IW371665 belongs to the IWC Portugieser Chronograph line, so a replica of it is a copy of a 41mm stainless steel watch with two vertical subdials, leaf-shaped hands, applied numerals, and a display caseback showing an in-house 69355 automatic chronograph calibre. Copies run from about $70 to $500, and the money mostly buys three things: dial printing accuracy, case thickness, and how the movement handles the subdial layout.
What the real reference gives you
The genuine watch measures 41mm across and about 13.1mm thick, with a 20mm lug width and a sapphire crystal on both sides. The dial carries a 30-minute counter at 12 and running seconds at 6, a railroad minute track, and no date window. Water resistance on the real thing is rated at 3 bar, which is splash protection and not swimming. That matters for reps: nobody should be dunking a counterfeit in a pool regardless of what the listing claims.
Why this reference gets copied so heavily
Clean dials are hard to fake badly and easy to fake well. There's no busy date wheel, no moonphase, no gem setting. Two subdials, printed text, and a polished bezel. A factory that gets the font weight right on "Portugieser" and spaces the subdials correctly can produce something that looks convincing on a wrist from a normal distance.
The other reason is market size. The Portugieser Chronograph is one of IWC's best-selling lines, so there's demand for a lower-cost stand-in.
The three tiers you'll see
- Budget, roughly $70 to $140. Quartz or a low-grade automatic. Subdials are often decorative or tied to the wrong function. Case is thick, crystal is mineral glass, and the caseback engraving looks stamped.
- Mid, roughly $180 to $300. Usually an Asian 7750 automatic. Subdials work. Thickness often lands around 14.5mm to 15mm, which is the tell I notice first on a wrist.
- Top tier, roughly $350 to $500. Better case finishing, sapphire, a decorated movement meant to pass a glance through the display back, and closer dial print. This is where the term "super clone" gets thrown around, though it's marketing more than a standard.
Where replicas usually slip
Subdial spacing sits at the top of my list. On the genuine watch the two registers are pulled tight toward the center. Many copies push them outward because the movement underneath needs the room.
Next is thickness. A 7750-based chronograph is a chunky movement, and builders rarely thin the case enough to hide it. If a listing shows a side profile, compare it to 13.1mm and you'll know quickly.
Then dial text. Look at the weight of the numerals and whether the printing is crisp at the edges rather than slightly fuzzy. Macro photos help here, but sellers often post soft images on purpose.
Hands come last but are just as useful. Leaf hands should taper to a fine point with a polished bevel. Rep hands are frequently too thick or lack the facet.
Movement options in plain terms
The Asian 7750 is the workhorse. It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and handles a chronograph well, but the subdial layout on this reference needs transfer gearing to move the running seconds from 9 o'clock to 6. That extra layer adds thickness and one more place for a fault to appear.
Some higher-priced copies use a movement engraved to look like the IWC 69355. It is not the same calibre. Treat the caseback as decoration and judge the watch on how it runs, how it resets to zero, and whether the pushers feel firm.
Quartz versions exist at the bottom of the range. The seconds hand ticks, the subdials may not function, and the whole thing reads as a costume piece.
How I'd judge a seller's photos
- Ask for a straight-on dial shot in daylight, not a stylized studio render.
- Ask for a side profile photo so you can estimate thickness.
- Ask for a caseback shot with the movement visible.
- Ask whether the chronograph actually starts, stops, and resets.
- Ask about the return policy. A seller who won't take it back is telling you something.
A word on the legal side
Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States, and customs does seize packages. Buying one is a gray area that a lot of people treat as a hobby, but the risk is real and it belongs in the decision.
Bottom line
A replica IW371665 is worth considering only at the top tier, and only if you accept that it is a copy with a different movement, a thicker case, and no warranty. Below $300, the thickness and dial print usually give it away to anyone who knows the reference. Above $400, you're paying for details most people will never see up close. Know which one you're buying before you send money.