Holmbrook Limited, a company based in Dublin, has found itself in legal battles brought by the brands Longines Watch Co., Rado Uhren and now Tissot AG for hijacking Russian (.ru) domain names that the watchmakers believe are rightfully theirs.

In earlier proceedings, the Moscow Commerical Court sided with Longines and Rado, prohibiting Holmrook from using the domain names and awarding the claimants modest monetary damages, but Tissot has not been as successful. On December 6, 2011, the court ruled against the company, stating that Holmrook was neither the owner of the tissot.ru domain name, nor its administrator. Apparently, Holmrook had given the name and well as administration rights to an individual named Nikolai Mikhailyukov free of charge. Mikhailyukov has been using the site to post information about the French painter, James Jacques Joseph Tissot.

Tissot AG claims that the site was not dedicated to the painter until after charges had already been filed.

Why Holmrook is targeting Swiss watchmakers is unclear; what the company even does is hard to pin down with a simple Google search. Holmrook Limited has no website, no Wikipedia page and no presence within social media. In fact, the bulk of its public activity seems to be defending itself in court against angry Swiss watchmakers.

Steve Levy, a writer for The Fair Winds Blog: DomainStrategy.com, has a theory. “It would seem Holmrook’s main function is investing in domain names (some may call it cybersquatting instead of investing), and I view the use of content relating to the artist James Tissot to be a clever ruse which was specifically intended to avoid enforcement. It would be like someone registering apple.ru and posting pictures of fruit but with the real intention of waiting for the famous computer/mobile device company to seek out the owner and offer them a huge sum to buy the domain.”

On his website, Levy makes the comment that these problems tend to abound in Russian web spaces, due to “lax copyright enforcement and a rampant counterfeiting industry.” His suggestion to businesses is to register any important trademarks in the .ru domain quickly, before cybersquatters do.

An appeal by Tissot was scheduled for Feb. 8, 2012 before the Russian Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals. And it’s a good bet that Omega, Union Glashütte, Breguet, Tourbillon, Calvin Klein and other Swatch Group companies are registering .ru domain names as quickly as possible.

Hotel del Invalides from above

PARIS – Bell & Ross Time Instruments was on hand for year number 27 of the International Automobile Festival in Paris, France on January 25. The watch maker was there to present the Palme d’Or award and show off its exclusive watch collection.

This year the Festival was held at the luxurious Hotel des Invalides, near the famous Dome of the church right next door. The Festival is held to show off new concept cars from different manufacturers and to celebrate automotive innovation. Bell & Ross were there to strut their stuff along side auto manufacturers with their new exclusive line of watches.

The watch company also unveiled something that France had never seen; a new kind of item thatBell & Ross is not know for, a Harley Davidson. Bell & Ross teamed up with Shaw Harley Davidson and created the Nascafe Harley Davidson bike. The motorcycle has won many Custom Harley Davidson championships in the US and was well received by everyone at the International Automobile Festival.

Award winning Bell & Ross Harley on display at Automotive Festival

The Festival also bring out an exclusive watch collection from Bell & Ross each year. This year the watches were on display and available for purchase to anyone with the inclination to own such a luxurious timepiece.

Of course Bell & Ross was not only there to have fun and show off their award winning Harley, they had an award to present. CEO of Bell & Ross, Carlos A. Rosillo, presented the Palme d’Or to the Red Bull Racing F1 team who took the 2011 Championship title won by German driver Sebastien Vettle. The team’s owner, Dieter Mateschitz met Rosillo on stage to accept the award for his team.

French driver for the Citroën World Rally Team Sebastien Loeb was also presented with an award. Loeb has won the World Rally Championship (WRC) a record eight times in a row.

Rosillo is also a member of the jury which decided on 14 prizes championing the work of companies and people including the Palme d’Or were handed out at the Festival. A little more than 600 people attended the event in Paris.

