A fake IW3716 for sale in the $300 to $600 range is a replica of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph, and the ones worth your money share three traits: a chronograph that runs, a 41mm case that matches the real proportions, and a seller who photographs the exact unit you will get. Below $100 you are buying a quartz watch with two dead subdials and a sticker on the back. The reference it copies is a 41mm steel chronograph with a bi-compax dial, subdials stacked at 12 and 6, and a 20mm lug width.
What should you check before you pay?
Treat the first message as a test. Ask for a video with the chronograph start, stop, and reset, plus a shot of the caseback and the crown side of the case. Sellers who refuse, or who send stock images lifted from a forum, are the ones who ship something else.
Movement and chronograph function
The genuine IW3716 uses an in-house caliber with a vertical clutch, and no replica matches it. What you can expect is a Valjoux 7750 clone, a Seagull ST19, or quartz. Only the mechanical options give you working pushers and live subdials.
- Quartz: cheap, thin, subdials frozen or faked. Watch for a ticking seconds hand instead of a sweep.
- A7750 clone: 28,800 vph, rotor wobble, a case that sits thicker on the wrist. The default choice in mid-tier replicas.
- ST19: hand-wound chrono, crisp pushers, no rotor noise. Common in thinner builds.
Case size and dial layout
Measurements are where cheap replicas fail. The real watch is 41mm across, about 13mm thick, and takes a 20mm strap. A rep listed at 12mm or 14.5mm will wear nothing like the original.
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- Subdials at 12 and 6, not at 3 and 9 (that is a different Portugieser).
- Applied numerals, not printed ones.
- Feuille (leaf) hands with a slim running seconds at 6.
- Dial color should match the reference number you think you are buying.
Seller proof
Good sellers keep a timestamp card in the photo, accept PayPal goods and services or an escrow, and answer movement questions with specifics. A price far under the market norm, or a shop that rebrands every model on one page, tells you plenty.
What does a fake IW3716 cost?
- $50 to $90: quartz, mineral glass, painted subdials, wrong thickness.
- $120 to $250: better quartz or a low-grade automatic, sapphire-coated glass, decent leather.
- $300 to $600: mechanical chrono with working pushers, sapphire crystal, close case dimensions, correct dial furniture.
- $700 and up: super clone tier with a decorated movement and finer finishing. Diminishing returns for most buyers.
Prices move with the dial color, the strap, and how close the factory gets to the reference. Limited dial colors carry a premium on the replica market too, the same way they do on the used market.
Spec checklist to compare against the listing
- Case: 41mm steel, about 13mm thick, 20mm lugs.
- Crystal: sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating.
- Caseback: exhibition with a decorated rotor, or solid on cheaper builds.
- Water resistance: 3 bar on the genuine. Do not swim in any replica.
- Dial: two subdials at 12 and 6, applied numerals, feuille hands.
- Strap: alligator or calf, 20mm, with a steel pin buckle.
What are the common pitfalls?
Photo theft and bait-and-switch
Stolen photos are the top complaint in replica circles. Reverse-image search any gallery before you send money. If the same photo shows up under three shop names, walk away.
Payment with no recourse
Wire transfers, gift cards, and crypto leave you with nothing if the watch never ships. A seller who insists on those methods while refusing PayPal goods and services is a risk you do not need to take.
Customs and shipping risk
US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches and destroys them. You can lose the watch and the money at the same time. Triangle shipping through a third country cuts the odds but never removes them.
Claims that cannot be true
"Swiss made" on a $200 chronograph is a lie. So is "waterproof to 100m" and "genuine ETA movement". Judge the watch by photos and video, not by the listing copy.
Is buying a fake IW3716 legal in the US?
No. Importing a counterfeit item into the United States violates federal trademark law, and CBP can seize the parcel without compensation. Domestic resale carries its own legal exposure. Treat any purchase as money you can afford to lose.
FAQ
How much should I pay for a fake IW3716?
Most buyers land between $300 and $600 for a working mechanical chronograph with correct dimensions. Pay less and you get quartz or dead subdials. Pay more and you chase finishing details that few people notice on the wrist.
Does the chronograph work on replica IWC Portugieser watches?
It works on mechanical replicas built on a 7750 clone or an ST19. Quartz versions often ship with pushers that do nothing and subdials that never move.
What size is the IWC Portugieser Chronograph?
The reference is 41mm wide, about 13mm thick, with a 20mm lug width. Any listing that quotes 42mm or 44mm is not copying the IW3716.
How long does shipping from China take?
Ten to twenty-five days is normal, longer during holiday periods or if the parcel is routed through a third country. Ask for tracking that updates after the first scan, not just a number.
Can a watchmaker service a fake IW3716?
Many independent watchmakers will service a 7750 clone for $80 to $150. Some refuse replica work outright. Ask before you buy if service matters to you.
Bottom line
Buy the movement, the dimensions, and the seller, in that order. A fake IW3716 for sale with real photos and a mechanical chronograph is a known quantity. Everything else is a gamble.