Record fine handed to Russian watch seller in ‘grey import’ case

Litigation began between the two parties earlier in the year, when St Petersburg’s court of primary jurisdiction ruled that Bestwatch.ru and its domain hosting partner, Adelia, infringed on the Swiss watch company’s trademark rights.

The court’s pressing forward and subsequent ruling in a grey goods case such as this has been declared a “rare instance” by English-language, Russian digital industry news agency East-West Digital.

Initial judgement on the case was reversed on appeal, with lack of evidence cited. Now, however, the Russian Supreme Court of Arbitration has reinstated the original ruling.

Swatch Group Rus, the company authorised to import Longines watches into Russia, maintained throughout the proceedings that it never brought in the watches that Bestwatch.ru was selling.