Jewelry maker David Yurman sues local business for knocking off pieces
Delaware-based David Yurman Enterprises has filed a civil suit at the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico against defendant Mary Ann Valentín, who does business under the Zoé del Mar brand, for allegedly counterfeiting its copyrighted jewelry designs.
In the case filed at the court in San Juan, the plaintiff claimed: “Defendants are in the business of manufacturing, causing to be manufactured, sourcing, importing, distributing, advertising, promoting, offering for sale and/or selling various jewelry products under the ‘Zoé del Mar’ brand name that are indistinguishable copies of and/or confusingly similar to original and well-known David Yurman-brand jewelry pieces.”
The legal claim includes photos of dozens of Yurman’s copyrighted designs for bracelets and pendants, which it states the defendant has allegedly counterfeited and sold online through her brand’s website and social media platforms.
Specifically, Yurman is defending its “Cable Classics” and “Renaissance” bracelet designs, which it refers to in the lawsuit as its “Yurman Design Marks.”
The legal document includes photos of the different designs that the plaintiff allegedly copied for the product line sold on its website.
While the legal claim does not specify the amount of damages that Yurman may be awarded, the company did spell out that it is seeking statutory damages of “not less than $750 or more than $30,000 per infringed work … and upon a finding of willful infringement … up to $150,000 per infringed work.”
David Yurman Enterprises is the latest designer to call out and sue vendors of copyrighted items. In the past, artist Romero Britto took his fight to court and won, California-based handbag retailer Nicole Lee sued in 2015, and Tous won $925,000 from 37 retailers it sued in 2014, as News is my Business reported.
The plaintiff’s local legal firm is Mendoza Law Offices.
