Stories

Mon, 18 May 2026

Mon, 18 May 2026 Why are people so excited about Swatch's Royal Pop watch?

A watch range by Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet is causing a frenzy as people queue for days to get their hands on one.
A new exclusive pocket watch collection by Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet has caused a frenzy worldwide, leading to store closures and police interventions. The Royal Pop watch collection was released on Saturday in selected stores around the world. The hype surrounding the launch has been fueled by an online campaign that lasted months. People queued for days outside stores, with some camping out for a week or more. There were reports of threatening behavior, scuffles, and at least one arrest outside Swatch shops in various cities, including London, Amsterdam, Milan, Paris, Lille, New York, and other locations in Asia and the Middle East. Police officers used tear gas to control crowds in some places, while others reported becoming unwell during the wait. Swatch asked people not to rush to its stores en masse on social media but ultimately closed its stores for safety reasons due to overcrowding. Some watch enthusiasts have been buying up the watches only to resell them online at inflated prices, with some Royal Pop watches being listed on eBay for £3,000-£5,000. Others have criticized Swatch for creating a situation that led to violence and police interventions. Retail expert Catherine Shuttleworth said Swatch had done an excellent job in generating hype around the collection, while watch reviewer Britt Pearce questioned the ethics of creating such a frenzy. The Royal Pop watch collection consists of eight models priced at £335 each. Some people have expressed disappointment with the watches themselves, saying they are not worth the time and money spent on them. With online sales also causing issues due to bot use and other technical problems, Swatch has released a statement stating that only 20 out of 220 stores had experienced problems during the launch day. The company said it will continue to sell the collection over several months, which may help calm down the situation.