The latest chapter in the ongoing ‘David v Goliath’ dispute between Cousins and Swatch Group over the supply of spare watch parts has seen Swatch Group appeal June’s decision by the Bern court in Switzerland to dismiss the case.
Given that the Bern decision was based on a ruling from the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, the same body that Swatch Group has now lodged its appeal with, Cousins is optimistic that the appeal will prove fruitless.
Cousins’ managing director Anthony Cousins spoke exclusively to WatchPro about the news: “Cousins got into this fight because we are utterly convinced that refusing open supply of spare parts is a breach of Competition Law.
“Swatch’s tactics have been all about doing everything they can to keep the matter out of the British Courts and to delay things for as long as possible in the hope that we will go away. It was absolutely no surprise to us that they have appealed against the Bern Court throwing out their claim against us; such a move is entirely in keeping with their ‘modus operandi’. The bad news for Swatch is that their approach has just made us even more determined to get the result that the watch buying public deserves.”
The process is not a short one, with the expected time frame for a decision to be within the next 10 months.
