Geneva Watch Group Announces Watch Collection With Iconic American Brand

NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Geneva Watch Group today unveiled its new product line with the iconic boat shoe brand, Sperry Top-Sider.  The partnership represents Sperry Top-Sider's expansion as a lifestyle brand, with the debut of Sperry fashion and sport watches in spring 2013.

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(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120821/LA60108LOGO-b)

As a leader in fashion and technical watches, Geneva Watch Group is strategically matched with the formidable Sperry Top-Sider brand, the inventor of the boat shoe and a leading global nautical performance and lifestyle footwear brand for men and women.

"With resurgence in American heritage brands among the Gen Y and Millennial consumers, the addition of Sperry, an iconic Americana brand, helps broaden the Geneva portfolio by expanding our reach to this important group," said Geneva Watch Group CEO Jeff Gregg.  "Sperry Top-Sider enhances our category breadth from broad sports performance to fashion and classic vintage styles."

Like the performance-meets-style Sperry brand itself, the inaugural Sperry Top-Sider watch collection includes vintage design elements drawing inspiration from the iconic Authentic Original® boat shoe silhouette and from the dashboard gauge-tech of vintage motor boats.  A key style in the collection, the Authentic Original One-Hand Watch, exemplifies modern prep styling built around a vintage nautical design aesthetic.

"Sperry Top-Sider is not only an iconic brand, it's a way of life," said Craig Reingold, President of the Sperry Top-Sider brand.  "We have formed strong connections with our consumers and are receiving hundreds of requests for Sperry products beyond footwear.  We are excited to work with Geneva to bring forward this inaugural watch line next Spring with an assortment of watches that truly embody the Sperry design aesthetic.  Sperry fans should stay tuned as there are more Sperry accessories forthcoming early next year."

The suggested retail price of the collection ranges from $95.00 - $250.00, and will be available through department stores and other retailers, as well as online partners.

About Geneva
Founded in 1974, Geneva is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and the distribution of digital and analog watches and clocks. The company creates timepieces under license for fashion and lifestyle brands such as BCBGMaxAzria, Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Moschino, Tommy Bahama,  Speedo, Ted Baker London and Zoo York. Geneva also produces its own proprietary brands including Freestyle, a high performance watch targeting the youth and surf markets, Gametime, providing team sports logo watches for the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and major universities, and luxury watch brand BREIL MILANO. In addition to creating timepieces under license for esteemed brands and its own, Geneva also designs and manufacturers watches and clocks under private label for most of the world's largest retailers.   For more information, please visit www.GenevaWatchGroup.com.

About Sperry Top-Sider
Since 1935, Sperry Top-Sider has been the leading brand of footwear for those with a Passion for the Sea®. From its introduction of the world's first siped rubber outsole for non-marking traction to

advanced technical fabrication to combat the elements, Sperry Top-Sider remains the vanguard of high-performance amphibious footwear for life and activities in, on, and around the water.

Available around the globe in independent, marine, outdoor, department stores and on www.sperrytopsider.com, Sperry Top-Sider is the official footwear of the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regattas, Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week, the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider and the National Safe Boating Council. Since early 2010, the brand has launched 19 Sperry Top-Sider retail stores in the US – retail stores dedicated to the Passion for the Sea® lifestyle. Sperry Top-Sider is a division of the Collective Brands Performance and Lifestyle Group, a subsidiary of Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS). For more information, please visit www.sperrytopsider.com.

Geneva Media Contact:
Marla White, SnL Communications
[email protected]
310-996-0239

Sperry Top-Sider Media Contact:
Beverly Antunes
[email protected]
617-824-6194

SOURCE Geneva Watch Group