The best replica IW371665 for most buyers is the Swiss-grade automatic tier: a 41 mm steel Portugieser Chronograph copy running a clone 69355 chronograph movement under a domed sapphire crystal, with a two-register dial and printed subdial rings. It wins on the criteria that show up on the wrist and on the desk: case profile and thickness, dial printing and subdial spacing, crown and pusher feel, crystal clarity, and how the movement behaves over the first six months. The sections below rank the other tiers against those points and tell you who should buy which.
What the IW371665 reference is, and why it gets copied
The reference number sits inside the Portugieser Chronograph 3716 family, which means a round steel case of roughly 41 mm, a narrow bezel, leaf-shaped hands, applied numerals on a clean dial, and a bi-compax layout with subdials stacked at 12 and 6 o'clock. The genuine watch uses an in-house chronograph calibre with a 46-hour power reserve, which is exactly why the copy market splits into tiers. A vertical clutch column-wheel movement is expensive to clone, so most replicas substitute a modified modular chronograph or a quartz module. That single difference drives price, thickness, and how the pushers feel when you start and stop the seconds hand. Buyers chasing this reference usually want the dial and the proportions first, since that is what people notice.
Top pick: Swiss-grade automatic with a clone 69355
This is the tier that gets the important dimensions right. Case height lands close to the genuine profile, the date window sits where it should, and the subdial hands reset cleanly to zero.
Pros
- Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, so the dial reads clearly at an angle.
- Chronograph pushers have a defined click instead of a soft sponge feel.
- Applied numerals and hands with polished edges hold up under close inspection.
- Movement can be regulated and serviced by a local watchmaker.
- Case finishing mixes brushed flanks with polished lugs, which matches the line.
Cons
- Highest cost of the three tiers, often several times a budget quartz copy.
- Heavier and thicker on the wrist than a quartz version.
- Chronograph accuracy drifts if the watch is left running for long periods.
Buy this if you wear the watch often, you care about movement feel, and you want something a watchmaker can open and adjust.
Mid tier: Asian automatic chronograph
These copies use a generic automatic chronograph movement with a decorated rotor. They photograph well and the dial work is often surprisingly close, but the case is usually a millimeter or two thicker than the reference.
Pros
- Reasonable price for an automatic, sweeping seconds hand.
- Dial printing and subdial spacing are often accurate at arm's length.
- Parts and replacement movements are easy to source.
Cons
- Extra case thickness changes the silhouette on a slim wrist.
- Pusher action is vague, and the chronograph seconds hand may not return exactly to 12.
- Mineral or low-grade sapphire crystal shows scratches sooner.
- Rotor noise is audible in a quiet room.
Buy this if you want the look for occasional wear and you would rather not spend Swiss-tier money on a watch you will not service.
Budget tier: quartz
Quartz copies nail the case size because there is no automatic movement to hide. They are thin, light, and cheap to replace.
Pros
- Correct case height, which flatters the proportions better than most mid-tier autos.
- No winding, no service, and timekeeping that beats any mechanical copy.
- Lowest entry price, so a damaged watch is not a real loss.
Cons
- Ticking chronograph hand, which any enthusiast spots immediately.
- Casebacks are usually plain and the movement is not worth opening.
- Subdial hands often misalign at the reset point.
Buy this if the watch is a costume piece for a few events, or you want to test whether the 41 mm size suits your wrist before spending more.
The five checks that separate a good copy from a bad one
- Case profile. Look at a side photo. The mid case should be slim with lugs that curve down, not a thick slab with straight lugs.
- Subdial spacing. The two registers should sit close to the center point, leaving generous dial space at 3 and 9. Crowded subdials are the fastest giveaway.
- Dial printing. Numerals should be applied metal, not painted. Ask for a macro shot of the 12 and 6 numerals.
- Crystal. Demand sapphire. Tap the edge, check for a blue or purple glare that suggests coated mineral glass.
- Movement photos. Ask for a picture of the caseback and the movement with the rotor visible. Sellers who will not send one rarely have a good watch.
Red flags
- Stock catalog photos instead of pictures of the actual watch, including a timestamp.
- Claims of a genuine in-house movement at a fraction of genuine pricing.
- No stated case diameter, thickness, or crystal material.
- Pressure to pay outside a trackable method.
- No return window described in writing before purchase.
Verdict
Pick the Swiss-grade automatic if the watch will be worn weekly and you want the chronograph to feel like a chronograph. Pick the mid tier if you want an automatic at a lower price and accept a thicker case. Pick quartz if size matters more than movement. Whatever tier you choose, verify the case profile, crystal material, and subdial spacing first, because those three points decide whether the watch reads as the reference it copies.