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Audemars Piguet and Swatch's new pocket watch collab has fans camping ...
By Jordan Hart You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. A crowd gathered outside the Times Square Swatch store in the lead-up to May 16. Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images 2026-05-14T19:32:01.946Z Watch fans are camping outside Swatch in Time Square for its Royal Pop launch with Audemars Piguet. They've been lined up for days at Swatch locations nationwide. The Royal Pop pocket watches sparked opinions, excitement, and lines ahead of their release. Watch fans have turned a busy Times Square sidewalk into a campsite for Swatch's drop with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet. When the two watch brands at opposite ends of the price spectrum said on Saturday that they were teaming up, some people jumped at the chance to buy one before they knew what the collection would be. Swatch and Audemars Piguet later revealed they are collaborating on a collection of pocket watches called Royal Pop.From Houston to New York, collectors and resellers have wasted no time lining up outside their local Swatch store ahead of the May 16 release.At a location I visited in Times Square on Wednesday, I found lines of foldable chairs, with line-sitters having lunch and chatting.I spoke to six people who spent days waiting outside the Swatch store for the chance to own their first Audemars Piguet. They were all excited to see a luxury brand come together with an accessible label. "Everybody was freaking out about the collab, so I decided I'd come and try my luck here," Alex Bueno, a 23-year-old jeweler, said.I learned there was a mutual respect among the 70 or so people in the line. Once you've claimed a spot and spent some hours in your seat, you're in. The honor system of keeping out line cutters and helping your new peers hold down their spots now falls on you, too.Some of them worked in groups, taking 10-hour shifts to allow each other time to step out of line.Some are lining up for the experience Many line sitters ate meals while they waited. Jordan Hart/Business Insider Noah Hosler, a 24-year-old from Ohio, said he buys himself a new watch for his birthday each year. When he heard about the Royal Pop line, he booked a flight to New York City on Tuesday to camp out for his annual present.He doesn't wait in line for new drops often these days, but he used to when he was a shoe reseller. Unlike those who could take turns going home for showers or naps, Hosler has been relying on his surroundings and the new conn...
Audemars Piguet-Swatch watch has fans in the US camping outside for days
Swatch Group is launching its first-ever collaboration with a rival watchmaker, teaming up with ultra high-end competitor Audemars Piguet, and fans in the United States are already lining up five days ahead of its sale date.It is an unexpected move for the Swiss watchmaker, which owns more than a dozen brands ranging from low-cost Swatch to luxury Omega.Swatch and Audemars Piguet have partnered to create a pocket watch that can transform into a pendant that is worn around the neck. It can also be used as a desk clock or a bag charm.The collaboration, which will be available from May 16 and cost around US$400 (S$500), will combine the bright colours that Swatch watches are known for with Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak model, which is identifiable by its octagonal case created by famed watch designer Gerald Genta.Dubbed the “Royal Pop” watch when it was first teased on Instagram, the pocket watch will be offered in a medley of colour combinations across eight models. There will be two case styles and three different calfskin lanyard lengths to wear it with.On May 12, social media posts showed fans in New York were already lined up in anticipation of the watch’s launch.Swatch has previously collaborated with its own brands – most famously when it created a hugely popular bioceramic take on Omega’s iconic luxury Speedmaster Moonwatch chronograph, the MoonSwatch.Since 2022, the US$285 MoonSwatch has been a boon for Swatch. It sold a million units in its first year and variations remain popular today.Some collectors criticised the latest partnership, saying it may devalue Audemars Piguet’s luxury status, with memes flooding the internet ahead of the launch. The high-end brand risks cheapening its appeal and pushing away its wealthy existing customers.Mr Oliver Mueller, head of Switzerland’s LuxeConsult, said the partnership could be “highly positive for both brands”. For Audemars Piguet, it “reinforces the power of the Royal Oak by proving that its design language has entered popular culture”, he added. Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak model was launched decades ago, with its prices frequently hovering around US$50,000.The Swatch Pop collection, which has been around for a similar amount of time, has featured a removable watch face that could be “popped” out of the strap and inserted into a variety of accessories. Options included pocket watch cases, necklaces, lanyards and refrigerator magnets.The Royal Pop watch offers “the youngest aspirational consumers a legitimate...
Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop Confirmed for May 16 Launch Amid ...
Swatch and Audemars Piguet have officially confirmed the Royal Pop collaboration launching May 16, 2026. Here's everything we know about the mechanical watch-inspired release, design rumors, hype and collector reaction.
The Audemars Piguet x Swatch Collaboration Is Here for Real | WIRED
This Is the Real Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop Collaboration With Instagram awash with inaccurate AI-generated concepts for its Royal Pop collab, Swatch was forced to reveal the genuine article.
