named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Anti-Counterfeiting Initiative
Legal and policy advocacy to combat counterfeit watches, including drafting legislation and filing testimony in key court cases to protect intellectual property rights.
Gray Market Watch
Monitors and challenges unauthorized importation of watches intended for foreign markets, protecting warranty structures and brand integrity.
Regulatory Compliance Support
Provides members with legal analysis and formal opinions to help comply with federal and state regulations on hazardous materials, including lead, cadmium, and mercury content in watches.
Trade and Tariff Advocacy
Lobbying efforts to reduce or eliminate U.S. import duties on watches, with a focus on securing trade agreements that benefit member companies.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Industry Trade Association Services 1 activity
- Advocacy for watch industry interests in federal and state governmentRepresents member companies in advocacy before federal and state governments on issues including trade policy, taxation, tariffs, regulatory burdens, and intellectual property rights. Achieved reductions in U.S. watch import duties from over 50% in the 1970s to approximately 5%.
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Legal Representation for Members 1 activity
- Providing members with exclusive legal advice and policy analysisOffers member companies access to formal legal opinions and strategic analysis on minimizing regulatory and tax costs, defending intellectual property, and navigating compliance requirements.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Anti-counterfeiting advocacy and policy developmentLeads efforts to combat counterfeit watches through legislative action, public awareness, and legal intervention. Drafted and supported passage of the Anti-Counterfeiting Consumer Protection Act (1996), filed Supreme Court testimony on gray-market imports, and highlights links between counterfeiting and organized crime, citing $200–250 billion in annual losses and over 750,000 lost U.S. jobs.
- Securing regulatory exemptions and compliance support for membersProvides legal and regulatory support to member companies by securing exemptions from federal hazardous materials regulations, including CPSC lead certification requirements and mercury-added battery restrictions in more than a dozen states. Offers guidance on toxic-materials statutes and regulatory compliance.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$265K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$257K97%
Investment income$8K3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$277K
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead28%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$216K
Cash$216K
Investments$0
Liabilities$44K
Net assets$172K
Liquid reserves9.4 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +5.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 11
- ADAM DAVIS — DIRECTOR
- ANDREW HAGEN — DIRECTOR
- CAMILO LOPEZ — SECRETARY
- HENRY EDELMAN — DIRECTOR
- MARK GOLDBERG — FIRST VICE P
- MICHAEL KAPLAN — TREASURER
- MITCHELL SUSSIS — CHAIRMAN
- PHILIPPE BONAY — 2ND VICE PRE
- RENE RENSCH — DIRECTOR
- SETH PRESSER — DIRECTOR
- TAKESHI SAKAMOTO — DIRECTOR
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- Breitling Partner — Member company of the American Watch Association.
- Casio Partner — Member company of the American Watch Association.
- Citizen Partner — Member company of the American Watch Association.
- Congress Government — Legislative body that enacted AWA-drafted Anti-counterfeiting Consumer Protection Act in 1996
- Consumer Product Safety Commission Government — Federal agency from which AWA members have secured regulatory exemptions
- Covington & Burling Partner — Provides legal opinions to AWA members on federal regulatory exemptions
- Covington & Burling Partner — Washington-based law firm providing legal strategy and formal opinions to AWA members
- Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH Partner — Member organization of the American Watch Association.
- Fossil Partner — Member company of the American Watch Association.
- IBI Armored Partner — Member company of the American Watch Association.
- International Anticounterfeiting Coalition Coalition — Cited as source for economic impact estimates of counterfeiting on U.S. businesses and jobs.
- LVMH Watchs & Jewelry Partner — Member organization of the American Watch Association.
- MJSA Educational Foundation Partner — Board member organization providing education and training in the jewelry sector
- National Foundation for Jewish Genetic Diseases Partner — Organization for which Mr. Kaplan served as Co-Chairman
- ORT Partner — Global Jewish education and vocational training nonprofit organization
- U.S. Supreme Court Government — Judicial body before which AWA filed testimony on gray-market imports
- U.S. Trade Representative Government — Government office engaged in advocacy meetings regarding watch trade agreements
- US Customs Government — Cited as source for data on counterfeit product trafficking and links to organized crime.
- United Jewish Appeal Partner — Organization for which Mr. Kaplan was a past honoree, involved in Jewish philanthropy
- WJA Scholarship Fund Partner — Board member organization focused on scholarships in the jewelry industry
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Collective Advocacy for Enhanced Policy Influencemethodology: collective_advocacyBy uniting member companies into a coalition, the organization amplifies their collective influence on regulatory and legislative matters, achieving policy outcomes that exceed what individual companies could accomplish alone, because pooled resources and unified messaging increase political leverage and credibility.
- Consumer Advocacy Linking Authenticity to Safety and Ethicsmethodology: consumer_safety_advocacyBy highlighting health and safety risks and unethical labor practices associated with counterfeit watches, the organization shifts consumer preference toward authentic products, because framing authenticity as a public safety and moral choice increases perceived value and brand loyalty.
- Intellectual Property Defense to Ensure Market Integritymethodology: intellectual-property-defenseBy advocating for strong trademark, copyright, and patent laws, the organization protects member companies’ innovations and brands, ensuring fair competition and market integrity, because robust IP enforcement deters counterfeiting and preserves consumer trust in authentic products.
- Market Access and Free Competition Advocacymethodology: market-access-advocacyBy advocating for the removal of unwarranted government barriers, the organization promotes a free and competitive marketplace for watches, enabling smoother operations and fairer competition for member companies, because reduced regulatory friction increases market efficiency and innovation.
- Regulatory and Cost Burden Minimization Through Legal Advocacymethodology: regulatory-cost-minimizationBy engaging in legal and policy advocacy, the organization reduces financial and operational burdens on member companies, because proactive engagement with regulators and tax authorities prevents costly compliance mandates and inefficient regulations.