Audemars Piguet x Swatch ‘Royal Pop’ sparks crowd scenes, pepper spray and mall arrests
In the world of watch collecting, there is a term for three of the most famous, historic, accomplished and respected brands and manufacturers: The Holy Trinity.
The Holy Trinity, otherwise known as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, and Audemars Piguet, are known worldwide for their heritage, quality, and craftsmanship. And although there are many high-end companies that make excellent watches such as A. Lange & Söhne or Breguet, a major new release from the Holy Trinity generates more attention than many other brands.
That’s why it was surprising when the news recently appeared that Audemars Piguet is collaborating with the Swatch company on a new project. Audemars Piguet, or AP, is best known for its “Royal Oak”. The legendary watch, designed by Gerald Genta, is a favorite of many collectors and is almost impossible to get into stores without a long “relationship” with the boutique. Swatch, although it has high-end brands like Breguet and Omega, is best known for making accessible, affordable entry-level watches.
Swiss police secure the area as customers line up to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet in Geneva, Switzerland, May 16, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
The top independent watch market that sells “watches” for $30,000 and up. A large conglomerate that sells “bioceramic” watches for $350-400. A match made in…heaven?
As surprising as it may be, “Royal Pop” was announced at the beginning of May, a new and unique collaboration between the two companies. Instead of the traditional stainless steel case, the Royal Pop comes in several bold colors. Made from Swatch’s bioceramic material, it’s all designed to sit in a pocket watch format with a lanyard attached to it.
Retailing for $400-425, the May 16 store-only release was expected to draw a lot of interest. The boy did so.
Despite what “experts,” politicians and certain media would like to say about the current state of the US economy, it turns out that there is a great demand for $ 400 watches. Until many crowds gathered around the country, some days before, to get the Royal Pop. Swatch announced on Saturday that most stores will remain closed, except for selling watches, due to security concerns.
Customers line up to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 16, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone)
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And on Long Island, New York, rioting mobs rushed to Roosevelt Field Mall, forming an unruly mob that brought local police. Another video from the scene shows a police officer being overwhelmed by the crowd, using pepper spray to control the crowd.
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According to the New York Post, four people were arrested at the scene. One count of “second-degree assault.” 19 major Swatch stores were closed on Sunday due to security concerns. The store in SoHo didn’t open on Saturday as the crowd of a few hundred people was too surprised to even start selling watches. It’s been a similar story overseas, with places in London and elsewhere seeing problems
Many of those campers intend to resell the Royal Pop, with most going on eBay for around $1,600-$2,000. But then again, when we hear every day that the economy is in bad shape, why are there thousands upon thousands of people listing $400+ watches? Or that many more aren’t willing to spend $2,000+ on a $400 watch and don’t currently have the option to wear it on their wrist?
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An Audemars Piguet gold watch is on display at the Christie’s Palm Beach Luxury Show on Worth Avenue on March 7, 2023. (Meghan McCarthy / The Palm Beach Daily News / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Some listed a full set of different color options for over $10,000. What kind of economy is this?
AP x Swatch “Royal Pop” presents a unique opportunity for collectors or watch fans to acquire a watch associated with the Holy Trinity for just a few thousand, instead of tens of thousands. On that scale, it’s a profit. But the fact that many are willing to buy the product, even at that price, shows that maybe things are not as bad as they think.
