A fake IWC Portugieser Chronograph 41 mm is graded on four measurements: case width, case thickness, subdial layout, and chronograph action. The genuine ref. 3716 measures 41.0 mm across, sits about 13 mm tall, uses a 20 mm lug width, and places running seconds at 6 o'clock with a 30-minute counter at 12. If a replica drifts past half a millimeter on the case or moves those subdials, it is a lower tier build no matter how clean the photos look.
Before You Start
- Digital caliper rated to 0.01 mm
- 10x jeweler loupe
- Timegrapher or a beat-rate phone app
- Reference photos of the genuine 41 mm chronograph at known magnification
- Soft cloth and a small spring bar tool for strap swaps
Inspection Steps
- Measure the case across the 9 and 3 o'clock sides with the crown excluded and confirm 41.0 mm.
- Measure total thickness from the crystal dome to the caseback and confirm roughly 13 mm.
- Measure the lug width with the strap removed and confirm 20 mm.
- Identify the subdial positions and confirm small seconds at 6 with the 30-minute counter at 12.
- Scan the dial face for a date aperture and confirm there is none.
- Loupe the printed text on the dial and confirm sharp strokes on the brand name and the Schaffhausen line.
- Inspect the applied numerals and hands for polished bevels and level seating against the dial.
- Start the chronograph and count the beats of the center hand against a one-second reference to confirm 8 beats per second.
- Stop the chronograph, note the minutes register advance, then reset and check that both hands snap back to zero in one motion.
- Wind the crown and set the time to judge crown feel, hand alignment, and any wobble in the stem.
- Run the watch on a timegrapher and record rate, beat error, and amplitude in the dial-up position.
- Wind it fully, let it rest 12 hours, and confirm it is still running, since the genuine caliber is rated near 46 hours.
- Flip the watch over and inspect the display back for engraving depth, rotor finish, and screw condition.
Case, Crystal and Caseback
The genuine 41 mm chronograph uses a convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, so a flat crystal with heavy blue glare under indoor light is a step down. Case flanks should show a vertical brushed finish with polished chamfers running the length of the lug. Check the caseback engraving under the loupe: shallow laser etching with rounded fonts is common on cheap shells, while better builds cut deeper and keep letter spacing even. Confirm the caseback threads engage without grit, since a cross-threaded back is a fast route to moisture damage.
Movement Reality Check
No replica carries the in-house caliber 69355. Most 41 mm builds with the correct 12 and 6 subdial layout run a modified 7750-derived automatic, and that movement is taller than the original, which is why so many fakes measure 14.5 mm or more at the case middle. If a seller shows a rotor through the back but the watch is hand wound, the rotor is decorative and the movement is a basic hand-wound unit. Ask for the movement family by name and for a photo of the balance area, not just the rotor.
Red Flags
- Date window at 3 o'clock
- Subdials set at 3 and 9 instead of 12 and 6
- Case thickness above 14.5 mm
- Flat crystal with strong colored reflections
- Seconds hand that ticks once per second instead of sweeping
- Chronograph pushers that grind or need two presses to reset
- Rotor that rattles audibly when shaken
- Printed logo that goes fuzzy or doubles under a loupe
Water and Wear
Treat any replica rating as cosmetic. Gaskets on budget builds are rarely tested, so keep the watch away from showers, pools, and salt water, and dry the case with a cloth after contact with sweat. Wear it on the leather strap it came with, and store it crown up in a dry case to slow gasket aging.