High-end watchmaker Audemars Piguet has filed a lawsuit against Tommy Hilfiger and their licensing company, Movado, for allegedly copying their signature watch design, the Royal Oak. The biggest offender, according to court papers filed in New York last week, is Hilfiger’s Eton watch, which has a similar octagonal face and studded detailing. But otherwise, the differences are pretty obvious. It’s not like anyone would confuse them:
These cases are hard to prove, especially since Audemars Piguet can’t lay claim to any of these design elements as exclusively their own. It was difficult enough for Christian Louboutin to defend his red soles, and he’d even trademarked them, so this lawsuit seems like a long shot. Neither brand has commented further at this point, but here’s some exciting news from WWD: The same judge who presided over the Louboutin vs. YSL debacle in 2011, Victor Marrero, has agreed to take this case, too! The plot thickens.