Show Time doesn’t mean Copy Time!

The year’s big Jewellery Trade Show, IJL 2014, is rapidly approaching and so jewellery designers and manufacturers will be beating a path to London Olympia with mixed emotions.  Primary amongst these will be excitement at showcasing any new designs, ideas and product ranges.  Mixed in with that will be a fear that plagiarists will be similarly gathering at Olympia looking for the next best design to knock-off.

Additional designs are protectable.  Depending on the nature of the design and the manufacturing process, it might be automatically protected in copyright, or unregistered design right.  These unregistered rights grant to the creator of the design a right not to be copied.

Top tips – always date and sign original design sketches.  Save original designs to file as your computer will automatically create document properties, and this metadata can serve as verification of the date of creation.  Be wary of file sharing, and operate a strict design file protection system.

IJL promotes fair and honest trading and together with Royds Solicitors, operates the PIPR® initiative, seeking to assure designers that their rights are respected.  For advice on the options for protecting designs, ask about PIPR at IJL.

For more information contact Stephen Welfare, Partner at Royds LLP Solicitors and specialist in Intellectual Property.