An appeals court on Friday published a decision in a lawsuit filed by Rolex Watch U.S.A. against BeckerTime.
It affirmed the lower court that parts replaced, such as the bezel, dials, and bracelets “are integral and necessary,” and therefore BeckerTime infringed on Rolex’s trademarks despite dealer's disclosures to customers.
This affirmation of the lower court means Rolex U.S.A. can sue and will win against any dealer using after-market parts in the U.S. It won against La Californienne in 2020. Ateliers de Genève is not based in the U.S.
The Appeals Court made it worse for Rolex customizers and its dealers in the U.S.: an aftermarket bezel is now included in the list of integral components triggering a copyright infringement ... which was not included by the lower court.
My story: https://coron.et/
—Danny