The ad received two complaints from readers who were concerned that the image was offensive and condoned sexual violence against women.
In the ad, the woman is lying on her back with her eyes closed and her arms bent over her head, and the strap of the watch winds around her wrists and across her breasts and mouth. It uses the strapline "me time".
The Advertising Standards Authority decided to clear the ad, after the advertiser argued that the watch strap was wrapped around the model's body so as to avoid nudity and to convey the pliable nature of the material. They also said the pose was relaxed and not submissive.
The ASA also noted that the material was not overly restrictive and that the model did not look intimidated.
However, an earlier "me time" ad was banned. It used a similar image but with the model's hand shown between her legs, prompting a complaint that she was masturbating.
In a 2001 ad, Accurist was blamed for portraying a child in a "suggestive, sexual way". And a 1998 ad using the strapline "put some weight on" was described as being irresponsible. It showed a super-skinny model wearing an Accurist watch around the top of her arm.
Separately, an ad for Levi's has also escaped a ban after a reader complained that it appeared to show a man holding his erect penis. Levi's defended the ad, saying that the model's thumb was hooked through the belt loop and that he was not holding his penis. The ASA agreed with the advertiser.
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