Brand Watches

Timex and Casio are creating technical watches designed for athletes, because sometimes it’s just not convenient to carry a cell phone. Timex’s Ironman line includes watches that measure calories burned, heart rate, speed and distance using GPS technology. The data stored on the watch can even be downloaded onto a computer.

“People are jumping on the bandwagon of technology but baby boomers still love their watches,” said Finhert. Indeed, many people of the older generations are proficient with cell phones but still wear a watch every day. Finhert said his customers still purchase watches as gifts, often as keepsakes to be passed down.

Hayes said there will probably be changes within the watch industry in the next five to 10 years, but he believes the watch will never be obsolete.

“The wristwatch has become ingrained in the identity of time,” he said.

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Siemens sued the Japanese Citizen Watch Company for infringing several patents for white-light emitting diodes used for the background of mobile-phone screens, cameras and car parts.

Osram, based in Munich, asked for a jury trial, an order to stop use of the inventions and unspecified damages in a complaint filed yesterday in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware.

“Citizen has continued to show no respect for Osram’s U.S. patent rights” by importing and selling diodes based on patents awarded since 2001, the complaint said.

Citizen Watch’s president, Makoto Umehara, said in August that the Japanese firm is developing products such as LEDs to help boost sales amid price competition. Citizen Watch mostly makes timepieces and industrial machinery.

Citizen Watch officials didn’t immediately return voice and e-mail messages left after business hours.

Shares of Siemens, Europe’s largest engineering company with $107.4 billion in fiscal 2006 sales, rose 24 cents to 72.34 euros today in Germany. They have risen 12 percent in a year.

Both companies have very well established and competing product lines and this lawsuit could offer one an advantage over the other.

The Jewelry Exchange, one of the nation’s leading jewelry manufacturers and retailers, in conjunction with Seiko Watch Corporation of America, announced the winner of the Seiko Consumer Watch Registration Sweepstakes.

Marisa Diamond, a resident of a Southern California suburb, won $5000 in a random drawing held by Seiko Watch. Ms. Diamond purchased her Seiko watch at the Jewelry Exchange, in Tustin, California.

The sweepstakes grand prize had a choice of one of the following gifts:

1. Five thousand dollars, awarded as a check; or

2. A trip for two to Hawaii or a travel voucher in the value of $5000; or

3. A home theatre system, awarded as a gift card for $5000 at a major electronics retailer.

The contest winner elected to receive the check, which was presented to her at the Jewelry Exchange corporate headquarters, in Tustin, California.

The Jewelry Exchange carries a full line of Seiko watches, as well as many other major brands. The company also specializes in the sale of loose diamonds and is the nation’s largest private direct diamond importer.

Additionally, the Jewelry Exchange is a leading jewelry manufacturer, and offers factory-direct pricing to the public, which is up to 80% below regular retail prices. Although the Jewelry Exchange does not manufacturer the watches that they sell, in keeping with their factory-direct business model, they offer them at substantial discounts.