Several luxury watch manufacturers are under investigation by the European Union. Reportedly, Switzerland's "big three" -- Swatch, which owns Blancpain and others; Richemont, whose holdings include Jaeger-LeCoultre; and LVMH, the owner of brands such as Hublot -- are all targets, though only Swatch has confirmed it.
The EU antitrust regulators say the companies have been withholding spare parts from repair shops unaffiliated with the manufacturers. Under European law, suppliers with complete or near-complete control of the marketplace are required to treat all buyers on an equal basis.
The trade organization of watch repairers in Europe brought a complaint three years ago. It was dismissed, but the dismissal was nullified on appeal.