A fake IW3717 gives itself away in three places: dial printing, caseback engraving, and the movement. Genuine IWC Portugieser Chronographs show raised print with sharp edges, deep engraving with clean walls, and a finished in-house caliber behind sapphire. If those three look flat, soft, or generic, the watch is not genuine.
What is an IW3717?
IW3717 is one of the reference numbers buyers attach to the IWC Portugieser Chronograph, a stainless steel watch with a round 41 mm case and a two-register dial. The design stays plain on purpose: leaf hands, applied markers, two subdials, a slim bezel.
That plainness cuts both ways. Fewer details give a copier fewer chances to slip, which is why this reference shows up in replica catalogs year after year.
How do you spot a fake IW3717?
Look at six things before you think about price.
- Dial print. Genuine "IWC Schaffhausen" text sits raised and crisp. Fakes show thick, fuzzy, or bleeding letters.
- Subdials. Real subdials sit in recessed, textured rings. Fakes paint flat circles onto the dial surface.
- Hands. Genuine leaf hands are polished on top with bevels that hold a thin line of light. Fake hands look flat and rounded at the tips.
- Caseback engraving. Real engraving cuts into the steel with even depth and sharp borders. Many fakes stamp or laser-etch, so the text feels smooth under a fingernail.
- Movement. The genuine caliber shows striped bridges, blued screws, and a signed rotor. Fakes hide a stock chronograph movement, often under a printed plate.
- Crystal and coating. IWC fits sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both faces. Fakes use mineral glass or single-sided coating, which glares and washes the dial out from an angle.
Pushers and crown belong on that list too. Genuine chronograph pushers have short, firm travel, and the crown carries a deep stamped logo.
Which dial details matter most?
Logo and text
Compare letter height, spacing, and weight against photos of the same reference. Fake print runs thick, sits low on the dial, and loses the fine serifs on the numerals. Turn the watch under a lamp: real applied markers throw a hard shadow, painted ones do not.
Subdial layout
Subdial placement, date windows, and dial text changed across generations of the Portugieser Chronograph. A replica built from mixed parts can carry the dial of one version with the caseback of another. Match the watch to one specific reference, not to the model in general.
How do you judge the case and caseback?
Run a fingernail along the engraving. Genuine cuts catch the nail; etched fakes do not. Check that the serial number and reference number use matching fonts, depth, and spacing.
Brushing and polishing matter as well. Real cases show straight, tight brush lines on the sides and mirror polish on the bezel, with a crisp line between the two. Replica cases blur that boundary and round off the lugs.
What does the movement reveal?
Open the caseback and look at the finish. An IWC chronograph caliber has Geneva stripes, blued screws, jeweled pivots, and a rotor engraved with the brand. Replicas either use a plain industrial movement or fit an engraved plate over it, which hides the balance and looks too flat.
A watchmaker identifies the movement in minutes by its architecture, winding feel, and how the chronograph engages. Copies use a different base, and that shows the moment the caseback comes off.
Do replica grades matter?
Yes, and they explain the spread in what sellers charge.
- Budget fakes (under $150). Mineral glass, printed dial text, a basic automatic or quartz movement, and a plated case that pits over time.
- Mid grade ($200 to $400). Sapphire on some versions, better dial print, a Chinese automatic chronograph, a usable strap or bracelet.
- High grade or "super clone" ($500 and up). Closer case geometry, better AR coating, engraved rotor, sometimes a clone of the original caliber layout. Still not genuine, and still fails a loupe check on the dial text.
Do box and papers prove anything?
No. Boxes, booklets, and hang tags come from the same workshops that make the watches. The engraving on the caseback carries more weight than any card in the box.
If a seller shows paperwork, compare the serial on the paper with the serial on the case. A mismatch is a hard stop.
Does the price settle it?
A genuine stainless steel Portugieser Chronograph trades in the thousands of dollars on the used market. A listing at a few hundred dollars is a replica, whatever the description claims.
Fake IW3717 checklist
- Compare dial print against photos of the same reference.
- Confirm the subdials are recessed, not painted.
- Run a fingernail over the caseback engraving.
- Check that serial and reference fonts match.
- Inspect movement finish and rotor engraving.
- Test pushers and crown for firm, short travel.
- Check the crystal for glare and a tint from both sides.
- Compare the asking price with the real market.
FAQ
Can a watchmaker tell a fake IW3717 from a real one?
Yes. Movement architecture, case finish, and dial print separate the two under a loupe or with the caseback open.
Are replica IW3717 watches water resistant?
Genuine IWC states a rating and tests the seals. Replica sellers copy the number onto the caseback without testing anything, so keep replicas out of water.
Is a super clone worth the extra money?
It looks closer on the wrist than a budget fake and costs three to five times as much. Neither passes a watchmaker's inspection, so buy on how it wears, not on claims of a 1:1 build.