This review is of the IWC Flieger Chronograph replica currently available. The Flieger line are pilot's watches (Fliegen is German for "To fly", so Fliegerchrono means "Chrono that flies") that IWC has had as part of its history since 1936. This particular model, the 3706, is a 39mm watch that was replaced a few years ago by the 42mm 3717 that's designed to cash in on the popular looks of the Big Pilot, IWC's flagship watch. This simpler design is cleaner than its replacement and appears to have directly inspired several subsequent designs, like Fortis's Flieger design.
The replica has got an Asian 28k 7750 movement without any dial-moving mods, so it should be a sight more reliable than those with moved dials. As long as you follow the usual procedures for using a 7750, you should be fine. All the features of the original are present on the replica: it is functionally identical. I got this one off Sash, so I was comfortable in knowing that if it had died in its first week or so (the telling period for Asian 7750s) then it would be dealt with. Check with your dealer on their policy if this worries you.
The case is brushed steel and fits in with the grey and black feel of this watch. It's classy in its subdued monochrome look. The case is a different depth to the original, but not enough for it to give it away. Also, the replica is missing the deep AR coating on the gen, but it's not milky on a side view so I suspect it's lightly treated, like most replicas.
The crown is a screw-in crown with the familiar IWC fish motif. Both the crown and the pushers are apparently slightly wrong sized, but I think you'd need a gen and a rep side by side to see it.
The strap supplied is exactly the same MooCroc as the one supplied with the IWC Portuguese Chrono. It's a 20mm strap with a brushed clasp. It does the job and I don't plan on replacing it just yet.
The faults and flaws on this watch are pretty much all on the dial. The numbers on the 12 and 9 subdials should all be horizontal, there are three dots missing in the 12 subdial and the 12 and 6 dials should be ringed in white. Apart from that pile of errors, it's damned close. I think a genuine dial would finish it off to a T.
Now, I'm going to do something I don't normally do and that's use someone else's photo without permission. I cropped this photo of the genuine article from one of the magnificent photos from the Joyful Collection website. Click on the photo to see their IWCs in their natural habitat, but be warned it's all in Japanese.
You can see the subdials very clearly on that photo and see where they differ from the replica. While there are faults, as with other replicas, I don't think they're enough to turn me off this watch. I would check, though, before you buy one that it has the correct white hands on the subdials as this is apparently a recent fix. Older models have silver hands that are incorrect.
Conclusion: Good replica (not perfect, but good enough) of a timeless classic.
In closing, I'd like to thank Sashwatch, the supplier of this magnificent timepiece, By-Tor, for not complaining when I ripped off his opening picture style and Ryaku, for pointing out the dial and case differences. Without them, this review would be a lot less interesting.
Edit: My German has been corrected by Seadweller 4000. Another one to add to the thanks.
His correction is as follows: In german "Flieger" means pilot, while "fliegen" is translated as flying. So a Fliegeruhr does not mean a watch that flies, but a pilot's watch.
