EXHIBIT 99.1

                                [LOGO OF ONEIDA]
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                                  NEWS RELEASE
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INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS:                    PRESS CONTACTS:
Andrew G. Church, Chief Financial Officer       Erin L. Markey, Corporate Public
Oneida Ltd.  (315) 361-3000                       Relations
                                                Oneida Ltd. (315) 361-3000


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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           CLARENCE A. DAVIS ELECTED TO ONEIDA LTD. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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ONEIDA, N.Y., August 10, 2005 -- Oneida Ltd. (OTCBB:ONEI) today announced that
Clarence A. Davis, the former Chief Operating Officer of the American Institute
of Certified Public Accountants, was elected to the Company's Board of Directors
on August 9, 2005.

Mr. Davis was elected by the Board to fill the remainder of the term vacated by
Peter J. Marshall in June 2005. Upon expiration of that term in May 2006, Mr.
Davis will be eligible for election to a full three-year term. Mr. Davis'
appointment brings the Board's total membership to 8. He will also serve on the
Board's Audit Committee.

In early 2005 Mr. Davis retired from the position of Chief Operating Officer of
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a position he had held
since 2000. Mr. Davis had been the Institute's Chief Financial officer from 1998
through 2000. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants is the
national, professional organization for all Certified Public Accountants,
providing its members with various resources, information, and leadership. Prior
to joining the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Mr. Davis was
the principal of Clarence A. Davis Enterprises, Inc., a financial and
organizational consulting firm, from 1990 through 1998 and a Senior Partner with
the public accounting firm Spicer & Oppenheim, formerly known as Oppenheimer,
Appel, Dixon & Co., from 1967 through 1990. Mr. Davis Served in the United
States Marine Corps from 1960 through 1964, received his B.S. in Accounting from
Long Island University and in 1975 became a certified public accountant.

"With his strong background in accounting and finance, Mr. Davis' expertise and
perspective will enhance our Board's operations," said Christopher H. Smith,
Oneida Ltd. Chairman of the Board.

Oneida is a leading source of flatware, dinnerware, crystal, glassware and metal
serveware for both the consumer and food service industries worldwide.

Forward Looking Information

With the exception of historical data, the information contained in this Press
Release, as well as those other documents incorporated by reference herein, may
constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Federal
securities laws, including but not limited to the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. As such, the Company cautions readers that changes in
certain factors could affect the Company's future results and could cause the
Company's future consolidated results to differ materially from those








expressed or implied herein. Such factors include, but are not limited to:
changes in national or international political conditions; civil unrest, war or
terrorist attacks; general economic conditions in the Company's own markets and
related markets; availability or shortage of raw materials; difficulties or
delays in the development, production and marketing of new products; financial
stability of the Company's contract manufacturers, and their ability to produce
and deliver acceptable quality product on schedule; the impact of competitive
products and pricing; certain assumptions related to consumer purchasing
patterns; significant increases in interest rates or the level of the Company's
indebtedness; inability of the Company to maintain sufficient levels of
liquidity; failure of the company of obtain needed waivers and/or amendments
relative to it's finance agreements; foreign currency fluctuations; major
slowdowns in the retail, travel or entertainment industries; the loss of several
of the Company's key executives, major customers or suppliers; underutilization
of, or negative variances at, some or all of the Company's plants and factories;
the Company's failure to achieve the savings and profit goals of any planned
restructuring or reorganization programs, including the failure to close the
Sherrill, NY manufacturing facility on schedule and within budget; future
product shortages resulting from the Company's transition to an outsourced
manufacturing platform; international health epidemics such as the SARS
outbreak; impact of changes in accounting standards; potential legal
proceedings; changes in pension and medical benefit costs; and the amount and
rate of growth of the Company's selling, general and administrative expenses.