The Watch World Is Split over Audemars Piguet's Swatch Collab: It's Like a 'Ferrari Civic'
The first Royal Pop release will be in-person only at select Swatch stores, with pop-art branding and no official watch images yet.
- On Saturday, May 16, Swatch and Audemars Piguet will launch the "Royal Pop" collaboration in-person at select locations, with pop-art-inspired displays echoing Andy Warhol's style already appearing in stores worldwide.
- Swatch previously partnered with Omega for the $260 "MoonSwatch" and Blancpain for a Fifty Fathoms model, but this collaboration is notable because AP operates independently outside the Swatch Group conglomerate.
- A popular theory suggests the collaboration counters recent legal setbacks where AP lost trademark cases in the United States and Japan; courts ruled the Royal Oak design was "nondistinctive" and cited 29 similar watches.
- While fans speculate about the trademark theory, AP has not commented; a representative stated Swatch is handling all collaboration communications, though the watch will share the iconic Royal Oak shape.
- Without official images, the collaboration has captured the attention of consumers with roughly $300 to $500 in spending power, positioning it as one of the most anticipated watch releases of the year.
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19 Articles
The watch world is waiting for the "Royal Pop". The collaboration of Swatch and Audemars Piguet will also be available in Düsseldorf.
The watch world is split over Audemars Piguet's Swatch collab: It's like a 'Ferrari Civic'
Audemars Piguet and Swatch are teaming up this week.Derek White/Getty Images for Audemars PiguetAudemars Piguet and Swatch teased a new watch collaboration called Royal Pop on Saturday.The watch world has erupted with opinions about a luxury brand pairing up with an entry-level label.Some collectors criticized the partnership, fearing it may devalue Audemars Piguet's luxury status.Watch collectors' worlds have collided.Audemars Piguet and Swatch…
Meet The Black Man Quietly Sitting At The Top Of The Luxury Watch World
Source: Stefania M. D’Alessandro / Getty The Swatch x Audemars Piguet conversation has the watch world acting like sneakerheads on release week. Swatch has officially confirmed a collaboration with Audemars Piguet tied to “Royal Pop,” with the full drop expected May 16, and speculation is already everywhere about whether this is a Royal Oak-inspired piece, a pocket watch, a Pop Swatch-style accessory, or something completely different. But while…
Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop Queue Starts Five Days Before The Watch Even Drops
There are men, plural, with camping chairs and sleeping bags and phone chargers, sitting outside Swatch boutiques in New York for an Audemars Piguet x Swatch collaboration that doesn't even drop until Saturday, May 16. The Instagram post from @bdotlau is timestamped Monday the 11th. That's a five-day vigil. Six if you count the original camper Jomashop spotted in their carousel. The watch is called the Royal Pop. It's a colourful Bioceramic riff…
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