A Fake Portofino Automatic Fails Three Tests

A genuine IWC Portofino Automatic has a 40 mm case, the IWC 35111 automatic calibre with roughly a 42-hour power reserve, and dial printing that holds up under 10x magnification. Replicas copy the silhouette from three feet away, then fall apart under a loupe, a caliper, and a gram scale. Run the ten checks below before you hand over money, and repeat them inside the first 48 hours after a private sale.

What you need before you start

  • A 10x jeweler loupe or a phone macro lens
  • Digital calipers that read to 0.01 mm
  • A gram scale accurate to 0.1 g
  • Reference photos of the exact model from the maker's own catalog
  • The seller's receipt, warranty card, and box, if any

Ten checks, in order

  1. Write down the reference number and serial number from the caseback, then confirm that exact reference exists in that metal and dial color.
  2. Measure the case across the 10 to 4 o'clock line, crown excluded, and compare the reading to the published diameter.
  3. Weigh the watch head on the gram scale and record the number.
  4. Put the loupe on the dial signature and study the letter shapes, the spacing, and the depth of the paint.
  5. Check the SCHAFFHAUSEN text and the Swiss Made marking at 6 o'clock for sharp edges and uniform height.
  6. Inspect the date window: the aperture edges should be crisp, and the numerals should sit centered with no tilt.
  7. Study the hands and the applied markers for polish lines, chamfered edges, and clean lume fill.
  8. Turn the watch over and read the caseback engraving under the loupe, checking stroke width, depth, and font consistency.
  9. View the movement through the sapphire back, or have a watchmaker open a solid back, and inspect the rotor engraving, the perlage, and the screw heads.
  10. Wind the crown about 30 turns, set the watch down, and time how long it runs against a known clock.

Signals that show up on nearly every counterfeit

  • Engraving that feels shallow or looks laser-etched rather than cut
  • Rotor text with uneven spacing or a printed finish that flakes
  • A case that measures 39.2 mm or 41 mm instead of the stated size
  • Date numerals in the wrong typeface or off center in the window
  • Movement finishing that shows tool marks, plastic parts, or unpolished screws
  • Paperwork with a hologram sticker, which this brand does not use

If the watch turns out to be fake

  1. Stop any pending payment or open a chargeback with your card issuer.
  2. Photograph the watch, the box, the paperwork, and the listing before you return anything.
  3. Report the listing to the marketplace and keep the case number.
  4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
  5. Send the details to the brand's intellectual property team so they can log the serial.
  6. Do not resell the watch, since passing it on repeats the same offense.

Buy from an authorized dealer or a seller who offers a written return window and accepts a third-party authentication. A below-market price on a Portofino Automatic is the first and loudest warning sign.