A London court ordered Samsung Electronics to pay Swatch Group $11.6 million in damages over third-party smartwatch apps that copied luxury watch dials. Judge Marcus Smith said offering apps bearing Swatch Group brands free or at low prices was damaging to those brands.
Why it matters · interpretationThe ruling suggests that distributing third-party digital watch faces can expose platform operators to substantial liability over traditional watchmakers' trademarks.
Anordain’s new Model 1 Porcelain costs $3,000 and features a 38mm case with a white porcelain dial and blue numerals designed by Kia Tasbihgou. Its dials are made by firing clay. One ceramic specialist produces 30–40 accepted porcelain dials monthly, compared with 50 enamel dials from seven enamelers; porcelain rejection rates can exceed 90%.