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IW329096 is sold online as an IWC Aquatimer Automatic 42. The number belongs to the IW3290 case group. A replica IW329096 is not made by IWC. It is an unlicensed copy of a registered design and trademark. Online prices run from about $60 to $900. Price follows the movement and case material, not the shape.

This article could not confirm IW329096 as a current IWC catalog number. IWC lists Aquatimer Automatic 42 references in the IW3290 group. Treat IW329096 as a seller code until IWC or a serial check confirms it.

Genuine IW3290 family specs

  • Case: 42 mm stainless steel, about 14 mm thick
  • Water resistance: 300 m on cataloged Aquatimer Automatic 42 models
  • Crystal: convex sapphire, anti-reflective coating on both faces
  • Bezel: SafeDive system. The outer bezel drives an inner dive scale
  • Movement: IWC calibre 32111 on current models, calibre 30120 on earlier ones
  • Strap: rubber with a quick-change system

The SafeDive bezel is the part copies miss. On the genuine watch, turning the outer ring moves a scale inside the crystal. Most copies turn one ring and fake the second.

What replica versions use

  • Case steel: 316L on most copies. Genuine IWC uses 316L or 904L depending on model
  • Movements: Sea-Gull ST2130, ETA 2824 clones, or Miyota 9015, with an engraved rotor
  • Crystal: mineral glass on low tiers, sapphire on mid and high tiers
  • Water resistance: untested on nearly all copies. Factory claims of 300 m have no backing
  • Lume: generic phosphorescent paint in place of Super-LumiNova

Price bands

  • $50 to $120: alloy or thin 316L case, quartz or low-grade automatic, mineral glass
  • $150 to $400: 316L case, ST2130 or 2824 clone, sapphire, steel or rubber strap
  • $500 to $900: high tier. Closer case geometry and a decorated movement

Prices move with supply. Check current listings for exact numbers.

Points that show the difference

  1. Bezel action. Genuine: outer ring turns, inner scale moves, crisp clicks. Copy: one ring moves, no inner scale
  2. Caseback engraving depth and font weight
  3. Crown threads. Copies cross-thread after repeated use
  4. Beat rate. Genuine 32111 runs at 28,800 vph. Many copies run at 21,600 vph
  5. Date wheel font and window cut
  6. Serial and reference stamping, checked against IWC records

Legal status in the United States

Trafficking in counterfeit goods violates 18 U.S.C. § 2320. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit shipments at ports. Watches are a common seizure category. Civil damages under 15 U.S.C. § 1117 reach $2,000,000 per counterfeit mark per goods type when the infringement is willful. Personal import is prohibited even when the item is for private use.

Unknowns

No public data lists factory names or unit counts. Claims that a copy comes from the same factory as the genuine watch have no support. Water resistance claims on any replica should be tested or ignored.