Short answer
The IWC Portugieser Automatic 7 Days uses caliber 52010. It stores 168 hours of power in two mainspring barrels. A replica watch that carries the same dial text does not hold 168 hours. Most replica versions use an Asian automatic movement with a reserve of 40 to 60 hours. The dial keeps the words "7 days" because that is what the original prints.
Where the 7 day label comes from
IWC released the Portugieser Automatic in 2000 as reference 5000. References 5001 and 5007 kept the layout. The dial carries a small seconds subdial at 9 o'clock, a power reserve scale at 3 o'clock, and a date window at 6 o'clock on reference 5007.
Caliber 52010 in reference 5007 uses a Pellaton winding system and a ceramic pawl wheel. Two barrels run in series. That is the source of the 168-hour figure, which equals seven days.
Case and dial specs to check
- Diameter: 42.3 mm on references 5000, 5001, and 5007.
- Thickness: about 14.5 mm on the original.
- Lug width: 22 mm.
- Crystal: domed sapphire with antireflective coating on the front.
- Water resistance: 30 m on the original.
What sits inside a replica
Most replica Portugieser 7 Day watches use a 23-jewel Asian automatic. Two common bases are the Seagull ST25 series and the Hangzhou 5000 series. Both are single-barrel designs. Measured reserve runs 40 to 60 hours on a full wind.
Some sellers fit a decorated rotor and a bridge plate stamped with "52010" and "PROBUS SCAFUSIA". The engraving copies the original text. The gear train does not.
The power reserve hand at 3 o'clock is the part that fails most. Three versions exist:
- A working hand tied to the mainspring barrel. It tracks real reserve.
- A hand tied to a separate small barrel or a friction spring. It moves, but the scale reads wrong.
- A static hand set at 7 and glued or riveted in place.
How to test the claim
Wind the crown 30 turns. Note the time. Set the watch down. Check it at 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. A watch that stops before 40 hours does not use a twin-barrel movement. Ask the seller for a photo of the movement with the case back removed before you buy.
Weight, finish, and price bands
An original stainless steel reference 5007 weighs about 90 g on the strap. Replica cases land between 75 g and 95 g. Weight difference alone does not prove quality.
Price bands seen in the market:
- $120 to $200: mineral crystal on some units, stamped dial, low-grade movement.
- $200 to $350: sapphire crystal, applied indices, ST25 or Hangzhou base.
- $350 to $500: better case finishing, engraved movement plate, sapphire case back.
What is not known
No public test data exists for replica reserve times. Numbers come from seller posts and buyer reports. Batch changes happen without notice. Verify the movement on the unit you receive, not on a listing photo.