Excellent build and great pics as usual, S! I'd love to see this one in person and put it next to my 16610. Hope u guys have another meet up at Disneyland.
It's perfectly ok to be concerned about this.
I have found that including some macro shots would go a long way in getting your point across to the watch techs here.
"Does it look much different from the genuine?"
Not really. It's a believable replica.
"I haven't seen a side by side comparison yet."
Do a search in the IWC or Straps and Bracelets sections. They're out there.