I passed by this AD in London and saw this in the window. They are listed on uboats and bell & ross' website as being ADs, what's the deal? Is it somehow legal for these people to clone U Boat designs?
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AD selling Reps??
- Thread starter choob
- Start date
- 30/3/08
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Here you are:
http://tinyurl.com/3ah7pj3
:biglaugh:
Like Col said, they're not reps - just another "look alike" brand.
http://tinyurl.com/3ah7pj3
:biglaugh:
Like Col said, they're not reps - just another "look alike" brand.
Yeah, TW steel is one of those craptastic brands that makes money selling an "hommage" (read: knock off) design with their own name. Many low-end brands are doing this. Unless someone does a DIY hommage project at home, I think this is the same as making and selling fake watches. But since these brands tend to pretend they came up with the design they are even worse than fakes, IMO.
So this is legal because they use their own name?
jayFlyer I agree with you. The homage excuse is that they're okay because they don't pretend to be gen but imo it's a lot worse to put your name on someone else's design. A 'real' fake is more honest in that it doesn't pretend not to be a fake, if that makes sense.
jayFlyer I agree with you. The homage excuse is that they're okay because they don't pretend to be gen but imo it's a lot worse to put your name on someone else's design. A 'real' fake is more honest in that it doesn't pretend not to be a fake, if that makes sense.
This has been discussed before, but the defining characteristic of a rep is a watch that uses a patented mechanism or trademarked name/logo without permission.
The fact is there is nothing about the look of UBOAT watches that can be trademarked beyond the name.
Believe me, if you could trademark a general look, or appearance, Rolex would have done it long, LONG ago.
Panerai gets away with it by the simple fact that the trademarked the image of the shape of the crown guard. That's the legal basis they used to force RXW to stop making/selling the MM20. It's also why they can't stop RXW and others from selling Radiomir or 6154 style "homage" watches - they lack the CG shape, so there is nothing they can do legally.
The fact is there is nothing about the look of UBOAT watches that can be trademarked beyond the name.
Believe me, if you could trademark a general look, or appearance, Rolex would have done it long, LONG ago.
Panerai gets away with it by the simple fact that the trademarked the image of the shape of the crown guard. That's the legal basis they used to force RXW to stop making/selling the MM20. It's also why they can't stop RXW and others from selling Radiomir or 6154 style "homage" watches - they lack the CG shape, so there is nothing they can do legally.
This kind of thing is possible because some countries have a f*cked up intellectual property law. You wouldn't see this in France or Switzerland for example.
I'm pretty sure the screw down crown of the radiomir is patented by rolex.
I'm pretty sure the screw down crown of the radiomir is patented by rolex.
That's where I sometime wonder about the regulations depending on the countries : on one hand you cannot patent a watch general design, on the other hand you can patent conceps or ideas in the computer and electronics fields, without any kind of precise designs/plans.
Confirmed. The 3646 case is also patented by rolex.
Laws from one country to another can be VERY differents.
- 30/3/08
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Hey, they patented the human genome.
If you can slap a patent on the building blocks of life you would think you can patent any damn thing but apparently not. IP is one screwed up ball game.
Col.
If you can slap a patent on the building blocks of life you would think you can patent any damn thing but apparently not. IP is one screwed up ball game.
Col.