Short answer
A fake Portofino 45 is a counterfeit copy of the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days, the 45 mm dress watch with small seconds at 6 o'clock and a power reserve display on the back. The counterfeit game is won or lost in five places: case thickness, dial printing, date or seconds aperture, crown profile, and caseback engraving. Machining tolerances give a fake away faster than finish does, so look at where parts meet, not at how polished the metal looks.
Quick checkpoints
- Case height. The genuine 45 mm case is thin for its width. Fakes run 1 to 2 mm thicker to swallow a cheap movement.
- Dial text. Look at the spacing between the brand mark and the model line. Fakes crowd the letters or use a heavier stroke.
- Small seconds. The subdial hand should sweep in smooth, even steps when wound. A jittery or skipping hand points to a low-grade movement.
- Crown. Genuine crowns sit flush against the case with a crisp knurl and no gap at the tube.
- Caseback. Engraving is deep and sharp. Fakes show shallow laser etching with rounded edges.
Inspection steps
- Ask the seller to remove the strap. A quick-release spring bar on a watch sold as a dress piece is a warning sign.
- Measure the case across the bezel at 3 and 9 o'clock, crown excluded. It should read close to 45 mm, not 43 or 47.
- Measure the thickness with calipers. Anything noticeably over the factory figure means a spacer ring is hiding inside.
- Inspect the dial under a loupe at 10x. Check that printed text sits inside the track, not touching it.
- Turn the crown slowly through a full wind. The resistance should build in an even ramp. Grinding or free spin means stripped or fake gearing.
- Flip the watch and read the caseback. Reference numbers, case material, and movement caliber must match the model the seller claims.
- Compare the serial on the caseback with the number on the paperwork. A mismatch is enough to end the deal.
- Weigh the watch head. Solid precious metal and steel have a heft that plated brass does not.
Movement check
The real watch is hand wound and holds an eight-day reserve, which is why it needs no rotor and keeps a slim profile. Open the back or view it through a display case and confirm there is no oscillating weight. A counterfeit often ships an automatic movement with a decorative plate screwed over the top. Look for screw heads that do not line up with anything, plates that float above the gear train, and jewels that are painted rather than pressed.
Papers and packaging
Documentation is easy to fake and easy to check. Genuine booklets have consistent paper stock, sharp foil stamping, and a warranty card that matches the serial and the reference. Blank cards with a handwritten date, photocopied manuals, and boxes with glue visible at the seams are all common on counterfeits.
When to walk away
Skip the deal if the seller refuses a movement photo, if the serial cannot be verified, if the price sits far below the market for that reference, or if the watch is offered with no return window. Counterfeit watches are illegal to traffic in the United States, and a seized shipment leaves the buyer with nothing.