Invalidity · first instance · 2022-05-03
000116426
Contested design: 008499925-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld; Registered Community design No 008499925-0001 is declared invalid, and the holder must bear costs fixed at EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 008499925-0001 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Golden Concept ABvia PDF extraction
Sweden (SE)
Djäknegatan 31, 211 35 Malmö, Sweden
Represented by
Mathias Lindroth
Holder · RCD owner
Changwei LIU
China (CN)
Room 1301, Building B, Olive Oasis Home, No.5, Jingtian East Road, Futian Distirct, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
Represented by
Michele Carella
Prior art cited (2)
Instagram post showing a watch case for Apple Watch
Instagram · disclosed 2020-08-24
watch case for Apple Watch
RCD No 008468169-0001 · disclosed 2021-03-25
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character over its earlier Apple Watch case design, relying on Instagram disclosure and its own earlier RCD registration.
- ›The holder filed no observations and left the invalidity application undefended.
- ›The Division accepted the Instagram post as prior disclosure under Article 7 and found the designer's freedom at least average for watch casings.
- ›It held that minor differences, including the number of front screws and crown protrusion, did not alter the overall impression, so the contested design lacked individual character.
- ›The application was upheld, the contested design was declared invalid, and the holder was ordered to pay EUR 750 in costs.
Deciding panel
- MemberRebecca SANTANA DAVIES
- MemberBenjamin VAN BAVEL
- MemberMichele M. BENEDETTI - ALOISI
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| deDeutsch (de) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| esespañol (es) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| frfrançais (fr) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| ititaliano (it) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| enEnglish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
Locarno classes
Similar decisions
Ranked by shared Locarno class + shared legal grounds + matching outcome. Click a case to view full detail.
| Case | Date | Outcome | Shared grounds | Locarno | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 000130161 vs ALBOR BOGDAN NIEDBAŁA | 2026-01-07 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |
| 000130127 vs ALBOR BOGDAN NIEDBAŁA | 2026-01-07 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |
| 000127515 vs Changzhou Fengxue Network Technology Co., Ltd. | 2025-06-10 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |
| 000127458 | 2025-04-15 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |
| 000123375 vs Gongjue Brand management (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. | 2025-03-19 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |
| 000123394 vs Gongjue Brand management (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. | 2025-03-19 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |
| 000123374 vs Gongjue Brand management (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. | 2025-03-19 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |
| 000123355 vs Gongjue Brand management (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. | 2025-03-19 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 10 | 8 |