The event celebrated 2011s innovators in the automotive field. The new years concept cars are unveiled and any new idea that involves automobiles will be brought to the floor. It has become a place where the future of the industry is born each year anew.

Seiko Go Red For Women Tressia

It’s Valentine’s Day again, gentlemen. That’s right.

You’ve probably already bought your wife/ girlfriend/ mother/ grandmother/ secretary/ secret crush the perfect gift and made reservations at the perfect restaurant where you’ll watch her eyes light up as she opens that beautifully wrapped symbol of your love and devotion. But, if that’s not the case and you find that you’re at a loss this year, fear not – Seiko has you covered. Yep, the Japanese watch guys. Really. Not only will this sweet gift impress the lady in your life with your sense of style, it will also show her how much you care about her heart. Literally.

Seiko Corporation of America, a subsidiary of one of the world’s best-known manufacturers of timepieces has launched a ‘Giving Hearts’ campaign this year in support of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women® crusade.

Concerned that heart disease claims the lives of one in three women who suffer from it, The American Heart Association has committed to educate and raise awareness of a disease that many tend to associate primarily with older men. The website at GoRedForWomen.org provides a valuable resource for women seeking information, needing to connect or looking for solutions. “We are committed to fighting this #1 killer that is preventable,” says the site. “We encourage women and the men who love them to embrace the cause.”

To support and help publicize this noble endeavor, Seiko USA has designed a special watch this year and is contributing $15 of every one sold through March 1, 2012 (with a minimum $100,000 contribution.). The company has also launched a ‘Giving Hearts’ web page on their site where consumers are invited to design their own virtual hearts and dedicate them to loved ones via email or for display in the public forum. (You can pick from a variety of patterns, borders, decorations and dedications.) Visitors may vote on their favorite designs and enter to win a free watch.

Called the Go Red For Women Seiko Tressia, it’s a slender women’s dress watch with a black ion bangle-style bracelet with a jeweler’s clasp, Swarovski crystal accents and an AHA heart logo on the face. It’s selling for $177 online and is even water resistant up to 30 meters. “Tressia’s heart is in the right place,” says Seiko. Now you can be sure your special valentine knows that yours is too.

Save a woman’s life. Give her pretty jewelry.

Face of the new Bulgari Perpetual Calendar watch

Bulgari has impressed audiences again with the release of their Grande Sonnerie Quantieme Perpetual Calendar watch earlier this year.
Bulgari is often portrayed as a brilliant jewelry maker, and the same holds true for their watches. This new timepiece is no exception. The watch offers the owner all the magnificent extras that has come to be expected from Bulgari. Another fine addition to the Daniel Roth Collection, the Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar has an astounding number of components and took approximately one year to complete.
This model pushes the boundaries on the Grande Sonnerie line  with a new function that will keep the date and provide musical cues on important dates and times throughout the year. The Calendar is set to work until the year 2100.
The watch comes equipped with 923 components and 20 different functions. The Perpetual Calendar function will chime with certain cues throughout the year. Over the course of an entire year, the watch will chime 433,580 during 35,040 activations.
This magnificent piece of craftsmanship was created by only the best and brightest in their profession. Six months of the development process was dedicated to the finishing and decorating of the moving parts alone. It is up to the watchmaker to create each piece in perfect working order or the watch will cease to perform correctly.
The tones the watch produces each day are the most intricate part of the watch. Each time the watch makes a note, tiny gongs are struck within the watch. The watchmaker must be sure that the tones within the casing sound true and accurate. If even one of the tones is off, the entirety of the sound is awful. This is even more evidence of the mastery put into each of these spectacular timepieces.

