# Watch Skins expands federal complaint, names LVMH board member **Published:** 2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z **Topic:** NFT **Sentiment:** neutral **Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/14b69859-cd2a-49aa-8b3e-d3321f43868b Watch Skins prepares an amended lawsuit adding details on TAG Heuer talks and naming former TAG exec Frédéric Arnault, while seeking new IP‑focused counsel. Watch Skins Corporation announced it will file an expanded amended complaint in its ongoing federal case against TAG Heuer and entities linked to LVMH, adding new factual background about its NFT‑enabled smartwatch technology and prior communications with TAG Heuer staff [1]. The company also highlighted the involvement of Frédéric Arnault, a former TAG Heuer executive now serving on LVMH’s board, as part of the broader corporate governance context [1]. **Key takeaways** - Watch Skins is seeking substitute litigation counsel with expertise in IP, technology, and commercial matters [1]. - The amended filing will detail a development timeline that begins with patent applications in 2018 and a CES 2020 demonstration [1]. - TAG Heuer’s engineering team contacted Watch Skins in 2021 to discuss NFT‑enabled smartwatch collaborations, preceding TAG’s June 2022 public launch [1]. - Public launch materials described the TAG Watch as the “first” NFT viewer for a connected watch and the “only one that can do this” [1]. - LVMH’s Code of Conduct, which references IP and third‑party rights, is cited by Watch Skins, and the complaint now names board member Frédéric Arnault, who previously led TAG Heuer’s connected‑watch division [1]. ## Expanded complaint adds timeline and corporate governance context Watch Skins’ statement says the company filed its first patent applications for blockchain‑authenticated smartwatch display technology in 2018 and publicly demonstrated aspects of the system at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2020 [1]. According to the firm, TAG Heuer engineers reached out in 2021 to explore potential collaboration on NFT‑enabled smartwatch functionality, sharing details about wearable blockchain features and related patent matters [1]. Those discussions continued until TAG Heuer’s June 2022 launch, which the company promoted as the “first” NFT viewer for a connected watch and claimed exclusivity in that capability [1]. The amended complaint will also reference LVMH’s publicly available Code of Conduct, which includes provisions on intellectual property, proprietary information, and respect for third‑party rights [1]. Watch Skins points out that Frédéric Arnault, who previously led TAG Heuer’s connected‑watch division and NFT smartwatch initiative, now serves as CEO of Loro Piana and sits on LVMH’s Board of Directors [1]. The filing therefore links the alleged misuse of Watch Skins’ technology to senior leadership within the LVMH group. ## Litigation status and next steps A federal judge issued a 30‑day temporary stay on May 12, 2026, to give Watch Skins time to secure substitute counsel, and the company confirmed it is actively searching for a new law firm with the requisite IP and technology expertise [1]. Collin Knock, Watch Skins’ founder, noted that the firm had previously shared extensive materials with the law firm Fish & Richardson, which later represented LVMH‑related defendants in the same case—a development he described as “surprising” [1]. Both LVMH and TAG Heuer continue to deny liability, and the litigation remains pending without any court findings on the merits [1]. ## Why it matters The expanded complaint underscores the growing intersection of luxury watch brands with blockchain and NFT technologies, and it raises questions about how corporate governance structures handle potential IP conflicts. By naming a high‑level LVMH board member, Watch Skins signals that it views the dispute as extending beyond a simple vendor disagreement to a matter of corporate responsibility and adherence to internal IP policies. The outcome could set precedents for how luxury conglomerates manage emerging digital‑wearable innovations and protect third‑party intellectual property. The case will continue to be watched for its implications on both the luxury watch market and the broader legal landscape surrounding NFTs and wearable tech. ## Sources 1. Markets Insider — [Watch Skins Confirms Expanded Federal Filing and Ongoing Search for Litigation Counsel in Pending LVMH/TAG Heuer Matter](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/watch-skins-confirms-expanded-federal-filing-and-ongoing-search-for-litigation-counsel-in-pending-lvmh-tag-heuer-matter-1036176245) 2. Wikipedia — [Bernard Arnault - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Arnault) --- Cite as: TrendWatcher, "Watch Skins expands federal complaint, names LVMH board member", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/14b69859-cd2a-49aa-8b3e-d3321f43868b