Forstner 1450 bracelet sneak peek

cvalue13

I hope you’ll not find the following rhetorical device too offensive or personal, but instead only a part of a conversation worth taking seriously:

“As an example, not everyone can afford to buy a [Submariner 16610] for [$10K].

[Steinhart] is offering a decent alternative for less than 10% of the original. I was a skeptic at first but I just received mine and it’s worth every dollar.

The only alternative that was available previously was one from eBay for around [$6000] and [it was only that cheap because it was a bad example].”

cvalue13

Such arms-length contractor/supplier relationships are all interesting history (before, I guess, companies saw value in being more fully integrated).

I wonder, though, whether or how you think such arms-length contractor/supplier relationships are relevant to the present situation?

cvalue13

For one example, it seems like 1/2 of the posts about these bracelets go to great lengths to explain how to remove and replace the non-Omega branding with Omega clasps. Strangely, these posts also go without question, whereas a similar post about taking a Steinhart and placing a Rolex dial within it would (rightfully) being down a rain of fire.

cvalue13

Similarly, Steinhart’s (and the like) also don’t infringe on (certain country’s) IP/TM laws.

So, I think @Archer’s indirect point is the salient one: treatment of the topics of homage watches or watch parts should probably be consistent, one way or the other, within the forum.

I for one appreciate and agree with the forum’s treatment of homage watches to date, and would prefer we similarly treat the “homage” parts market (including threads that instruct people how to convert “homage” parts).

But, that’s just one view

cvalue13

This, to me, is where the hard work comes in.

cvalue13

For one example, it seems like 1/2 of the posts about these bracelets go to great lengths to explain how to remove and replace the non-Omega branding with Omega clasps. Strangely, these posts also go without question, whereas a similar post about taking a Steinhart and placing a Rolex dial within it would (rightfully) being down a rain of fire.

Forstnerbands

I don't mean to derail the conversation, but happy to hopefully answer some of the open questions. There are different types of IP protection that could be relevant. Products and designs thereof can be protected by patents. Historical reproductions generally aren't implicated, though, because the patents would have been long expired (patents only last a fixed number of years). Trademarks protect the naming, as you may expect. To have a protectable trademark, the name is question must be used in commerce (not just have been used in commerce in the past). Unless renewed, filed trademarks expire after a certain number of years. The key with trademark protection is consumer confusion, and the "fair use" doctrine allows using even valid trademarks under certain circumstances. You'll note that Forstner did not call it's forthcoming product the "1450 bracelet" or something along those lines. Though we may be able to do that given that it isn't offered by Omega anymore, we instead accurately described it as a 1450-style bracelet and proceeded to detail how it was designed after the vintage version. Though I doubt anyone would be confused, we certainly aren't trying to pass our product off as a vintage bracelet, or an OEM Omega bracelet.

Hope this is helpful!