A fake Portofino Small Seconds 39 clone is a replica of the IWC Portofino Automatic 39, the thin dress watch with a small seconds subdial at 6 o'clock. The best clones copy the 39mm case, the slim bezel, the leaf hands, and the subdial position. Cheap builds miss the dial print, the hand shape, or the case thickness, and those are the flaws people notice first.
Fake Portofino Small Seconds 39 Copy Watch Buying Guide
What does the real Portofino Small Seconds 39 do well?
The watch is simple on purpose: a 39mm case, a narrow polished bezel, small seconds at 6, and no date window. It slides under a shirt cuff and stays quiet on the wrist.
fake portofino small seconds 39 clone
That simplicity makes clone hunting harder, not easier. There are few details to hide behind. A hand that is 1mm too wide or a subdial set a touch high shows up at arm's length.
counterfeit portofino small seconds 39
Which details separate a good clone from a bad one?
Four parts carry most of the visual weight: the case profile, the dial print, the hands, and the subdial. Get those right and the watch passes casual inspection. Miss one and it looks wrong, even to someone who has never held the original.
Fake Portofino Small Seconds 39
Case size and thickness
- Measure across the bezel. It should read 39mm, not 40 or 41.
- Check the side profile. The real watch is thin, about 9mm, and many clones add 1mm to 2mm to fit a thicker movement.
- Look at the lugs. Blunt tips and a flat curve are a common giveaway.
- Check the finish. Brushed sides, polished bezel, and a clean line where they meet.
Dial and subdial
Dial print on the real watch is thin and crisp, with even spacing around the subdial. Clones use thicker ink, uneven kerning, or the wrong font weight. Zoom in on the brand text and the "automatic" line before you trust a photo.
The small seconds counter should sit at 6 o'clock with its own fine track and a hand that reaches the minute marks. A subdial that is off-center, too large, or printed with a heavy ring points to a budget build.
Hands and markers
Leaf hands are the hardest part to copy cheap. Good clones keep the taper and the polished bevel; cheap ones look stamped and flat. The seconds hand on the subdial should be a hair-thin needle, not a stubby blade.
Crystal and caseback
The real watch has a slightly domed sapphire crystal with coating on one side. Clones run from flat mineral glass to decent sapphire. A flat crystal with a hard edge changes how light hits the dial, and that is a tell in daylight.
The caseback should be a solid screwed disc with deep, sharp engraving. Shallow laser etching and sticker decals are the two cheap options you will see.
Strap and buckle
Most clones ship on a generic leather strap, and this is where sellers cut the most corners. Thin leather, plastic-looking edges, and a stamped buckle all cost little to fix, so treat the strap as a separate purchase.
Which movement should you expect?
Small seconds layouts are less common than center seconds, so the movement choice shapes the whole clone. Expect three tiers.
- Quartz: cheap, thin, and often used to fake a slim case. The subdial hand ticks once per second instead of sweeping.
- Asian automatic with a subdial transfer: sweeps, but the seconds hand can look jumpy and the case gets thicker.
- Higher-grade automatic: smoother sweep, better timekeeping, and a case closer to the original thickness. This is the tier worth paying for.
Ask which movement is inside and whether the subdial runs off its own gear train. Decorative subdials exist, and a seller who will not answer is telling you something.
What does a fake Portofino Small Seconds 39 cost?
Prices group into three bands, and the jump between them pays for the movement and the dial work, not for precious metal.
- Under $120: quartz or low-grade automatic, thick case, flat crystal, printed subdial.
- $180 to $350: the usual middle, with a sweeping automatic and decent dial print.
- $450 and up: the top tier, where case thickness, hand shape, and dial print get close to the original.
Anything far below the band for its tier is a warning. Replica pricing tracks cost, and a $60 "Swiss movement" claim does not add up.
How do you check a seller before you pay?
- Ask for video, not stills. The seconds hand motion and dial glare show up in a 15-second clip.
- Ask for a straight-on dial shot with a caliper or ruler on the case. Numbers beat adjectives.
- Ask what movement is inside and how the subdial is driven.
- Ask about the return window and who pays return shipping.
- Check whether the seller shows the same watch in every photo. Stolen images are common.
- Pay with a method that has buyer protection. A bank transfer gives you nothing.
What mistakes do first-time buyers make?
- Judging from a 600px photo. Dial print faults hide at that size.
- Ignoring case thickness. A 2mm slab on a dress watch kills the look.
- Paying extra for "Swiss made" wording on a replica. Nobody ships a real Swiss movement at those prices.
- Skipping the strap budget. A $30 leather strap changes the watch more than a $100 upgrade elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Portofino Small Seconds 39 clone worth buying?
It is worth it if you want the look and accept the trade: no warranty, unknown service history, and a movement that may not last a decade. Buy the middle or top tier and skip the bottom.
Can a jeweler tell it is a fake?
A jeweler who handles IWC watches will spot a clone in seconds by the caseback engraving, the hand finish, and the crown action. From across a table, a good clone passes.
Does the subdial work?
On most automatic clones, yes. On the cheapest builds, no. Ask before you buy and get the answer in writing.
Which colorway is safest?
White or silver dial with steel hands and a plain leather strap. Busy dials and gold plating add parts that sellers get wrong.
How do you keep it running?
Wind it at the same time each day if it is manual, or wear it for eight hours to keep the rotor moving. Keep it away from magnets, and get it serviced when it starts losing minutes, not seconds.
Quick checklist before you pay
- 39mm across the bezel, about 9mm thick.
- Subdial at 6, centered, with a fine track.
- Thin leaf hands with a visible bevel.
- Crisp dial print at 2x zoom.
- Solid caseback with sharp engraving.
- Movement named by the seller, subdial confirmed as working.
- Return window and buyer protection in place.