel chronograph with proper perlage, Geneva stripes, and a deeply engraved rotor. Many replicas place an engraved plate over a stock chronograph movement, so the decoration looks printed rather than cut, and the rotor engraving is shallow. Compare the movement layout to official reference photos before you commit.
6. Strap, buckle, and hardware
Genuine straps have tight stitching, a soft edge finish, and a correctly stamped buckle. Replica straps often use stiffer leather with visible glue at the edges and a lighter, hollow-feeling buckle.
Quick red flags
- Subdials that do not line up on the vertical centre line.
- Caseback decoration that looks etched or painted rather than machined.
- Printing that is heavy, blurry under magnification, or unevenly spaced.
- Pushers with a mushy feel, or a chronograph hand that resets off zero.
- No reference-level photos supplied by the seller, only stock images.
- A price that sits far below the going rate for the reference in that condition.
What "first copy" and "super clone" actually mean
Both are trade labels, not official grades. "First copy" usually describes a replica built to a higher cosmetic standard, with closer dial printing and a decorated movement. "Super clone" implies a movement built to mimic the original architecture. Neither term is regulated, so treat them as marketing and judge the watch on the checks above.
What to ask before you buy
- Close-up photos of the dial, the caseback, and the movement under good light.
- The exact reference and movement type the seller claims.
- Whether the chronograph functions start, stop, and reset cleanly.
- Return terms and what happens if the watch arrives with a fault.
Price reality check
A genuine IW371652 retails in the thousands of US dollars and used examples hold much of that value. A replica priced at a few hundred dollars is a replica, and any seller offering the reference at a small fraction of market value is selling a fake. Knowing that gap protects you more than any single visual detail.