Swatch Says Samsung's Smartwatch Faces Breached Its Trademark

Swatch Group has filed a complaint against Samsung Electronics and Samsung Electronics America, saying the two companies infringed upon its trademark on designs for downloadable smartwatch faces.

The Swiss watchmaker said the South Korean companies' watch faces "bear identical or virtually identical marks" to the trademarks it owns and uses on its brands which include Longines, Omega, Swatch, and Tissot.

"This unabashed copying of the Trademarks can have only one purpose – to trade off the fame, reputation, and goodwill of the Swatch Group Companies' products and marks built painstakingly over decades," Swatch Group said in a filing to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Swatch has demanded a trial in the complaint which also alleges unfair competition and unfair business practices, and is seeking more than $100 million (roughly Rs. 700 crores) in damages.

It said it had launched the action in the United States because that was where its trademarks were registered and where apps for Samsung's Gear Sport, Gear, S3 Classic, and Frontier watches could download watch face designs that infringed its trademarks.

"This is a blatant, wilful and international violation of our trademarks by Samsung," a Swatch spokesman said.

"The affected brands are worth billions. Our claim for compensation? Triple digits in millions."

Samsung declined to comment.

© Thomson Reuters 2019