Short Answer

A replica IWC Portugieser is a watch built to copy the dial, case shape and hands of IWC's Portugieser line. The line began in 1939 with reference 325, made for two Portuguese importers who wanted a wristwatch with a pocket watch calibre. Replicas use generic or cloned movements. No replica carries an IWC calibre. Prices run from about $70 for quartz copies to $700 for automatic copies with decorated movements. A genuine steel Portugieser Chronograph lists above $8,000.

The References Being Copied

Three models show up most in the copy market.

  • Portugieser Automatic 40, ref IW3583. 40.4 mm case. Calibre 82200. 60 hours of power reserve.
  • Portugieser Automatic 7 Days, ref IW5007. 42.3 mm case. Calibre 52010. Two barrels. 168 hours of power reserve.
  • Portugieser Chronograph, ref IW3716. 41 mm case. Calibre 69355 with a column wheel. 46 hours.

Replica Build Tiers

Low tier, $70 to $150. Quartz movement. Mineral glass. Printed dial. Case height off by 1 mm or more. Water resistance stated at 30 m and not tested.

Mid tier, $250 to $450. Automatic movement from Asia, often a Miyota or a clone of an ETA 2824 or 7750. Sapphire crystal. Steel case. Strap is leather or a steel bracelet with a stamped clasp.

Upper tier, $500 to $800. Movement plates arranged to match the layout of calibre 52010 or 69355. Rotor engraved with the IWC name. These copies carry a copied trademark, which is what makes them counterfeits under US law.

Checks That Separate a Copy From the Genuine

  • Power reserve. A copy of the 7 Days runs 36 to 42 hours on a full wind. The genuine runs 168 hours.
  • Case height. Copies of the IW5007 measure 14.5 mm and up. The genuine sits at 14.2 mm.
  • Subdial placement on the chronograph. The genuine 69355 puts the counters at 12 and 6 o'clock. Copies built on a 7750 base sit lower and wider.
  • Date numeral shape. Compare the font against photos published by IWC.
  • Rotor finish. Genuine rotors are stamped and filled. Most copies are laser etched, and the edges look flat under a loupe.
  • Crystal coating. Genuine crystals carry anti-reflective coating on both faces. Most copies coat one face, so the dial washes out under a lamp.

Legal Status in the United States

18 U.S.C. Section 2320 makes it a crime to traffic in counterfeit goods, and a watch with a copied mark falls in that group. A first offense by an individual carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine. US Customs and Border Protection can seize a shipment at the border. A single watch in a personal parcel can be seized and destroyed under 19 CFR part 133. Civil claims come under the Lanham Act, and Richemont, which owns IWC, files them.

Service and Resale

A replica carries no IWC warranty and no access to the Richemont service network. Clone movements use parts that are hard to source. A watchmaker who works on Swiss calibres may decline the repair. Resale value is low, and forums that trade replicas block sales of models with brand marks.