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BREAKING: AHCI member Marc Jenni forced to give up selling watches carrying HIS name!
It was reported yesterday in Quill & Pad, Marc Jenni, one of the most enthusiastic and energetic young members of the A.H.C.I. (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants), will have to cease and desist creating watches that carry his own name, Marc Jenni, as of 01 January 2015.
This message has been edited by MTF on 2014-11-04 17:58:51
Jenni, although he has registered his name as a trade mark with the Swiss authorities already 5 years ago right when he set up his own company. However, the family Jenny, it self a watchmaking family and owners of the 'Doxa' brand, took offence in Marc Jenni's use of his own name and challenged the brand registration.
From the Jenny Watch website:
"JENNY Watches (pronounced 'yen-ny') has a rich history, dating back more than 50 years. Gustav Jenny (1889 - 1983) started out manufacturing, assembling and finishing watches and watch components for established Swiss watch brands. In 1963, his son Paul G. Jenny (1918 - 1978) established JENNY & Cie S.A. in Lengnau / Switzerland, and introduced their first line of dive watches, the JENNY Caribbean, which was soon to become the world's first 1000 meter water resistant dive watch, patented in Switzerland under Brev. 5292/68 Triple safe.
With the desire to create an exceptional diving watch with a high depth rating, the original JENNY Caribbean was conceived and released in 1963. Over the years, the line expanded to include a variety of dial and bezel color options, with the intention of offering a whole range of options to suit all tastes. As quoted in a press release from the 1960s, 'a choice of rotating bezels in matching color shades is offered so that you can purchase a watch best suited to your personality'.
The new JENNY Caribbean 300 combines the aesthetic elements of the original JENNY Caribbean 700, which made the brand so distinctive and sought-after."
Contrast this to the ancestors of Marc Jenni: Extract from J.J Kubly-Müller’s genealogy work “The Jenny Families from the canton of Glarus” from 1929:
"Johann Jakob Jenny, born on December 19, 1753 as the sixth child of Gabriel Jenny and Barbara Trümpy, died on February 23, 1814 as a single without descendants, active as a watchmaker and citizen from Glarus."
As in Swiss brand jurisdiction there is no precedence for such a case, Jenni would have to defend his own name, an endeavour that would likely costs 'more than 100.000 Swiss Franks - with an insecure outcome. Thus, Marc Jenni decided to abandoning using his name and seek a new one - which one is not yet decided.
So, this is (too) soon history:
However, it would not be Marc Jenni if he would not take this issue as a positive challenge as well: “It is indeed a time for a beginning, something new, ‘a new chapter in my history’,” as he is quoted by Quill & Pad.
Marc, I always consider it one of the worst incidents if a famed (and yes, you are already at your young age!!!) watchmaker would loose the right to print is own name on his own watches (think about Daniel Roth, for example).
But knowing you I am sure that this will just push you further on your way, and we are all keeping our fingers crossed - and a thousand thumbs up from our side!
ALL THE BEST
Magnus
P.S.: if not marked otherwise, all images taken by Don Corson!This message has been edited by MTF on 2014-11-04 17:58:51
Never heard of Jenny watches but Marc Jenni is a famous name
This is the most amazing news of how the "Law is an Ass".
I have never heard of Jenny as a watch brand despite being a collector for many a year and being a moderator on the world's premier horology on-line community. Never have I seen a single Jenny watch until you posted the photo today. They seem to assemble components from different suppliers into (admittedly) colourful watches of no particular distinction.
On the other hand, like thousands of watch collectors, we know of the AHCI and Marc Jenni as a member, who creates and makes watches of distinctive design and provenance.
In terms of reputation by common usage, Marc Jenni brand is the more famous and legitimate.
Just for today the Jenny brand will receive a modicum of notoriety because of this news but that will soon pass like "wine into piss" with the rapid passage of time.
Whatever new name that Marc Jenni pursues for his watches, they will still be desirable and true.
If a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, then Jenny brand is like something rotten in the State of Denmark (Switzerland).
Regards,
MTF
This message has been edited by MTF on 2014-11-04 17:51:26Jenny is unheard of and it will die of natural death.
Melvyn,
I will not touch Jenny watch with 10-feet pole.
If they think by eliminating Marc Jenni, they will excel, they are wrong. Intellectual property victory does not equate with haute hologerie success.
Regards
Ling
I will not touch Jenny watch with 10-feet pole.
If they think by eliminating Marc Jenni, they will excel, they are wrong. Intellectual property victory does not equate with haute hologerie success.
Regards
Ling
What a farce !
Lawyers against any form of reason.
I have never heard of nor saw a Jenny watch ever.
Marc, I hope you can use this as a spring board to get yourself and your watches even better known.
Wishing you the best of luck,
Don
I have never heard of nor saw a Jenny watch ever.
Marc, I hope you can use this as a spring board to get yourself and your watches even better known.
Wishing you the best of luck,
Don
Some peolple build, others destroy.
I'm sure this is just a "bump" in Marc Jenni's history and it will soon be forgotten.
Looking forward discovering the new name
Mark
Looking forward discovering the new name
Mark
This is one of those rare occasions...
...when it is the English language (and not the French, or German) which has the absolutely perfect, possibly untranslatable, word for the actions of Jenny watches: that word is "churlish".
Power to your elbow, Marc Jenni.
Cheers,
pplater.
With all the lawyers around here
it should be a relatively simple matter to deal with an injunction or whatever it is called - cease and desist ?
This message has been edited by amerix on 2014-11-10 12:45:52 This message has been edited by amerix on 2014-11-10 12:48:49 This message has been edited by amerix on 2014-11-10 12:50:49 This message has been edited by amerix on 2014-11-10 12:54:48
There is no conceivable way that Jenny can be confused with Marc Jenni.
None whatsoever !
Paying out an estimated 100,000 Swiss Franks for legal fees, then waiting years for a decision is beyond this particular hmm reality.
Or is it?
In fact I am suspicious about all involved - and their motives!
amerix