The short answer is that a replica IW371655 is a bad purchase. You would be paying for a watch that cannot be legally imported into the United States, cannot be repaired by IWC or most independent watchmakers, and cannot be resold to anyone who checks authenticity. If what you want is the look of a Portugieser Chronograph on your wrist, the same money buys a legitimate watch in that style, or a verified pre-owned genuine piece. The sections below explain why the replica market fails, what the real reference actually is, and what to check before you spend anything.
Why the IW371655 attracts counterfeiters
The reference belongs to IWC's Portugieser Chronograph family, a two-register chronograph with a slim bezel, applied indices, and leaf-shaped hands. The design has stayed close to itself for two decades. That continuity cuts both ways: buyers recognize it, and copiers find it easy to reproduce the outline. The result is a market full of listings that photograph well and disappoint in person.
What the genuine watch actually is
IWC publishes specifications for each reference on its own site, and those published numbers are the only benchmark worth comparing against. The current Portugieser Chronograph generation runs a case diameter around 41 mm, uses an in-house automatic chronograph movement, has sapphire crystal on both sides, and carries modest water resistance suited to hand washing rather than swimming. Strap options vary by market and year. If a listing quotes dimensions or materials that do not match the manufacturer's own data, treat that as your first warning.
What to check on any IWC-style watch
The chronograph action
A genuine column wheel chronograph starts, stops, and resets with a firm, short push and no grinding. Pushers that feel mushy, stick, or need a second press to reset are a sign of a cheap modular movement. On a pre-owned genuine watch, ask for a service history, because a neglected chronograph can cost real money to put right.
Case finishing and dial printing
Look at the transition between brushed and polished surfaces under raking light. Genuine cases hold a crisp line. Copies tend to blur it. Dial printing on a real IWC is sharp under magnification, and applied indices sit flat and level.
Reference and paperwork
Verify the reference number against the caseback, the warranty card, and the manufacturer's own records. Numbers that do not agree across all three are the clearest sign of trouble.
Parameter bands worth knowing
- Case diameter: roughly 40 to 41 mm in the modern Portugieser Chronograph line.
- Case height: about 13 mm, which matters if you wear a cuff.
- Water resistance: 3 bar on the chronograph, so no swimming.
- Power reserve: roughly two days on the in-house automatic.
- Crystal: sapphire front and back on genuine examples.
- Lug width: 20 mm, which limits how many aftermarket straps will fit cleanly.
Pitfalls that show up in every replica listing
- Import risk. United States law bars importing merchandise that carries a counterfeit trademark without the owner's consent, and Customs can seize the parcel. You lose the watch and the money.
- No service path. Authorized service centers will not touch a counterfeit, and many independents decline the work once they open the case.
- No resale value. You cannot sell it through any legitimate channel, and buyers in informal markets pay a fraction of what you paid.
- Marketing language. Terms like mirror grade, 1:1, and super clone describe a seller's sales pitch, not a measurable standard.
- Photograph versus reality. Sellers shoot with studio lighting and then ship a watch with mismatched hands, wrong date font, or a bracelet that rattles.
Better ways to spend the same budget
If the Portugieser look is the goal, a legitimate chronograph from a mid-tier brand gets you a serviceable movement, a warranty, and resale value. If you want the real thing, a pre-owned Portugieser Chronograph with full papers often costs less than people assume, and it holds value. Either route leaves you with something a watchmaker will actually work on.
FAQ
Is buying a replica IW371655 illegal in the US?
Importing counterfeit trademarked goods without the owner's consent is prohibited, and enforcement applies to personal orders as well as commercial shipments.
Can a local watchmaker service a replica?
Some will, but parts availability is the barrier. Movements in copies are often unbranded clones with no parts supply, so a repair can stall indefinitely.
Will a replica pass as genuine?
Not to a dealer, an auction house, or an insurer. Authentication involves the movement, the caseback engraving, and the paperwork together, and copies fail at least one of those checks.
What should I ask a seller of a genuine pre-owned IWC?
Ask for the reference number on the caseback, a photo of the movement, the service history, and the original warranty card. Walk away if any of those are missing.