Short answer

A fake IW329001 is a counterfeit copy of the IWC Aquatimer Automatic, reference IW329001. The genuine watch is a 42 mm steel dive watch with 300 m water resistance, an external bezel that drives an inner dive scale, and an IWC-signed self-winding movement. Copies miss details in the caseback engraving, the bezel linkage, the dial print, and the movement finish.

What reference IW329001 is

IWC lists IW329001 as part of the Aquatimer family. The case is stainless steel at 42 mm. The crystal is sapphire. The strap is rubber. Water resistance is rated at 300 m. The bezel sits outside the crystal and turns both ways, but a clutch lets the inner scale move in one direction only. That system is the SafeDive bezel. A copy maker has to reproduce the clutch to match the feel. Most do not.

Checks on the case and bezel

• Turn the outer bezel. On the real watch the inner ring steps with a firm click and moves counterclockwise. On a copy the inner ring turns with the outer ring in both directions or does not move at all.
• Look at the gap between the bezel and the case. A real Aquatimer shows an even gap with no burrs.
• Check the crown threads. The genuine crown screws down with no grit and sits flush against the case flank.
• Weigh the watch. Steel cases of this size run near 90 to 100 g on rubber. Copies with plated brass or light alloy cases come in below that range.

Caseback and movement

The caseback carries the reference number, the serial number, and the water resistance rating. Font weight and engraving depth matter. Lasered text on a copy looks shallow and thin under a loupe. The genuine caseback closes with a threaded ring and shows machining marks that follow a set pattern. The movement inside is an IWC calibre with Geneva stripes, blued screws, and a signed rotor. Copy movements show plain bridges, unpolished screws, and no engraving on the rotor. Ask for a photo of the movement before any purchase.

Dial, hands, and lume

Printed text on the genuine dial is sharp at 10x magnification. The IWC logo sits level with the index at 12 o'clock. Applied markers are set to the same height. Lume on the hands and markers glows green-blue and fades over hours. Lume on a copy is thin, uneven, and dim within minutes. Date wheels on the real watch align with the window edge. Copies sit low or high in the cutout.

Papers, serials, and price

A genuine watch comes with a warranty card, a numbered certificate, and a box with the reference on the label. The serial on the card matches the serial on the caseback. Confirm the serial with an IWC service center before you pay. Price is a filter. Used examples of this reference trade in the low thousands of US dollars. Copies sell for a few hundred. A low price with no service history is a signal to stop.

If you already own a copy

A counterfeit watch has no manufacturer service support and no parts supply. A watchmaker can replace a movement or a gasket, but the case and dial remain non-original. Resale of a counterfeit as a genuine watch is a crime in the US and the EU.