On an object that measures just a few centimetres across – a watch – the shapes and lines can sometimes end up looking disturbingly similar... even when it’s not a case of outright copying, or criminal counterfeiting. Given the financial and strategic stakes, many disputes arise. In a branch that is fond of discretion, these differences are generally resolved behind the scenes. We interviewed an intellectual property specialist working in the watch industry, Emmanuel de la Brosse, founder of the IP Board consulting firm.