The top pick for a fake IW329024 v5 is the build that gets three things right before anything else: the 42 mm case profile with brushed flanks and polished edges, a dive scale that lines up at zero, and a movement you can actually inspect through the caseback. "v5" is a replica maker's version label, not an IWC reference code, so the number on its own guarantees nothing. Everything below is built around those three checks plus the details that separate a fresh v5 from an old case with a new sticker.
What "v5" means on an IW329024
Replica production runs in batches. A factory releases a reference, collects feedback, then reissues it with corrections. The fifth iteration of that cycle gets called v5. The label describes a batch, not a standard, and two sellers can use the same word for watches that came off different lines. Treat "v5" as a starting question: which factory, which batch, and what changed from v4.
- Pros: later versions usually fix the obvious tells, so dial printing, date font and bezel action tend to be closer than on early runs.
- Cons: the label is unregulated, so a seller can apply it to older stock without anyone stopping them.
Use case: buy a v5 when you want the current best attempt at the reference and you are willing to ask the seller two or three specific questions before paying.
The genuine reference in plain terms
The IW329024 sits in IWC's Aquatimer family, a dive watch line with a steel case in the low 40s in diameter, a rotating dive bezel with a luminous marker, a screw-down crown, and a date window at three. Those are the anchors a replica has to match. If a listing shows a case that is too thick, a bezel insert with the wrong shade of blue or black, or a date window that sits too far from the dial edge, the version number is irrelevant.
Top pick: a current-batch v5 with an inspectable movement
This is the build worth paying for. The case should measure close to the genuine proportions, the bezel should click at the marked intervals without back play, and the caseback should come off or show a decorated automatic movement rather than a plain plate.
- Pros: closest overall look, decent water resistance for daily wear if the case is properly sealed, and parts availability for straps and crystals.
- Pros: resale within the replica market is easier because buyers recognize the version label.
- Cons: highest price of the three options here, and quality still varies between sellers using the same label.
- Cons: no warranty worth the name, and service options are limited to replica-friendly watchmakers.
Use case: you want a daily-wear dive watch that reads correctly on the wrist and you are comfortable asking for photos of the actual unit, not catalogue shots.
Option B: an earlier v3 or v4 at a lower cost
Older batches are still in circulation and often sell for noticeably less. The gap between a well-kept v4 and a v5 is usually in finishing and small dial details, not in overall silhouette.
- Pros: cheaper entry, and the flaws are known and documented, so there are no surprises.
- Pros: good choice if you plan to swap the strap, wear it hard, or use it as a travel watch.
- Cons: thicker case or softer bezel action on some batches, and mismatched lume color between dial and bezel pip is more common.
- Cons: harder to resell because buyers chase the newest label.
Use case: a first replica, a beater, or a watch you will not baby.
Option C: put the money toward a pre-owned genuine
Worth naming for completeness. A used genuine Aquatimer costs many times a replica, but it holds value, can be serviced by the brand, and does not carry the version-label guessing game.
- Pros: real movement, real water resistance, real service history, and resale value.
- Cons: significant upfront cost, and pre-owned dive watches often need a service that adds to it.
Use case: you want one watch to keep for a decade rather than a rotating collection.
Inspection checklist before you pay
- Ask for photos of the exact unit with a dated card or timestamp, not stock images.
- Check the bezel alignment at 12: the triangle should center on the marker, not drift left or right.
- Look at the date window: font weight, centering in the aperture, and how close it sits to the dial edge.
- Compare case thickness against the genuine figure. Extra thickness is the most common tell on dive watch replicas.
- Ask which movement is inside and whether it hacks and hand-winds.
- Confirm the crown screws down smoothly and the threads are cut, not cast.
- Ask about the lume: dial and bezel pip should match in color under low light.
- Get the return policy in writing before payment.
Where even a good v5 falls short
Finishing under a loupe is still a step behind, bracelet end links rarely fit as tightly, and the movement is a workhorse clone rather than a manufacture caliber. Water resistance claims should be treated as claims until a watchmaker pressure-tests the case. None of this makes a v5 a bad buy. It just sets the expectation at "convincing on the wrist" rather than "indistinguishable on the bench."
Bottom line
Buy the v5 if the case proportions, bezel alignment and dial printing check out on photos of the real unit, and skip it if the seller cannot tell you which batch it came from. Buy the older v4 if price matters more than the last five percent of detail. Buy the genuine if you want a watch you never have to explain.