Time could be up for Oyster&Pop (Picture: SWNS)
Rolex has ordered a children’s clock business to change its name after fearing their products might be mistakenly associated with the luxury watch brand.
Family run business Oyster&Pop say they received ‘bullish’ letters from Rolex, demanding they change their name, logo and web domain.
The high-end watch business was concerned that the colourful wall clocks sold by the Devon firm – for around £20 – would be considered part of Rolex’s ‘Oyster Perpetual’ line of watches, which retail for up to £10,000.
The letter from Rolex’s legal team to Oyster&Pop argued that: ‘Consumers will inevitably be misled into thinking that your products emanate from Rolex.’
The two sisters who run Oyster&Pop, in Teignmouth say that Rolex has left them feeling threatened.
Owner Emma Ross-McNairn called Rolex’s argument ‘nonsense’, adding: ‘I don’t think anyone could confuse our clocks as coming from Rolex.
‘You see Formula One, and Rolex sponsoring such huge events like that – you don’t then think of a children’s clock company.
Emma Ross-McNairn thinks Rolex’s argument is ‘nonsense’ (Picture: SWNS)
The business name comes from the road in Devon the sisters were raised on (Picture: Oyster & Pop / SWNS)
‘The idea for Oyster&Pop was borne out of a desire to create a business that made fun, useful products for families. In the 2020 lockdowns we used our savings to set up a small business to help support our families.
‘We chose the name Oyster&Pop for our clocks because we were born and raised on a road called “Oyster Bend” right by the beach in Devon. We wanted to connect the company’s identity to our family roots.
‘We don’t think that Rolex should be allowed to stop us from using a name that is not only substantially different from theirs but has personal connections to us as the founders of a small business.
‘We have invested our savings in creating Oyster&Pop, including branding, stock, our website, packaging and marketing. If we were made to re-brand then the company would not have the resources to start all over again.’
Rolex has previously beaten Oyster&Pop in a US trademark dispute. Now Emma says that a wholesale rebrand would ‘crush’ her business.
The company has started an online petition to fight Rolex on Change.org, and this currently has over 76,000 signatures.
Oyster&Pop has until January 30 to file a defence and counter statement in response to Rolex’s objection.
Rolex declined to comment when contacted by metro.co.uk.
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Rolex fears £20 wall clocks could be mistaken for its £10,000 watches.
