The news came over the airwaves of the Swiss national radio almost inadvertently, but it hit home: Jean-Claude Biver was invited to talk about a completely different subject, and he opened up at the same time about the birth of his eponymous brand. Nice shot. But…

By Joël A. Grandjean JSH® Magazine & Swiss Watch Passport Publisher & Editor in Chief
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Invited to talk about the phenomenon of notoriety on the broadcast “Médialogues“, Jean-Claude Biver dropped a small media bomb on the RTS’s La 1ère, to the utter surprise of Antoine Droux, the journalist-producer who interviewed him: his new brand is on its way, it will be named “JC Biver” and will be kept confidential at first. And he confessed that he had even gone to visit a possible future location on the same day.

Between two discussions about his relationship with the medias – this was the main focus of the broadcast, which featured one of his first interviews from the time of Blancpain – the former head of LVMH timepieces defined the future of this eponymous brand, which is above all dedicated to the “transmission of knowledge”. A brand that is also assuming being a legacy for his children.

Illegally registered trademark?*

My first instinct was to check whether his words were as spontaneous as that. I rushed to the IPI (Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property) website to ascertain the deposit date le site de l’IPI. It is dated February 11, 2022, the day of the emission. Hardly any more spontaneous than that! Except that the applicant, the new owner of the trademark that will remain pending for the legal period of time that enables to submit a potential opposition, is a Geneva lawyer, partner of a prominent firm, member of the Geneva Bar. No wonder then that a legal expert should assume, in an emergency, the title of ownership of a brand, while waiting for it to become permanent. When contacted, Jean-Claude Biver informed me that he was not at the origin of this approach and that his attorney, the one he had really just appointed, would stand up for his rights.

An IP expert informed me that the usurper (who, at the time of writing, has not answered my questions) would not risk much. At the most, he could face a “right to the name” or “wrongfully registration” lawsuit to which he could always reply, while transferring the trademark to Jean-Claude Biver, that he had in fact the intention to protect him. A somewhat (but why not effective) cavalier way to connect with a great watchmaking captain. A symbol who, since passions never really retire, has not said his last word.

To be retired or not to be? Function can retire, passion cannot

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Comments: Ahead of the curve

While many would-be watchmakers are launching their kickstarters and struggling with their business plans, the retired Jean-Claude Biver, Gaïa Prize Laureate in 2011, is masterfully coining his fame. In front of the audience and the moderator, who couldn’t believe it, he was actually illustrating the topic of the broadcast in which he was invited!

Because when he revealed that he had not yet decided upon the caliber or the design of the upcoming JC Biver watch, the maestro was actually saving himself a lot of time. And time is money. And he will earn a fortune in time since it is clear that he will have to deal with an onslaught of proposals: available premises, inventions and systems in progress, new complications, new materials… He will only have to listen, sort and choose.

With this sudden announcement – even if the industry suspected that he would not be able to stay on the sidelines for long – Jean-Claude Biver once again revealed his talents as a serial marketer. He offered himself in direct time, a global and swift consultation of everything that could have a value in the coming watchmaking industry.

{*} In the time between this article written on Friday, February 11, 2022 and published on the morning of February 14, the IPI’s online register has been enriched by three new registrations, this time properly initiated by Jean-Claude Biver and his intellectual property agent, the IP Bench Inc. company.

View the illegitimate deposit (access by password, on request)
Download the official applications, the 2022 trademarks No 02073, 02077, 02076