Tourbillion and Sonnerie of Bulgari Perpetual Calendar Watch

This exquisite piece of craftsmanship is designed with a tourbillion mechanism to ensure accurate timekeeping. It is held in an 18-carot pink gold case with a black alligator leather strap and 18-carot pink gold triple-blade folding clasp. The dial consists of an alternating lacquered finish, opaline anthracite and snailed surface treatment. The watch pops when one notices the sapphire discs in the case indicating the days and months.
Already being championed as one of the 10 most complicated watches every produced, the Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar watch debuted at Baselworld 2011, a watch and jewelry trade show held in Basel, Switzerland. The show is held to explore the new innovations and stunning products from all the worlds top watch and jewelry companies. This watch will truly capture the jealous gaze of anyone with the privilege of witnessing it in person.

The SoBe watch is available in several different variations, sure to please a wide variety of people. All cases in the SoBe collection measure at 44 millimeters in diameter, making them a little large.

Glam Rock SoBe Chronograph

Chronograph. There are 50 different variations of the SoBe chronograph available. One of these outstanding models is the rose gold stainless steel and fuchsia saffiano genuine leather strap. This chic time piece contains white minute and hour hands as well as a skinny rose gold second hand. The hands point to white circle hour indicators, with the numeral twelve centered at the top. This watch contains a date window down by the hour six as well as the chronograph feature. The strap is beautiful fuchsia saffiano genuine leather. The strap contains a classic style buckle to ensure its owner that it will be on their wrists at all times. The white dial is protected by sapphire scratch resistant crystal. A great feature of this watch is that it is water proof in up to 340 feet of water. The 44 millimeter case is a beautiful rose gold, sure to attract any woman. This watch retails at $625.

Glam Rock SoBe Single Time

Single Time. There are 32 different variations of the SoBe single time available. One of these watches is the stainless steel with diamonds & shiny white genuine patent leather alligator strap watch. This gorgeous time piece includes white minute and hour hands as well as a skinny black second hand. A great feature of this watch is that it contains a date window down by the hour six. The 44 millimeter case contains 83 genuine white diamonds. The white dial contains black numbers and is protected by sapphire scratch resistant crystal. As stated in the name, the strap is white genuine patent leather alligator. The buckle on the band is a classic style. One of the most appealing features of this watch is that it can go as deep as 340 feet of water, making it perfect for that day of water sports at the lake or that big summer cruise. This watch retails at $895.

If you are genuinely interested in purchasing a Glam Rock time piece from the SoBe collection, it is best to do so through an authorized Glam Rock dealer. Designer watches are often counterfeited when sold over the internet so it’s better to be safe rather than sorry.

Those of you not familiar with Michele should certainly update yourselves! Michele Watches was founded in Belgium in 1940 and Maurice Barouh believed “that a watch is not merely a timepiece but an expression of life.” His belief in quality and refinement was passed on to his son Jack, who named the company after his daughter. The company originally started out making children’s watches but after great success decided to expand. The third generation of the family, Michele and Jeremy, have kept true to the beliefs, quality and details their grandfather was passionate about. The launch and success of the CSX Diamond chronograph Michele watch brought the company into the U.S. spotlight.

If you have never seen a Michele watch, attending the trunk show will be a pure delight! Michele watches come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Maybe you prefer diamond cases? Or perhaps the natural mother-of-pearl dial? One of their watch premiers includes the blue-faced Sport Sail Square Large watch with a stainless steel bracelet. Bold, yet subtle. All of their designs are desirable and artistic. They will definitely appeal to those individuals who love fashion as they are recognized as one of the leading fashion brands. The supplies Michele uses for the straps are drawn from many different resources. The collection of straps on Michele watches are known for their blend of quality and color. Michele makes sure their brand is aware of shifting fashion and changes in the industry. These new styles are introduced into their collections through a wide array of materials and designs. This blend is truly a work of magic.

Premier of the Sport Sail Square Large

Michele also allows its customers to customize their own watch. You just select the case you desire and then the strap. Simple! And if you prefer, you can also swap your strap with a different watch case! There is a strap for any event. Here’s just a few:

• Bracelet
• Grosgrain
• Silicone
• Alligator
• Patent Leather
• Stingray

Michele straps come in many colors also. If it’s fashionable, you are sure to find it with Michele. Past trunk shows have closed with many happy customers. Each year, Michele delights with new deco design elements and the same quality. This year shouldn’t be any different. Be sure to attend the trunk show and find out!

The Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar

The Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar made its first appearance this year at the watch show in Geneve. It’s a very large time piece with a case measuring in at 45 millimeters. The watch offers a new capability in which the crown adjusts all functions of the watch. Two versions of this watch are available. The first is available with an 18-karat white gold case and a black leather strap. The other version is available in pink gold with a brown leather strap. The function that makes this watch so unique and appealing is the multi-layer dial. Each layer is in charge of keeping track of a specific time. The first layer of the dial contains a weekday scale. The next layer out contains roman numerals for displaying the current hour. After that one will see the month scale and then last but not least, a minute track that runs in the outside rim. By the 12 hour roman numeral, one can find a date window, another great calendar function of The Rotonde De Cartier Annual Calendar. This luxurious time piece contains blue sword shaped minute and hour hands that point to the hours while red hammer shaped hands with only the tips showing, point to the week and month scales.

The Rotonde de Cartier Perpetual Calendar

The Rotonde de Cartier Perpetual Calendar is available in two versions just like the Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar. The first variation contains a polished round pink gold case. The other version offers a polished round white gold case. Both of the cases measure in at 40.5 millimeters in diameter, a decent average size watch that will fit just about any man. Both come with black alligator straps that contain gold clasps. The gorgeous silver dial is elegantly decorated with guilloche. The dial contains blue sword shaped minute and hour hands that point to large black roman numerals which indicate the hour. There is also a centrally located thin blue pointer that points to the date displayed on a circular scale inside of the outer rim. Located at the hour six, one will find a retrograde weekday indicator. Located at the hour twelve, one will find a disk that shows the month as well as a leap year. The crown is an absolutely stunning feature of the watch. It is decorated with cabochon blue sapphire and beads.

2012 has been good to Cartier so far, it will be difficult to top what they have accomplished thus far.

Gorgeous Hublot Pink Sapphire

Hublot is leading the way in the world of watchmaking with this brave and bold move. Watch companies are eager to control their own distribution networks and have direct access to customers. Single-brand boutique shops will do just that. Biver is quite certain that those customers looking for Hublot watches know what they want and having a dedicated store that can display all of their watches in one place will not only increase sales but give customers exactly what they’re looking for. Hublot boutique stores will be located in some of the most prestigious shopping spots in the world, such as Place Vendome and Bond Street in London, and Madison Avenue in New York.

Hublot watches are unique and therefore present a niche market. They are recognizable for their futuristic Big Bang porthole design. Their goal is to have an endless stream of product variations. For instance, their line of gemstone beveled watches. These gorgeous stones are gathered from all over the world and include:

• Yellow Sapphire
• Green Sapphire
• Pink Sapphire
• Orange Sapphire
• Amethyst
• Andalusite
• Hematite
• Ruby
• Smoked Quartz
• Spinel
• Topaz
• Tsavorite

One of those stones includes the faceted Andalusite stone which displays red, green, and yellow colors that resemble a muted form of iridescence – simply gorgeous. The alumino-magnesian Spinel is also known as red diamond and shines like one – truly magnificent. The rare orange sapphire exhibits a sunrise color – very striking. Then there is the Tsavorite garnet which is a very vivid green stone that studies show may be 200 times rarer than emerald! Imagine being able to view these magnificent pieces in one boutique store!

The Hublot watch has a unique history which began in 1980 when gold was combined with rubber. This was the first time in watchmaking history that a precious material was combined with rubber. This watch combined polished and brushed gold, a minimalist black dial, and a distinctive black natural rubber strap, all which came to symbolize Hublot. With the company’s “Art of Fusion” concept, Hublot became a major player in the watchmaking world.

