Summary: Diamond engagement rings at Costco stores with the words “Tiffany” on the tag infringed on the real Tiffany & Co’s trademark and now must repay the jeweler for damages.
Costco got caught capitalizing off the famous “Tiffany” name on jewelry. The wholesaler tried to claim that Tiffany was a common cut of diamond but a judge disagreed.
Costco was selling diamond engagement rings in their stores with the words “Tiffany” on the tag with an identical look to the jewelers same engagement ring. Costco sold their rings in a generic brown box instead of the iconic blue box, thinking that was enough of a differentiation to be safe.
The U.S. District Court in Manhattan ruled that Costco must pay damages to Tiffany & Co for selling the counterfeit rings. Costco will now face a jury trial to determine how much they will pay in damages for trademark infringement and counterfeiting. Judge Laura Taylor Swain’s conclusion that the lack of any effort by Costco to make it clear that the rings were not Tiffany & Co rings would confuse consumers.
Tiffany & Co relies on their brand recognition and reputation to sell luxury jewelry at a high price. General Counsel for Tiffany, Leigh Harlan, remarked, “We believe this decision further validates the strength and value of the Tiffany mark and reinforces our continuing efforts to protect the brand.”
There is no question that this statement is true. Women all over the world dream of opening a Tiffany blue bag someday.
Source: http://fortune.com/2015/09/09/costco-counterfeit-tiffany/
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