Keeping watch on brand

The New Zealand Rugby Union trademark police are keeping tabs on a luxury watchmaker whose product names contain the phrase "All Black".

Hublot has been selling All Black watches since 2006 and this year teamed up with bicycle company BMC to launch the All Black bike.

NZRU commercial manager Paul Dalton said the organisation had not authorised the Swiss company to use any of its brands.

"We are continuing to monitor Hublot's products and the branding used to ensure that the NZRU's intellectual property rights are not infringed.

"NZRU protects its intellectual property rights worldwide and, where appropriate, takes action to enforce these rights."

Hublot chief executive Jean-Claude Biver played down the problem.

"Our watch is a watch that is all black (dial, hands, case, bracelet) and therefore we only describe the colour of this watch," he said. "Probably it was the first watch ever that was all black."

The NZRU has a history of cracking down on anyone trying to profit from the All Black trademark and related brands, here and overseas.

It doesn't always succeed. A 2005 bid to trademark a generic black rugby jersey with fern image was thrown out after a four-year legal fight.