The replica IW371642 is a copy of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph, a 41mm steel watch with a blue dial, a date at 3 o'clock and two chronograph subdials. Copies sell from about $80 for a quartz build to $400 or more for an automatic version with a working chronograph. The best copies match case shape, dial layout and strap, but no replica uses an IWC movement.
What the real IW371642 is
The IW371642 belongs to the Portugieser Chronograph 3716 family. Watches in that family use a 41mm stainless steel case, about 13mm thick, with a blue dial, a 30-minute counter at 12 o'clock and small seconds at 6. A date window sits at 3 o'clock.
The genuine watch runs the IWC calibre 69355, an automatic chronograph with a power reserve near 46 hours. Water resistance is rated at 3 bar, which covers splashes and rain but not swimming.
IWC changes small details between production runs, so check the current listing on iwc.com before you compare a replica against photos.
What buyers look for in a replica IW371642
- Case: 41mm diameter, correct lug shape, brushed flanks with polished edges.
- Dial: blue sunburst finish, applied numerals, thin printed rings around both subdials.
- Hands: leaf-shaped hour and minute hands that reach the minute track.
- Crystal: domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides.
- Movement: automatic chronograph with running seconds and a reset that snaps back to zero.
- Strap: alligator-grain leather with a steel pin buckle, or a steel bracelet on newer builds.
Replica quality tiers
Entry tier ($80 to $150)
Quartz movement, printed dial, mineral glass, plated case. The pushers often do nothing or drive a fake subdial. Fine as a costume piece, not as a watch to put next to the real thing.
Mid tier ($180 to $280)
Automatic movement such as a 7750 clone, sapphire glass, solid 316L case. Dial print is thicker than the original and the date font is often wrong. This tier works for daily wear but the rotor is loud.
High grade ($350 to $500)
Better case finishing, closer dial print, correct hand length, sapphire with good anti-reflective coating. Movements are either a decorated 7750 clone or a hand-wound Seagull. This is the tier most buyers mean when they search for a replica IW371642.
Movement options
Most automatic replicas use a Chinese 7750 clone, a copy of the Valjoux 7750. It gives you a real chronograph, a real date and a power reserve near 40 hours. The trade-off is thickness: a 7750 build often sits 14mm or more on the wrist, which is thicker than the 13mm genuine case.
Some sellers offer a hand-wound Seagull ST19 instead. That movement is thinner and shows a column wheel through the case back, but it has no date and no automatic winding.
Quartz builds use a cheap Japanese or Chinese module. The chronograph hand moves in one-second steps, which is the giveaway in a photo or in person.
What to check before you buy
- Ask for photos of the actual watch, not factory stock images.
- Check the date font and the alignment of the date inside the window.
- Look at the gap between the case and the first link of the bracelet, if it has one.
- Confirm the chronograph starts, stops and resets.
- Ask for a timegrapher shot. A healthy 7750 clone runs within about 15 seconds a day.
- Confirm the case back engraving matches the reference you want.
Water resistance and care
Replica cases are not pressure tested. Treat a replica IW371642 as splash resistant at best and keep it away from swimming, showers and hot water.
Leather straps wear out in about a year with daily use. A 20mm strap fits most 41mm Portugieser cases, so replacements are cheap.
Service options are limited. Most watchmakers will not touch a Chinese 7750 clone, and a full service can cost more than the watch.
FAQ
Is the replica IW371642 waterproof?
No. Most replicas use basic gaskets and are not pressure tested. Rain and hand washing are fine. Swimming is not.
How much does a replica IW371642 cost?
Prices run from $80 for a quartz copy to about $500 for a high-grade automatic. Anything above $600 for this reference is overpriced.
Does the replica have a working chronograph?
Automatic and hand-wound versions do. Quartz versions often run a fake chronograph where the hands are driven by the quartz module and do not measure real elapsed time.
How does a replica IW371642 compare to the real watch?
From arm's length the two look alike. Close up, the differences show in dial print, hand finish, the movement and the case back. A replica is a look-alike, not a substitute for the genuine watch.
What wrist size fits a 41mm Portugieser?
The 41mm case with a 20mm lug width suits wrists from about 6.5 inches and up. Smaller wrists can wear it, but the lug-to-lug span near 50mm will overhang.
Bottom line
The replica IW371642 is a look-alike of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph and comes in three main tiers. Pay for the high-grade automatic tier if you want a working chronograph and correct proportions. Skip it if you need water resistance, service support or resale value, because replicas offer none of those.