A fake IW371468 is a copy of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph. Reference numbers in the IW3714 family cover the same steel chronograph with different dial, case metal, and strap combinations. Genuine watches use IWC calibre 79350, a reworked Valjoux 7750, with a power reserve of about 44 hours and water resistance rated to 3 bar. Copies sell for about $150 to $700. Genuine used examples sell for about $5,000 to $7,500. That price gap is the first signal.

Reference Numbers and What They Cover

IWC gives each dial, case metal, and strap pairing its own suffix. IW371468 is one suffix inside the 3714 line. IWC's current catalog lists models in production, so a discontinued suffix needs a check against the guarantee card, the caseback, or a boutique. A listing that shows IW371468 with no photo of the caseback and no photo of the movement gives you nothing to verify.

Specs on a Genuine 3714 Chronograph

  • Case: stainless steel, round, about 41 mm across, about 12.3 mm thick.
  • Movement: calibre 79350, 28,800 vibrations per hour.
  • Power reserve: about 44 hours.
  • Crystal: sapphire on the front.
  • Dial: chronograph minutes at 12, running seconds at 6, central chronograph seconds hand.
  • Water resistance: 3 bar (30 m).
  • Strap: alligator leather on a pin buckle or folding clasp.

Checks a Buyer Can Run in Ten Minutes

  1. Caseback engraving. Genuine IWC engraving has sharp, even edges. A shallow stamp or a laser etch is a flag.
  2. Serial and reference. The serial on the caseback should match the movement and the guarantee card.
  3. Dial print. Under a loupe, the brand name, "AUTOMATIC", and "CHRONOGRAPH" sit in clean type with no bleed at the edges.
  4. Subdial hands. The small hands reach the printed track. Short or bent hands point to a low-grade copy.
  5. Crown and pushers. The crown screws down in a short turn. Pushers return with one click.
  6. Strap. IWC straps have tight, even stitching and a stamped buckle or clasp.
  7. Movement. On models with a display back, look for blued screws, Geneva stripes, and the IWC engraving on the rotor.
  8. Papers and box. A box proves nothing on its own. Copies ship in copies of the box.

Price and the Legal Line

Copy sellers price the IW371468 by movement grade. A $150 watch holds a basic Asian 7750 clone. A $600 watch may add a decorated rotor and a better case finish. Neither is an IWC. In the United States, trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320. Selling a copy as a genuine IWC is fraud. A copy still will not pass an IWC service check and will not hold IWC resale value.

Before You Pay

Ask for the reference and serial from the caseback, a photo of the movement, and the guarantee card. Call an IWC boutique or an independent watchmaker and give them the number. IWC can confirm the reference and check the serial against its records during a service estimate. If the seller refuses photos or a service inspection, the answer is no.