I know there was an issue at one time between eBay and Cartier regarding the use of the word "tank" with respect to listings of small, square watches not manufactured by Cartier.
You are the one who brought up watch forums.
Watch forums are generally operated for the benefit of their owners and sponsors (Omega Forums being an exception on sponsorships). They have the right to ban anything. I know of several forums that do not even allow linking of outside URL's.
If a forum is sponsored by a watch manufacturer (which a few are), then I can understand the decision not to allow the defendant in a lawsuit, or anyone selling that defendant's brand of watches to sell on their website. If the site is sponsored by an AD, I can see the same thing happening on the grounds that sales of "Homage" watches that are the subject of litigation could damage the AD's business and cause that AD to withdraw their sponsorship.
What I have not heard of is a non-sponsor manufacturer suing a forum for allowing the sale of homage watches where there was no implication that the watch was anything other than what it is. I know there was an issue at one time between eBay and Cartier regarding the use of the word "tank" with respect to listings of small, square watches not manufactured by Cartier. I believe they reached a private settlement on that issue. But eBay is not a watch forum.
Neither is the defendant in the suit you mentioned.
gatorcpa
Here’s a great example of a vintage knock-off by a company that has built their fortune on having no imagination (although the new ones a very imaginative albeit hideous).
It’s a Rolex Day/Date at first blush (although day is at the bottom), but the sum of the parts are actually pretty nice-ESPA case I believe, looks to have a decent movement- and is actually attractive. Is it a rip-off, I guess-sure. Is it just different enough to be its own thing...maybe.
What forum's are you referring to?
This one, TimeZone, WatchUSeek, WatchProSite, MWR, several dozen others.
Some brands, like IWC, have their own forums that can be linked from their website. I don’t know if IWC actually runs that site.
Does this help?
gatorcpa
I will muddle the waters because back in the day the big name did not make that many things in house:
designer: may even be a subcontracted independent (Genta anyone?)
case made by: CB, HF, EPSA, Squale
dial by : Singer, Beyeler, whatever
bracelet : GF
Keeping the movement separated from the rest, (the client/wearer don't see anything of it), it is hard to say that any brand made an homage/copy of anything... and the homage/who did it first question becomes a bit hard to define.
Can anyone point out an example where a watch company borrowed heavily from another brand's DNA for a specific reference and produced something arguably better than the original? No movements, just aesthetics.
The issue gets beaten to death-I know. But most of the beating is on new companies or micro brands making watches in “the style of”. Just came across this on eBay - would this be considered a SM300 homage of the time or just a watch by a respected house making a watch in a popular style?
This then begs the further question- if a company resurrects a vintage style from their archives (Hamilton, Certina, Blancpain, Rado) is that considered an homage of themselves? And particularly since the aforementioned companies are not the same companies they were 50 years ago (different ownership, plants, parts etc), wouldn’t they be “fakes”?
And to further the point-is the Technos any less of a SM300 homage than say these modern ones, just becuase it’s vintage?
Be very careful with ANY vintage diver with a Bakelite bezel being sold on eBay from Italy. These bezels are FAKE. This particular Technos Diver had an aluminum bezel prior to being fitted with a fake bezel, and then listed as an original vintage piece. The issue here not one of copying or homage, but sellers deliberately trying to deceive the market, and charge 3X-4X what a piece is actually worth. This Technos reference sells at $600 normally. I think they list for $2K! May look cool, but buying only supports the deceptive selling of these fake bezeled divers. 🤬
Can anyone point out an example where a watch company borrowed heavily from another brand's DNA for a specific reference and produced something arguably better than the original? No movements, just aesthetics.
Here are some examples. Actual vintage divers, where the original bezel has been replaced with a fake Bakelite bezel, cost increased to $2K - $4K (or more) and claims of original. This is one seller, however there are several offering these. Basically Bakelite Bezel + Italy = FAKE
