Swatch and Audemars Piguet Collab Sparks Chaos, Watches Flipped for Thousands

The Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop pocket watch release on May 12 caused global in-store chaos, with police intervening in New York, Paris, and London. Officers used pepper spray at Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, and French police fired teargas on a crowd of 300 in Paris. Swatch closed dozens of stores on Saturday as hordes rushed locations in Times Square and SoHo. At least one arrest was made. The eight candy-hued bioceramic timepieces, retailing between $400 and $420, are now being resold on Chrono24 for up to $6,000. Swatch posted on Instagram asking customers not to rush, stating the collection would remain available for months and that lines over 50 could not be accommodated. Critics on Instagram blamed the brand for poor organization, with some calling for an online release. The collaboration has divided the watch world: Eugene Tutunikov of SwissWatchExpo argues it dilutes the brand, while Joshua Ganjei of European Watch Co. points to the Omega Speedmaster collab that boosted sales. The launch raises questions about drop culture and public safety.