A fake IW371736 gives itself away in three places: the movement visible through the sapphire back, the quality of the caseback engraving, and the crispness of the dial printing. The genuine watch is an IWC Portugieser Chronograph, a 41 mm stainless steel two-register chronograph with a display back, so the caliber can be inspected without opening the case. If the movement is an undecorated third-party chronograph with no IWC finishing or engraving, the watch is counterfeit regardless of how convincing the case looks.
How do you identify a genuine IW371736?
A genuine IW371736 uses a polished and brushed stainless steel case of roughly 41 mm, a domed sapphire crystal with a faint blue anti-reflective tint, and a two-register dial with chronograph minutes at 12 and running seconds at 6.
The crown carries an engraved IWC Probus logo, the pushers return with a firm click, and the caseback screws down flush with even gaps around the sapphire window.
Why does the movement matter most?
This reference family has been built with IWC-finished chronograph calibers, including the 79350 based on the Valjoux 7750 and, on later 3716-series versions, the in-house 69355.
On a genuine example you see Geneva stripes, circular graining on the plates, polished or blued screws, and a rotor engraved with the IWC name and caliber number.
Most fakes hide a cheap clone movement behind a decorated plate, or show a printed rotor decal instead of real engraving.
What do fake caseback markings look like?
Look at engraving depth and font. Genuine IWC text is cut cleanly with sharp shoulders and even spacing, while fakes show shallow laser etching, fuzzy edges, and slightly wrong letterforms.
Reference and serial numbers sit inside a defined recess, and the wording around the sapphire ring stays readable at an angle under a loupe.
- Check that the reference number matches the dial configuration.
- Confirm the serial number is plausible for the stated production year.
- Compare the Probus logo silhouette with official reference photos.
How does dial printing separate real from fake?
Genuine dials have razor-sharp print, applied indices with polished edges, and subdial rings with fine concentric texture that catches light evenly.
Fakes typically show thick or bleeding print, flat stamped indices, uneven lume application, and subdial rings that look painted rather than machined.
Does the price prove authenticity?
Genuine Portugieser Chronograph examples trade in the thousands of dollars on the secondary market, and complete sets with box and papers sit at the top of that band.
If a seller offers an IW371736 for a few hundred dollars, it is a replica, not a bargain. Super clones sell in that range precisely because they are copies.
What is a super clone IW371736?
A super clone is a replica built to mimic case proportions, dial layout, and weight, often with a cloned chronograph movement.
These watches can pass at arm's length, yet they fail under a loupe on print quality, finishing, and movement decoration.
Anyone paying genuine prices for one of these has been defrauded, which is why a professional inspection matters before money changes hands.
How do you verify an IW371736 before buying?
- Request high-resolution photos of the dial, caseback, and movement.
- Ask for service history, original box, and papers.
- Have a watchmaker or authentication service check the caliber and caseback numbers.
- Compare every detail against official reference images for this exact reference.
FAQ
Is IW371736 a real IWC reference?
Yes. It belongs to the Portugieser Chronograph line, a long-running family of two-register chronographs in stainless steel.
Can a replica IW371736 use a real IWC movement?
Practically never. Genuine IWC calibers are serialized and finished to a standard that clone makers do not reproduce or source.