Swatch shutters stores as demand for collaboration with
Over a dozen Swatch stores have been closed over safety concerns amid the affordable watch brand’s collaboration with luxury maker Audemars Piguet.
The partnership was announced earlier this week, drawing the attention of watch lovers eager to get their hands on an affordable Audemars Piguet model. Founded in 1875, the brand typically sells watches from $20,000 to well over $1 million each, with its signature stainless steel Royal Oak models starting at $30,000.
The new collection of Royal Pop pocket watches, launched Saturday in collaboration with the more moderately priced Swiss brand, Swatch, finally offered a lower price point for customers itching to own an Audemars Piguet, between $400 and $420. Swatch typically sells sells bioceramic models from $65 to $400.
However, demand for the Royal Pop was so great that Swatch has been forced to shutter over a dozen of its stores for safety reasons.
The brand shared on its U.S. Instagram page that 17 stores — including locations in New York City, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles and Orlando — would be closed Saturday due to “public safety considerations.”
The Independent has contacted Swatch for comment.
Multiple reports indicate that people were camped outside of Swatch stores days ahead of Saturday’s release, which may have contributed to the safety concerns the company mentioned.
New York Magazine reported that some eager shoppers had been waiting in line since as early as Tuesday, when the collaboration was announced, for a chance to purchase the watches.
But some watch lovers clamoring for the coveted model were disappointed to learn that the collaboration between the companies wasn’t a wristwatch, but rather a series of pocket watches.
“I was surprised. I was disappointed for sure, but it’s unique on its own,” Californian William Enenstein told ABC News while camped out in front of a Swatch store. “Who else is coming out with a pocket watch that has 500 people plus lined up? Nobody.”
The Royal Pop was released Saturday in select Swatch stores worldwide. It will be sold at 21 boutiques across the U.S., including two stores in New York City, and 13 locations in the U.K., according to Swatch’s website.
Featuring eight colorful pocket watches, the collection’s price ranges from $400 to $420 per watch.
Swatch has worked with many luxury brands in the past. In 2022, the company joined forces with premier watchmaker Omega to launch the Bioceramic MoonSwatch, including a collection of 11 models that start at $285 each. The product was a reimagined version of Omega’s iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch, which costs up to $10,400.
In 2023, Swatch collaborated with top-tier watch manufacturer Blancpain to release the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms collection, featuring models inspired by the five oceans. Available only in Swatch stores, each watch retails for about $400.