And now, with Hublot paving the way with single-brand boutique stores, they are poised to grow their brand, identity and reputation even further.

A few gorgeous Movado watches

Movado’s history is rich in innovation and design. In 1925, they created the Movado Pocket Watch. In 1926, they launched a unique pillow-shaped watch that automatically wound when the case was slid open. The year 1930 led to the Movado Digital Watch which displayed both hours and minutes. And then in 1946, Movado debuted the self-winding Calendomatic wrist watch featuring the month and day. Movado watches began their signature “iconic dot dial” in 1947 with their world renowned Movado Museum Watch. And since then, the Movado design has just kept expanding. The many beautiful “Collections” of today have a wide array of dazzling designs. To name just a few:

• Amorosa
• Bold
• Luno Sport
• Movado Master
• Red Label
• Sapphire
• Series 800
• Serio
• Vizio
• Bracer
• Chronicle
• Sport Classic

With bangles, polished bracelets, chronographs, leather straps and brushed metal chain links, the list goes on and on. There is definitely a watch for everyone!

If you’re looking for confirmation that Movado is top-notch in technology and design, then check out some of the popular magazines such as Marie Claire, Self, Bloomberg Businessweek, InStyle, and GQ. Their stylish designs have celebrities such as Jaden Smith, John Stamos and Blair Underwood showing off their own Movado watches. Movado also has Ambassadors the likes of Derek Jeter, Amanda Seyfried and Wynton Marsalis.

Like color in your watches? Be sure to browse through the “Museum Color Dials” which was introduced in 2007 with a sophisticated new color palette. Also in 2010, the Movado BOLD was launched. It is energized by color with bright accents and high-intensity hues.

So, as you can see, there are many reasons you would want to own a Movado watch. Let’s look at the top 5 reasons:

1. Accuracy
2. Beauty
3. Stylish
4. Classic
5. Wide selection

Movado is a modern classic watch. It is a watch steeped in history and yet able to expand to meet the expectations of today’s world. Movado has style, class, beauty, craftsmanship, and integrity. If you’re looking for a watch that you can trust and admire, there is a Movado waiting out there just for you!

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, this makes the perfect gift for any woman. You can spend hours, weeks or months searching for the perfect gift for your lady. When it comes down to it, most women adore luxurious watches. Now you don’t have to waste any precious time with the Happy Hearts time piece.

Chopard Special Edition Happy Hearts Valentine's Day 2012 Watch

The Happy Hearts time piece is a remodeled romantic version of famous Happy Sport watch. The watch has a polished round stainless steel case measuring in at 36 millimeters in diameter, the perfect size for any woman. Chopard has only manufactured 500 pieces of the Happy Hearts watch so it’s quite rare and unique to own. The watch is very thin and light and contains precise quartz movement. This gorgeous time piece contains sword shaped silver minute and hour hands as well as a skinny silver second hand which all point to tick mark hour indicators with ovals at each hour. Between the hour four and the hour five the watch contains a small date window, a great feature of this time piece. The mother of pearl dial is absolutely breath taking with its three tiny heart shaped stones and adds to the Valentine’s Day appeal. Two of the stones are pink sapphires, the other is a diamond. The upper part of the dial displays the brand’s iconic logo. The beautiful case also has a stainless steel fixed bezel as well as a stainless steel screw down crown, ensuring its owner that water will never make its way inside the watch. The crown is also decorated with a pink sapphire cabochon, making it a lovely feature for any lady.

An awesome feature of this watch is that it is water resistant in up to 30 meters or 100 feet of water, ideal for a day of water sports or that big summer cruise. To add to the delicate elegance of this time piece, the case is attached to a purple silk satin strap that is extremely flexible and designed for comfort.

If you are genuinely interested in purchasing this time piece, it is best to do so through an authorized Chopard dealer. Counterfeit designer watches can be found all over the internet so it’s best to be safe rather than sorry and to make sure you get your money’s worth!