Fake IW371717: What Gives It Away
A fake IW371717 fails on numbers, not on looks. Check four items in order: the caseback engraving, the movement, the dial printing, and the price. Genuine IW3717 watches run IWC caliber 79320, a modified Valjoux 7750. Most counterfeits run a stock 7750 clone or a quartz module.
Confirm the Reference Number First
IWC built the Pilot's Watch Chronograph IW3717 from about 2006 to 2012. The line replaced the IW3706 and was replaced by the IW3777. Public reference lists show IW371701, IW371702, IW371704 and IW371705. IW371717 does not appear in most public lists. Treat the number on a listing as unverified until IWC confirms it. If the seller has no caseback photo with legible engraving, stop there.
Caseback and Serial
The IW3717 caseback is solid steel with factory engraving. Engraving cuts into the metal: the reference number, the serial number, and the IWC name. Counterfeits laser-print or acid-etch the same text, so the letters look shallow and the edges look soft. Ask for a photo shot at a low angle. Real engraving throws a shadow. The serial is one number tied to one reference. A serial that repeats across listings, or one that matches no IWC record, points to a fake.
Movement Checks
Caliber 79320: automatic, 25 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour, about 44 hours of power reserve. The rotor carries IWC decoration and engraving. Counterfeits show an undecorated rotor, a wrong jewel count, or no automatic winding at all. A quartz fake shows a chronograph seconds hand that ticks one step per second. A real 7750-based movement sweeps at 8 steps per second. A timegrapher reading near 21,600 vph means the wrong movement sits inside.
Dial, Hands and Crystal
Text reads "IWC" and "Schaffhausen" above the day and date window at 3 o'clock. Fake print looks thick, uneven, or spaced wrong. Both discs sit in one opening and align on the same line. Subdials sit at 12, 6 and 9. The 9 o'clock subdial is the running seconds. Lume on the hour and minute hands is flat, with no bumps or overrun. The crystal is sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both faces, so the dial shows a faint blue tint at an angle. Mineral glass shows no such tint and scratches at once. The case measures 42 mm across and about 14.5 mm thick, with a 6 bar (60 m) rating. Fakes land at 40 mm or 44 mm.
Price and Paperwork
A steel IW3717 trades in the low thousands of US dollars on the secondary market, based on Chrono24 listings. A genuine watch with box and papers does not sell under $1,000. Sets include a warranty card, manual, and a box with a reference label. Ask a boutique to check the serial against factory records.
Step-by-Step Check
- Ask IWC to confirm the reference number.
- Compare caseback engraving depth and font against a known genuine photo.
- Match the serial to the reference.
- Time the movement on a timegrapher.
- Measure the case width and thickness.
- Check the crystal for the AR tint.
- Request service history and the original invoice.
What Stays Unknown
Some IWC references come from small runs and never reach public lists. If IW371717 is one of those, IWC must confirm it. No public archive lists that number as of this writing. Buy only after written confirmation.