Top pick: the Steinhart Nav B-Chrono II. It is the closest thing you can buy new to the IWC ref. 3717 formula, with a 44 mm steel case, a matte flieger dial, running seconds at 9, a 30-minute totalizer at 12, a 12-hour totalizer at 6 and day-date at 3. Inside is a Valjoux 7750-based automatic, the same movement family that keeps the original easy for any competent watchmaker to service. I compared every option on four points: how closely the case and dial proportions track the 42 mm 3717, movement quality and parts availability, water resistance and case finishing for the money, and the legal exposure that comes with buying a counterfeit.

fake iw3717 alternative

Steinhart Nav B-Chrono II

Pros

  • Dial architecture matches the 3717 layout almost line for line, including the day-date window at 3.
  • 7750-based chrono means spare parts, pusher feel and servicing are a known quantity.
  • Sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and solid caseback construction at a fraction of what an original 3717 trades for.
  • Sold direct with a warranty and a real return address, which no counterfeit seller offers.

Cons

  • 44 mm case wears larger than the 42 mm original, so slim wrists should try one first.
  • Case finishing is machine-crisp rather than hand-refined, and the bracelet is the weak point.
  • Not a limited piece, so resale is flat rather than strong.

Use case: buy this if you want the 3717 look on a daily-wear budget and you plan to keep it. It is the pick for anyone who wants the silhouette without a customs letter.

fake iw3717 compared to

Sinn 103 St

Pros

  • Genuine pilot-chronograph lineage rather than a visual copy, with real tool-watch credibility.
  • Excellent legibility, a domed acrylic option and strong case engineering.
  • Holds value far better than any homage, which offsets the higher entry price.

Cons

  • Dial is busier than the 3717, with more text and a different subdial balance.
  • Costs several times what the Steinhart does, so it is a different budget bracket.
  • Pusher and crown feel is excellent, but the watch is heavier on the wrist.

Use case: the right call if you want one chronograph to keep for a decade and you care about resale more than matching the IWC dial exactly.

fake iw3717 alternative

Archimede Pilot Chronograph

Pros

  • Sized closer to the original 3717, which makes it the better proportionate match for smaller wrists.
  • Clean Type B flieger dial with minimal branding, close to the 3717's restraint.
  • 7750-based movement and a German-assembled case with proper gaskets.

Cons

  • Fewer finish options and thinner dealer coverage than Steinhart.
  • Day-date placement and subdial hand shapes differ from the IWC, so it reads as a sibling, not a twin.
  • Stock strap is basic and usually gets replaced.

Use case: pick this if the Steinhart's 44 mm case felt too big and you want the closest 42 mm equivalent.

Top Pick: Best Fake IW3717 Replica Watch Online

Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto Chrono

Pros

  • Available in stores, so you can try it on and get local warranty service.
  • H-21 movement with a long power reserve and a proven service network.
  • Strong everyday water resistance and a comfortable stock strap.

Cons

  • Dial design leans modern Hamilton, not vintage IWC, so the resemblance is loose.
  • Case proportions are thicker than the 3717.
  • Depreciation is steeper than Sinn and similar to Steinhart.

Use case: best for a first pilot chronograph where trying the watch on before paying matters more than matching a specific reference.

What about an actual fake IW3717?

Pros

  • Superficially the closest visual match, since the case and dial are copied outright.
  • Low upfront price compared with any legitimate alternative.

Cons

  • Trafficking in counterfeit trademarked goods is illegal in the US, and shipments are routinely seized at the border.
  • No warranty, no service path, and movement quality varies from batch to batch.
  • Claimed water resistance is untested, which is a real risk on a chronograph with pushers.
  • Zero resale value and no recourse if the watch arrives dead or does not arrive at all.

Use case: skip it. If the goal is the 3717 look, the Steinhart or Archimede gets you there with a receipt, a warranty and no legal risk. The counterfeit only wins on the first photograph.

How to choose between them

  1. Measure your wrist and compare lug-to-lug, not just case diameter. The 3717 wears smaller than its 42 mm spec suggests.
  2. Confirm the movement family. A 7750-based chrono can be serviced anywhere; an unknown clone cannot.
  3. Check water resistance ratings on the caseback, not the listing copy.
  4. Decide whether resale matters. If it does, Sinn first, then Steinhart.