Amazon is courting companies across the retail spectrum, asking them to sell some of its higher-end products via Amazon.

But companies such as Swatch, whose brands include Longines, Omega and Blancpain, have demanded a commitment that Amazon proactively police its site for counterfeits and unauthorised retailers.

Amazon has refused, according to Swatch CEO Nick Hayek, and the deal between the two is on ice.

“We add value to them,” Hayek said. “But they should also add value to the brand.”

Swatch and other high-end retailers say Amazon’s online marketplace undermines the strict control they claim is key to maintaining a sense of exclusivity – and keeping prices high.