Fake IW371407: Answer First
A fake IW371407 is a watch engraved with reference IW371407 that IWC did not build. The reference belongs to the IWC Portugieser Chronograph line: a steel chronograph with two subdials and no date window. Copies match the outside shape. They fail on case size, dial layout, movement, and caseback numbers.
Five checks settle the question: case size, dial layout, movement, caseback numbers, and price.
What the IW371407 Is
The IW371407 sits in the Portugieser Chronograph 3714 family, sold from the late 1990s until about 2020. The case measures 40.9 mm across and 12.3 mm thick. Water resistance is 30 m. The crystal is sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both faces, which shows a blue tint at an angle.
The dial holds two subdials. A 30-minute counter sits at 12. Small seconds sit at 6. There is no date. The letters IWC sit below 12, and SCHAFFHAUSEN sits above 6. Hands are leaf shaped. The strap is alligator leather with an IWC signed buckle.
IWC offers the 3714 with several dial colors, hand finishes, and straps. Confirm the dial, hands, and strap for the exact reference before you judge a watch.
Case and Dial Checks
- Measure the case. A reading near 42 mm or 43 mm points to a copy case, not an IWC case.
- Look for a date window. The real 3714 has none. A date at 3 or between 4 and 5 is a copy.
- Watch the subdial at 6. It should run as small seconds, one step per second. A 12-hour totalizer or a quartz tick means the movement is not a 79350.
- Read the printing under a loupe. Edges on a copy look soft or thick. Real print is sharp and thin.
- Press the pushers. Start, stop, and reset should give a firm click with no backlash.
Movement
The IW371407 uses IWC calibre 79350, based on the Valjoux 7750. It beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and runs about 44 hours on a full wind. The rotor carries the IWC Probus Scafusia medallion. Plates show Geneva stripes and blued screws on real examples. A quartz movement, a blank rotor, or a plastic movement holder rules the watch out.
Caseback and Numbers
The 3714 caseback is solid steel, not glass. Engraving is deep and even. Reference and case numbers sit on the rim. IWC tracks a case number, not a reference alone. A boutique or service center can confirm a case number against its records. Copies often repeat one number across many watches, or use a font that differs from the stamping on the rim.
Price
A new steel Portugieser Chronograph sold in the $7,000 to $8,500 range before the 3714 was retired. Pre-owned examples trade near $5,000 to $6,500. An offer well under market for a watch sold as genuine is a warning, not a bargain.
Papers and Boxes
Boxes and papers are easy to print. Treat them as a secondary signal. The case, dial, and movement carry the weight. A seller who refuses a case number check, or who ships from a location that differs from the listing, adds risk.
Bottom Line
Match the case to 40.9 mm. Confirm two subdials and no date. Confirm a mechanical chronograph with a marked IWC rotor. Confirm the case number with IWC. If any check fails, the watch is not a genuine IW371407. Replica watches sold as replicas are a separate market. The problem here is a watch sold as real IWC.