Short answer
A replica Portugieser Automatic 42 copies the IWC Portugieser Automatic 42, reference family IW5007. The original is a 42.3 mm dress watch with small seconds at 9 o'clock and a power reserve display at 3 o'clock. It runs the IWC caliber 52011 with a 168-hour reserve. Replicas keep the size and the dial layout, and use a Chinese automatic movement with a reserve near 40 hours. Case thickness and dial print are the two areas where replicas differ from the original.
Original spec to compare against
- Case: 42.3 mm diameter, 14.5 mm thick, stainless steel or gold
- Movement: IWC caliber 52011, automatic, Pellaton winding, twin barrels
- Power reserve: 168 hours
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 31 jewels
- Crystal: sapphire front, sapphire display back
- Dial: small seconds at 9, power reserve at 3, applied indices, railway minute track
- Lug width: 22 mm
The movement inside the replica
Most replicas of this reference carry a 21 to 25 jewel Asian automatic. The rotor and bridges are engraved and shaped to read as a 52011. That decoration is cosmetic. The gear train is not the same design and the reserve is short. A 40-hour reserve is normal. Listings that claim a 7-day reserve on a replica describe the dial indicator, not the run time. Wind the watch to the stop, set it down, and check the time after 12 hours. A 168-hour movement loses almost nothing in that window. A 40-hour movement loses a few seconds and the reserve hand drops.
Case, dial, and finish checks
Case thickness is the first measurement to take. The original is 14.5 mm. Many replicas come in between 13.5 mm and 14.2 mm because the movement is thinner than the 52011. Ask for a caliper photo. Check the lug shape: the original lugs curve down and the 22 mm strap sits flush. Dial print quality varies by batch. On the original, the brand name sits below 12 and the minute track is a fine railway line. Subdial rings are recessed, not printed flat. The power reserve hand may be a working indicator or a fixed hand, and sellers do not always know which. Ask for a video of the winding crown. Crystal material also varies: some units use sapphire with anti-reflective coating, others use mineral glass. Water resistance claims of 30 m or 50 m come without test data in most cases.
What to confirm before buying
- Case diameter and thickness from a photo with calipers in frame.
- Movement photo with the caseback removed: jewel count, rotor engraving, balance wheel type.
- Reserve test result over 24 hours, reported as a number.
- Dial variant: steel case with silver or blue dial, gold case with white or blue dial.
- Strap and buckle: leather with alligator grain, steel pin buckle, 22 mm width.
- Return terms and the exact unit shown in the photos.
Price range
Replicas of this reference sell in the USD 250 to USD 600 band. The spread follows movement grade, dial finish, and strap. Factory names change each year and cannot be confirmed from a listing alone. A high price does not prove a better movement. The reserve test and the case measurement are the two facts a seller can supply and a buyer can check.