Chaos at Swatch Stores Over Audemars Piguet Collaboration
The release of the Royal Pop line, a collaboration between Swatch and luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, has led to widespread chaos at Swatch stores across the United States. Fans have flocked in large numbers to purchase the new collection, resulting in fights, arguments, and even arrests.
The Royal Pop line features eight different watch variations, each available in unique colors such as pink, white, deep green, mint green, light blue, yellow, black, and navy. All models are priced between $400 and $420, making them significantly more affordable than traditional Audemars Piguet Royal Oak designs, which can cost anywhere from $36,600 to $112,700.
As of Saturday, at least 17 Swatch stores across the US had been temporarily closed due to public safety concerns. These closures included locations in California, Florida, New York, Texas, and Michigan. In Houston, for example, over 100 people waited for the store to open at The Galleria shopping mall, only for it to close abruptly before any sales could take place.
Hriday Patel, who joined the queue with his friends around 4am on Saturday, described the situation as chaotic. He noted that fights broke out within the three hours he spent waiting. “You would think the Galleria, for such a hyped-up thing… you would get at least four or five people to watch the line or put up a barricade,” Patel told the Houston Chronicle. “They didn’t do anything.”
A store employee, who chose to remain anonymous, confirmed the growing intensity of the crowd during the closure announcement. According to a video captured by the Houston Chronicle, she said: “Due to the safety of our staff and you guys, we have to shut down the store today.”
Some customers reported violent incidents among the massive crowds. Edric Gray shared his experience of several altercations with someone attempting to cut in line. The newcomer moved dozens of chairs to the back, replaced them with his own, and chained them to a metal pole. When he stepped away, the chain was cut down by others, who returned the chairs to their original spots. “It got very aggressive,” Gray told the outlet.
In Austin, Texas, three individuals were arrested for criminal trespassing at a Swatch store in The Domain mall. According to CBS Austin, police were called after a group arrived around 4am and began fighting in anticipation of the store opening at 10am. Law enforcement repeatedly asked people to disperse, and those who refused were arrested. No injuries were reported, and the scene was cleared by 8am.
In Troy, Michigan, police were called to the Somerset Collection store after hundreds of customers lined up around 4:30am. The Troy Police Department requested assistance from surrounding agencies to manage the crowd. Two people received citations for trespassing after they refused to leave when asked.
The chaos extended to New York City, where one person was taken into custody at the Times Square Swatch store. John McIntosh, 44, described the scene as “a total s*** show.” He added, “Since Wednesday morning there was no line, just a mob scene, like a mosh pit.”
Swatch acknowledged the high demand for the Royal Pop Collection on its social media channels. The company stated that some stores had to be closed in coordination with security staff and local authorities to ensure a safe environment. It also emphasized that the Royal Pop Collection is not a limited edition and urged customers not to rush to stores in large numbers.
Despite this, some individuals attempted to resell the watches online for up to nearly $8,500. Swatch mentioned that in some countries, lines of more than 50 people would not be accepted, and sales might need to be paused if the situation continues.
Chaos over the collaboration has also been reported internationally in Switzerland, France, and England. The Daily Mail has reached out to Swatch for further comment.
