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Cartier ticked over replica watch sales

Though the salesman's Web site labels the items as fakes, Cartier lawyers argue trademark laws have been violated.

By CARRIE WEIMAR
Published May 17, 2006

TAMPA - With its distinctive square face and art deco numbers, the Cartier Panthere watch typically commands $11,000 or more.

Jason Register's price: $182.60.

According to documents filed in U.S. District Court, Register, a Brandon resident, offered replicas of the watch, along with other faux luxury goods on his Web site, www.exquisite-styles.com.

Now Cartier International wants him to stop. The company has asked a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order barring Register from selling anything that resembles a Cartier product.

Cartier's attorneys are scheduled to make their arguments before U.S. District Court Judge James S. Moody this morning.

Reached at his Brandon home Tuesday, Register declined to comment.

The Web site registered to his name was a bargain shopper's dream. The site, which has been disabled, offered replicas of watches from Cartier, Rolex, Movado and others at a fraction of the price of the authentic watches.

The site also offered knockoffs of handbags from Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior and jewelry from Tiffany & Co., as well as other luxury purveyors.

The goods were clearly labeled as fakes.

"You will find that items like our replica Rolex watches and replica Louis Vuitton handbags are very similar qualities to those of the originals," the site said, according to court documents.

But lawyers for Cartier said it didn't matter whether the buyers were aware they weren't getting the real thing. Because they were such exact copies, the watches sold on the Exquisite Styles Web site violated trademark laws, the lawyers argued.

"They bear identical markers and the same shape, style and overall configuration as the Cartier watches,'' wrote Jacqueline Becerra, a Miami-based lawyer for Cartier. "Indeed, they are clearly designed and sold to fool others into believing they represent the Cartier watch."

Register is not facing any criminal charges. But Exquisite Styles drew rants on several consumer protection Web sites from people who said their credit cards were charged for products they never received.

The company also received an "unsatisfactory" rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Carrie Weimar can be reached at 813 226-3416 or cweimar@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 17, 2006, 07:15:43]