Swatch faced unexpected chaos after launching its new “Royal Pop” pocket watch collaboration with luxury brand Audemars Piguet.
The release, priced between $400 and $420, combined Swatch’s colorful pop-art style with Audemars Piguet’s signature luxury design elements. The lower price compared to traditional AP watches, which can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, triggered massive demand from buyers hoping to resell the pieces at a profit.
The launch quickly went viral, with shoppers forming long lines outside stores in cities like New York, London, Barcelona, Milan, and Dubai. In some locations, crowds became so large that stores were forced to shut down queues, and police were called in to manage disturbances.
Videos shared online showed tense scenes outside several stores, including physical clashes between customers competing to secure the limited items. Swatch later urged customers not to rush stores in large numbers, citing safety concerns for both staff and shoppers.
According to the company, around 20 of its 220 stores experienced issues due to overcrowding and poor coordination in certain locations. Despite the disruptions, Swatch said the situation has since been brought under control.
Interest online has been enormous, with the brand reporting millions of website visits and billions of social media impressions following the launch. However, official sales numbers for the Royal Pop collection have not yet been released.
Meanwhile, resale activity exploded almost immediately. Full sets of the eight Royal Pop models reportedly sold for over $25,000 on resale platforms, while third-party accessories designed to convert the pocket watches into wristwear were also being sold at inflated prices.
Market watchers say the hype has created a short-term opportunity for resellers, though it remains unclear how long the inflated prices will last once demand cools.
Swatch’s stock initially rose after the collaboration was teased, but later dipped after details confirmed the watches would only be available in pocket watch form.
