Short Answer
The string 326.10.40 is not a full watch reference. It is the first three blocks of a nine-digit Omega number, covering the model family, the case and bracelet material, and the case size. Any listing that stops there is quoting a partial code. If you are looking at a watch sold as a replica Aqua Terra 326.10.40, the code tells you almost nothing about the build, the movement, or the seller. You verify the watch by the caseback engraving, the dial print, the bracelet stamping, and the timekeeping, not by the marketing text.
What the Code Covers
Omega reference numbers run in nine digits split into six blocks. The opening three digits name the collection and model family. The next pair, 10, indicates a stainless steel case and a stainless steel bracelet. The pair after that, 40, points to a case diameter near 40 mm. The remaining three blocks, which the keyword leaves out, carry the movement type, the dial color, and the production variant. Because those last blocks are the ones that change between versions, a seller who drops them is hiding the part buyers use to compare prices.
How to Inspect a Watch Sold as an Aqua Terra 326.10.40
- Request the complete nine-digit reference and the dial color, then write both down before you discuss price.
- Ask for a straight-on photo of the caseback and confirm the engraved digits are cut into the metal, evenly spaced, and legible under a loupe.
- Compare the dial text at 12 and 6 against a factory image and check letter shapes, stroke weight, and the gap between lines.
- Look at the date aperture for a sharp, square bevel and a date that sits centered in the window.
- Inspect the hands and markers at an angle, since applied markers sit above the dial surface and have polished bevels.
- Check the bracelet clasp for a stamped logo with clean edges and end links that meet the lugs without a gap.
- Ask for a timing reading in six positions over 24 hours and compare it to the rate the seller advertised.
- Weigh the watch and bracelet separately, because case weight is one of the hardest specs to copy at a low price.
Where Replica Builds Fall Short
Most replica Aqua Terra watches get the overall silhouette right and fail on the details that need machining time. Caseback engraving is shallow or laser-etched instead of stamped. Hands show tool marks on the bevels. The crown threads feel gritty and the signed logo sits off center. The bracelet loses its taper and the clasp loses its sharp stamping. Inside, a stock movement replaces the co-axial escapement and the anti-magnetic construction the real watch is known for, so accuracy drifts and service from any authorized workshop is refused.
Legal and Practical Points in the United States
Selling counterfeit watches is a federal crime under trademark counterfeiting law, and US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit goods at the border, including single pieces ordered for personal use. That means money paid to an overseas replica seller is money you can lose with no recourse. There is also no factory parts supply, no warranty card that means anything, and no resale market, so a replica holds close to zero value the day it arrives. A genuine pre-owned Aqua Terra with papers costs more up front and keeps a documented market price.
Before You Decide
Treat any listing that leads with a partial reference and a low price as an unfinished sales pitch. Ask for the full number, the movement spec, the timing sheet, and a written return policy. If the seller cannot answer all four, the watch is not the bargain the listing claims.