Answer

IW371696 is a reference number in the IWC Portugieser Chronograph line. It is not a model name on its own. IWC builds the 3716 family on the calibre 69355 movement, a 41 mm steel case, and a two-register dial. Replica versions of 3716 references are sold online. They are unauthorized copies. They carry no IWC serial record, no warranty, and no parts support.

What the reference covers

IWC assigns 3716xx numbers to the Portugieser Chronograph. The 3716 family replaced the earlier 3714 family in 2020. The update moved the watch from a 40.9 mm case and a modified Valjoux 7750 (calibre 79350) to a 41 mm case and the in-house 69355. A 3716 number does not tell you the dial color, the strap, or the case metal. Those details sit in the full reference string or the edition name.

I cannot confirm a specific dial variant for IW371696 from public catalogs at the time of writing. Treat any listing that states a definite color or edition as unverified.

Genuine specs for the 3716 family

  • Case: stainless steel, 41 mm diameter, about 13.1 mm thick, 20 mm lug width
  • Movement: calibre 69355, automatic, column wheel chronograph, 46 hour power reserve
  • Frequency: 28,800 vph, 27 jewels
  • Water resistance: 30 m
  • Crystal: domed sapphire, antireflective coating on both sides
  • Caseback: sapphire display
  • Dial: small seconds at 6 o'clock, chronograph minutes at 12 o'clock, vertical layout
  • Strap: alligator leather on a steel pin buckle or folding clasp

Where copies differ

  • Case thickness runs 1 mm to 2 mm over genuine. Pusher height changes with it.
  • The display back shows an unfinished copy movement. A real 69355 has Geneva stripes, a signed rotor, and a column wheel with vertical clutch.
  • Subdial spacing and hand length are off. The chronograph hand on a copy sits short of the minute track.
  • Some 3716 dials carry a date at 3 o'clock. Others do not. Copies mix the two.
  • Dial printing is ragged at 10x magnification. "Portugieser" and "Automatic" are sharp on the real dial.
  • Caseback engraving lacks depth. Reference number, serial, and maker text sit at a different size.
  • Clasp engraving is shallow and the folding action is loose.

Checks that do not need the case opened

  1. Start the chronograph. A column wheel movement starts with no jump of the central hand.
  2. Press the pushers. The action is light and even on calibre 69355.
  3. Ask for the service record. IWC service can verify a serial number.
  4. Compare the subdial at 6 o'clock. It runs constant seconds. Copies sometimes fit a running seconds hand at 9 instead.

Ownership and legal notes

Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States. Customs can seize them. IWC does not service fakes, and independent watchmakers decline them because parts do not exist. Resale value is close to zero. A used genuine 3716 trades below retail, and IWC service centers support it.