"Fake IW371408" is search shorthand for counterfeit copies of the IWC Portugieser Chronograph, reference IW371408. If you have landed on a listing using that phrase, the essentials are short: counterfeit watches are illegal to traffic in the United States, they carry no manufacturer warranty or service support, and the genuine reference is detailed enough that copies are usually easy to spot. What follows is what the real watch is, what the copies get wrong, and what your alternatives are.
What is reference IW371408?
IW371408 is a Portugieser Chronograph from IWC Schaffhausen: a 41 mm stainless steel case, a silver-plated dial with two counters, a slim bezel, and a self-winding chronograph movement. It is a dressier take on a sport chronograph, which is exactly why it gets copied so heavily.
Is buying or selling a fake IW371408 legal in the US?
No. Trafficking in goods that carry a counterfeit trademark is prohibited under US trademark law, and shipments are subject to seizure and destruction by Customs. Buyers are not protected either: a seized parcel usually means a total loss, with no refund and no legal route to one.
Key Features Buyers Should Verify
- Case diameter and thickness: the genuine watch is 41 mm across with a slim profile; copies are often noticeably thicker.
- Movement: the real reference uses an in-house column-wheel chronograph calibre with a roughly 46-hour power reserve; most copies use cheap generic movements with a fake rotor engraving.
- Dial printing: crisp, evenly spaced brand and model text; counterfeit dials typically use heavier fonts and uneven spacing.
- Subdial layout: two counters with correct hand lengths, not stubby or misaligned hands.
- Crystal: domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both faces; copies usually use mineral glass that scratches.
- Caseback engraving: laser-engraved reference and serial numbers that match the movement inside.
- Strap and buckle: alligator leather with a signed buckle; copies normally use embossed cowhide.
- Water resistance: rated to 3 bar; counterfeit cases frequently leak at the crown.
Materials and Specifications
The genuine reference pairs a polished and brushed stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal, a screw-in caseback, and an alligator leather strap on a steel pin buckle. Finishing is the giveaway: brushing runs in one direction, polished chamfers are sharp and consistent, and the dial hardware is applied rather than printed. Counterfeit cases are usually chrome-plated base metal or low-grade steel with soft edges, plated hands, and mineral glass, so they age quickly and cannot be serviced by any authorised watchmaker.
Shipping, Returns and Warranty
Counterfeit listings rarely disclose the shipping origin, and parcels from overseas are routinely held or destroyed at the border. Returns are commonly refused, exchanges are not offered, and there is no warranty of any kind. Buying a genuine or pre-owned IWC from an authorised dealer or a reputable pre-owned specialist gives you a documented service history, a real return window, and a watch that can be repaired for decades.