Pugwash provides an in depth review and pictorial on the replica IWC Aquatimer. Originally posted at http://www.replica-watch.info and reposted here with Pugwash's permission.
I got my replica IWC Aquatimer 2000 from Precious Time in the UK. If you need one of these watches, and I can see why you would, drop him a line and tell him I sent you.
In 1997, IWC replaced the Ocean 2000 diver's watch with the GST Aquatimer 2000. It was slightly larger at 42mm diameter, even though it housed the same 2892 movement. At 14.5mm, it was also quite thick, but this was to be expected in a dive watch, especially one designed to withstand ther pressures that 2000m can force on a watch. Available in stainless steel and titanium, and possibly gold although I've never seen one, this was officially part of the GST line, hence Gold, Steel and Titanium. The unique design points were the screw-in crown that was robust even without crown guards and the bezel that required two points of force applied to the front before it would turn.
The replica, however, doesn't have the unusual bezel mechanism, settling for a more traditional one-way click system, much like the more familiar Rolex Submariner or the Omega Seamaster. The inked inner bezel is also of much lower quality than the original, but I'm working on colour-matching the paint from the original with a dark-grey acrylic paint.
The movement is equally different, housing an ETA 2824 instead of the more costly ETA 2892. This isn't really an issue as the 2824 is a solid and respected movement that's both cheap and reliable with spare parts available to any watchsmith with a wholesale account.
The main difference with the replica though, is the size. The replica is 3mm deficient in the diameter and xxmm thinner. While this obviously doesn't affect its useability as a watch, it may well signal it as a replica to the more observant of IWC fans. Unfortunately, there is no titanium replica available.
I feel I should also mention that the crystal could really do with an Anti-Reflective coating if this watch is to be your every day watch. While it is perfectly readable, it is slightly milky from certain angles.
This may seem like a negative review, and it does indeed read like this, however this is one hell of a watch. Most people wouldn't be familiar with IWCs, let alone discontinued models from the late twentieth century, so the chances of being called out on this are minimal. It's got a solid ETA movement, a superb case design and one of the best bracelets in the replica watch game. While the clasp is prone to looseness, I believe this is just on my model and is not a design flaw. I'll know more once I've taken my rat-tail file to the parts.
All in all, this replica watch was released very quietly and wasn't popular at all, due in part to the bezel printing and some misaligned 12 o'clock markers on the dial. However, I still think it's a decent watch and you should consider getting one as it's a much nicer design, in my opinion, than the Ingenieur.
Compare to Genuine IWC Aquatimers on eBay
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