The top pick for a fake IW371418 is a top-tier super clone built on an Asian 7750 base, with a 40.9 mm case, a two-register dial at 12 and 6, and a closed caseback. The criteria that matter here are case geometry and thickness, dial printing and subdial finish, the movement base and how the chronograph feels to operate, and how faithfully the crown, caseback engraving and clasp copy the reference. Everything below is written for two readers: the person who has been offered a watch and wants to know what they are holding, and the person shopping a replica on purpose.
What the IW371418 actually is
The reference belongs to the Portugieser Chronograph IW3714 family. Expect a steel case around 40.9 mm across, a slim bezel, leaf hands, applied numerals, a date window at 3, small running seconds at 6 and a 30-minute chronograph counter at 12. The movement in the original is caliber 79350, which is a Valjoux 7750 base with an IWC module. That detail drives the whole replica market for this watch: the 7750 is the same starting point many replica builders already use, so the subdial placement and pusher feel can land close to correct without a custom movement.
Because the genuine watch is normally closed-back, the movement is not the first thing anyone sees. Buyers and checkers should spend their attention on the outside of the case, and on the dial, which is where this reference is easiest to grade.
Option 1: Top-tier super clone on a 7750 base
This is the version worth comparing everything else against. It copies the 40.9 mm case, keeps thickness close to the original, uses a working chronograph with correct subdial positions, and finishes the dial with applied numerals and a properly recessed date window.
Pros
- Subdial layout at 12 and 6 matches the reference, since the movement base shares the 7750 architecture.
- Case profile, bezel width and lug curve are close enough to pass a side-by-side glance.
- Chronograph pushers have a defined start, stop and reset action rather than a mushy press.
- Closed caseback avoids the biggest visual giveaway on an open-back replica.
Cons
- Costs more than any other tier, and the gap between it and the next tier is real money.
- Thickness often runs slightly over the original even on good examples.
- Servicing is awkward: many watchmakers will not touch a replica chronograph.
Use case: buy this tier if you want a daily-worn Portugieser look and you plan to keep the watch for years. Skip it if you only want the style for a season.
Option 2: Mid-tier 7750 build
These share the movement family with the top tier but cut corners on the outside. The dial printing is heavier, the subdial rings are flatter, and the case edges are less crisp.
Pros
- Working chronograph with correct subdial positions at a lower entry point.
- Case size is usually right, so it wears like the reference on the wrist.
- Good enough for a photo or a dinner, less good under a loupe.
Cons
- Dial text and numerals can sit too proud of the surface.
- Date font and window cut are common tells.
- Hands may be flat rather than faceted, so they read dull in low light.
Use case: a reasonable pick for someone testing whether they enjoy the Portugieser shape before committing to a higher tier.
Option 3: Budget quartz or decorative chronograph
The cheapest fakes of this reference often use a quartz movement with subdials that are printed or glued on rather than functional. Treat any listing that will not show the chronograph running as a red flag.
Pros
- Lowest cost by a wide margin.
- Light, and accurate as a timekeeper if the quartz module is decent.
Cons
- Dead subdials or a sweeping hand that behaves like a quartz, not a chronograph.
- Wrong case thickness, often noticeably thin.
- Hands and markers that look stamped rather than finished.
Use case: avoid it unless the watch is purely a costume piece. It fails the first thing anyone who knows the reference will check.
Tells to check on this reference
- Case thickness. A Portugieser Chronograph should sit slim under a cuff. Bulky cases usually mean a thick movement spacer.
- Subdial finish. The rings should show fine concentric snailing that catches light. Flat grey discs are a giveaway.
- Dial printing. Text should be thin, level and perfectly spaced. Blobby or raised printing is the most common flaw.
- Hands. Leaf hands should have a crisp central ridge and clean edges, not rounded or flat blades.
- Date window. Check the cut, the bevel and the font. A window that sits too deep or too shallow stands out immediately.
- Caseback. Engraving should be deep and evenly spaced. A display back on a reference that is normally closed is a hard mismatch.
- Pushers and crown. Pusher travel should be short and firm, with a clear reset snap.
- Clasp and strap. Stitching density and clasp engraving are the last things checked and the easiest to get wrong.
Buying checklist
Ask for a short video, not stills. The video should show the seconds hand sweeping, the chronograph starting, stopping and resetting to zero, and the date flipping. Request a straight-on dial shot and a profile shot against a ruler so you can judge thickness. Confirm the caseback type before you pay. If you are checking a watch you already own or have been offered, compare it against published reference data for the IW3714 family rather than against marketplace photos, which are frequently of the same replica.
Final recommendation: for a fake IW371418, buy the top-tier 7750-based build or buy nothing. The dial and case are what people see, and the mid and budget tiers lose the argument at exactly those points.