Quick answer
A fake IW371470 is a counterfeit copy of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph. The genuine watch is an automatic chronograph in a stainless steel case of about 41 mm, made by IWC Schaffhausen in Switzerland. Counterfeits copy the outside. They fail on the movement, the chronograph feel, the dial printing, and the caseback engraving. No counterfeit uses an IWC movement.
What the reference number means
IWC reference numbers in the 3714 series belong to the Portugieser Chronograph line. IW371470 is one variant in that series. Case metal, dial color, and strap change between variants, so two watches with the same model name can look different. Confirm the exact variant with IWC service or an authorized dealer before you buy. IWC does not list every past reference on its public site.
Movement checks
Current Portugieser Chronograph models use IWC caliber 69355, an in-house automatic chronograph with a column wheel and a power reserve of 46 hours. Older 3714 watches used a modified Valjoux 7750 base with a 44-hour reserve. Both beat at 28,800 vibrations per hour, or 4 Hz.
Counterfeits use stock movements from third-party factories, often a Chinese copy of the 7750 or a quartz module. Look at the rotor engraving, the perlage and Geneva stripes on the bridges, and the blued screws. Genuine finish is even and thin. Copy finish looks stamped. Ask for a timed rate test. A genuine caliber holds a steady rate in several positions.
Chronograph feel
Press the top pusher on a genuine watch. The start is crisp and the reset snaps back with force. On a counterfeit, the pushers feel soft or gritty, and the chronograph hand can jump or drift when it starts. Check the reset to zero. A copy often lands at 1 or 2 seconds past 12.
Dial, hands, and case
Genuine dials have applied metal indices with polished edges. Printing sits sharp under a loupe, and the subdial rings do not bleed into the dial. Counterfeit dials show thick printing, uneven lume, and subdial spacing that sits off center. Check the hands. Genuine leaf hands are thin at the base and taper with a straight edge.
Weigh the watch. A steel Portugieser Chronograph on a leather strap runs about 80 to 90 grams. Copies often weigh less or feel top heavy. Check the crown. It should sit flush with the case band and turn without wobble.
Caseback, serial, and papers
A genuine caseback carries the reference number, a serial number, and the IWC name with sharp engraving. Numbers are unique. Counterfeits reuse the same serial on many watches, so search the serial before you pay. A serial that appears on forums as a known fake is a stop sign.
Papers and boxes help, but counterfeiters copy them. Call IWC service with the serial and ask for a record check. That step settles the question.
Price signals
An IWC Portugieser Chronograph in steel sells new for about 8,000 USD in the US. Used examples on the secondary market trade in the 4,000 to 6,500 USD range, based on condition and age. A listing at 300 to 800 USD is not a bargain. It is a counterfeit or a stolen watch.
Verification steps
- Photograph the dial, caseback, and movement under good light.
- Compare the fonts and subdial spacing with an official IWC image of the same reference.
- Search the serial number on watch forums and dealer databases.
- Ask a watchmaker to open the case and inspect the movement.
- Request a record check from IWC service.
- Pay with a method that allows a chargeback, or use an escrow service.
If you already bought a fake
Stop the payment if you can. Report the seller to the marketplace and to your card issuer. In the US, you can file a report with U.S. Customs and Border Protection if the watch entered the country as counterfeit goods. Keep the listing, the messages, and the payment record.