The short answer
A fake IW329060 is a replica of IWC's Aquatimer Automatic in its 42mm case, and they are common enough that most replica dealers list one. Expect to pay roughly $250 to $600 depending on movement and finishing. The good ones nail the case profile, the dial layout, and the rubber strap. Almost all of them fall down on the bezel action, the lume, and the caseback engraving. If those three things matter to you, buy carefully or don't buy.
What the reference is
The IW3290 family is IWC's 42mm Aquatimer Automatic, the 2014 generation dive watch with a steel case, 300m rating, and the brand's SafeDive system, where the outer bezel drives an internal dive scale under the crystal. IWC's reference codes change with dial and strap combination, so the last two digits matter. Before you compare anything, confirm the exact combination with a dealer or the brand, because sellers mix up codes and you can end up judging a replica against the wrong photos.
Movement
The genuine watch runs an IWC caliber in the 30120 family, an automatic with about 42 hours of reserve. Replicas use a Miyota 9015, a clone ETA 2892, or a decorated Asian automatic. All three keep time. None of them are finished like the real thing, and the rotor engraving is usually the giveaway under a loupe.
What replicas get right
- Case proportions. The 42mm diameter and lug shape are well copied on the better tiers.
- Dial printing and applied markers. Fonts are close at arm's length.
- The rubber strap and its quick-release pins, at least visually.
- Overall weight. Steel is steel, so a replica does not feel hollow.
Where they fall short
The bezel
This is the hard part to copy. On the real watch the outer bezel turns with a firm, even click and the inner scale tracks it with almost no backlash. On replicas the coupling feels slack, the click is tinny, and there is visible play between the outer ring and the inner scale. Turn it slowly and watch the inner ring. If it lags, walk away.
Lume and crystal
Genuine Aquatimers glow evenly and for hours. Replica lume is bright for twenty minutes and then flat. The anti-reflective coating on the outside of the crystal is also usually thinner or missing, so the dial washes out under strong light where the real one stays readable.
Caseback and crown
Look at the engraving depth and the crispness of the lettering. Replicas use laser etching that looks shallow and slightly fuzzy. The crown threads are another tell: they should engage smoothly in a turn and a half, not grind.
Price tiers
- Under $200: quartz or low-grade automatic, wrong bezel geometry, poor lume. Skip it.
- $250 to $400: Miyota movement, decent case, sloppy bezel. Fine as a beater, nothing more.
- $400 to $600: best finishing, clone or better automatic, closest dial. This is where most serious buyers land.
Questions to ask a seller
- Which movement is in it, exactly, and can you show the caseback?
- Does the inner bezel track the outer bezel with no lag?
- Is the crystal AR-coated on the outside?
- Has it been pressure tested, and to what depth?
- Can you send a short video of the bezel turning and the seconds hand sweeping?
Photos hide bezel play and lume, so a video is worth more than ten stills. A seller who won't send one is telling you something.
Living with one
Assume the water resistance is decorative unless a watchmaker has tested it. Get it serviced if the movement runs fast or the rotor is noisy, and budget for a strap if the rubber one stiffens. None of this makes it a bad watch. It just means you are buying a watch, not a substitute for the real thing.
Bottom line
Judge a fake IW329060 on the bezel, the lume, and the engraving, in that order. Those are the three places replica makers still struggle, and they tell you more about build quality than any dial photo.