What replica IW329118 is
Replica IW329118 is a counterfeit watch sold under an IWC reference number. The IW prefix is IWC Schaffhausen's catalog code. The 3291 block covers the Aquatimer Automatic 42 mm line. IWC's public catalog does not list IW329118 at the time of writing. Confirm the number on the brand's own site before you send money. A listing that shows one stock photo and no caseback photo cannot be checked.
How IWC reference numbers break down
An IWC reference has two parts. The first four digits name the family. The last two digits name the variant: case metal, dial color, strap or bracelet. IW3291xx is one family across the whole block. The final two digits mark one configuration inside it. So IW329118 would be a single variant, not a new model line.
Aquatimer Automatic 42 mm specs to compare against
- Case diameter: 42 mm
- Case thickness: about 14 mm
- Water resistance: 300 m on the genuine watch
- Bezel: internal rotating bezel, SafeDive system, driven by the outer ring
- Crystal: sapphire with antireflective coating on both faces
- Movement in the 2014 references: IWC calibre 30120, 42-hour power reserve
- Movement in later references: IWC calibre 32111, 120-hour power reserve
- Lume: Super-LumiNova on hands, indices and the bezel triangle
Movements inside replica listings
Most replicas in this size use a Chinese automatic movement. Common bases are a copy of the Miyota 9015 pattern or a Seagull unit. Power reserve on those movements is 38 to 42 hours. Sellers who print "120 hour power reserve" in a replica listing are copying the genuine calibre 32111 spec sheet. The item they ship does not match it. Ask for a movement photo with the rotor visible.
Water resistance on a replica
Replica cases use press-fit gaskets. They do not hold a 300 m rating. A pressure test on a replica case often stops between 20 m and 50 m. Do not swim with one. Do not dive with one.
Price ranges
Replica IW329118 listings run from $200 to $450. The spread tracks the movement, the strap and the factory. Listings under $150 point to a quartz unit or a low-jewel automatic. Genuine Aquatimer Automatic 42 watches sell used between $3,000 and $5,500. Box and papers sit at the top of that range.
Checks before buying
- Caseback photo with the reference number and serial legible.
- Serial format: six or seven digits on the genuine watch.
- Bezel action: the inner ring must turn with the outer ring and hold position.
- Dial text: IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN, AUTOMATIC, and the depth rating line in the correct positions.
- Lume under UV: green on the hands, indices and bezel triangle of the genuine watch.
- Weight: a steel Aquatimer Automatic 42 on a bracelet sits near 180 g.
What this guide does not know
No public source checked for this guide confirms IW329118 as a delivered IWC reference. IWC does not publish a full archive of discontinued references in one place. The 3291 family is documented. The last two digits are not. Treat any listing that presents the number as proof of a matching genuine watch with care.