Swatch X Audemars Piguet Release at Cherry Creek Mall Canceled
The $400 Royal Pop watches drew long lines and forced 19 U.S. Swatch stores to close as resale prices jumped to nearly $6,000.
- On Saturday, Swatch launched its "Royal Pop" collection, a series of colored pocket watches modeled on Audemars Piguet's iconic Royal Oak, sparking long lines and chaotic crowds in cities from Paris to Kuala Lumpur.
- Billed as a "disruptive collaboration" between two Swiss icons, the long-anticipated collection generated massive online hype, reaching over 11 billion views, as the brands aimed to make luxury accessibly priced.
- Safety concerns led to the closure of 19 Swatch outlets across the U.S., with a Long Island, New York police officer reportedly using pepper spray, prompting Swatch to urge customers "not to rush to our stores in large numbers."
- Resale prices on Chrono24 surged to nearly $6,000, while experts like Kate Hardcastle, author of The Science of Shopping, criticized the lack of crowd management and noted the brand ignored risks from the 2022 MoonSwatch release.
- Audemars Piguet distanced itself from the operational chaos, stating that Swatch handles all retail operations, while retail analyst Neil Saunders warned the disorder "does not reflect well on Swatch," potentially damaging both brands' images.
21 Articles
21 Articles
AP × Swatch “Royal Pop” release sparks massive crowds and days-long lines worldwide
The launch of the new Audemars Piguet × Swatch “Royal Pop” collection quickly turned into one of the biggest watch drops of the year, with fans camping outside stores for nearly a week before the watches were officially released on May 16. Videos posted across TikTok, Instagram, and X showed massive lines forming outside Swatch locations worldwide as collectors and fashion fans rushed to get their hands on the highly anticipated collaboration. I…
Swatch’s Royal Pop launch triggers consumer frenzy as resale prices soar
Swiss watchmaker Swatch was forced to shut stores and cap queues after the launch of its Royal Pop pocket watch in collaboration with Audemars Piguet drew large crowds and triggered brawls among shoppers. The watches combining Swatch’s 1980s pop-art style with the Audemars Piguet octagonal bezel sell for $400 to $420, far below the many thousands of dollars commanded by Audemars Piguet’s luxury watches, leading many to buy and then flip Royal Po…
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