(Photo Credit : Reuters)
1 / 8Swatch Launch Turns Chaotic: The launch of Swatch’s limited-edition collaboration with Audemars Piguet triggered chaos across Europe, the US and the Middle East on Saturday as large crowds gathered outside stores to buy the “Royal Pop” collection. Long queues, crowding and safety concerns forced several stores to shut operations, while police stepped in at multiple locations after tensions rose among customers waiting for the watches.
(Photo Credit : Bloomberg)
2 / 8Tear Gas Outside Paris: In France, hundreds of people queued overnight in several cities for the release. Police used tear gas outside a Swatch store near Paris to control a crowd of around 300 people after unrest broke out. Authorities said a metal shutter and two security gates were damaged during the incident. Police also said store operators had underestimated the security arrangements needed for the launch.
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3 / 8Fights Break Out: Similar scenes were reported in other European cities. In Milan, local media footage showed a fight outside a Swatch store when it opened on Saturday morning. In the Netherlands, police intervened at a shopping mall near The Hague after hundreds gathered outside a store. Authorities described the atmosphere as tense, with arguments breaking out before the outlet decided not to open and asked people to leave.
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4 / 8Stores Stay Shut: Several Swatch stores across Europe remained closed after the incidents. Outlets in Amsterdam and Utrecht did not open, while Westfield Mall of the Netherlands said the Audemars Piguet collaboration launch would not take place and the store would remain shut through the weekend. Swatch also closed stores in London and six other UK cities over safety concerns, alongside closures in Lyon, Lille, Deauville and Rennes in France.
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5 / 8New York Crowds Surge: Heavy crowds also gathered outside the Swatch store in Times Square, New York, where some people had been waiting for days. Customer John McIntosh, who said he had queued since Wednesday, described pushing and shoving as buyers tried to move ahead in line. Videos shared online also showed large queues outside the store, along with reports of at least one arrest during the launch.
(Photo Credit : Bloomberg)
6 / 8Resellers Cash In: Many buyers were looking to resell the watches for a profit instead of keeping them. The colourful pocket watches were priced between $400 and $420 at retail, but some were resold within hours for several thousand dollars. One buyer said he sold a watch for $4,000 shortly after buying it, while another customer paid $2,400 above retail to avoid standing in line.
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7 / 8Dubai Launch Cancelled: Swatch cancelled launches at Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates after crowd safety concerns emerged in the UAE. The company later said it had shut nearly 20 stores across the US, including locations in New York, Los Angeles and Orlando. In a statement on Instagram, Swatch urged customers not to rush to stores in large numbers and said the watches would remain available for sale over the coming months.
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
8 / 8Hype Fuels Demand: The Royal Pop collection includes eight colourful pocket-watch versions of the Royal Oak design that can also be used as pendants, desk clocks or bag charms. While some collectors were disappointed that the collaboration was not a wristwatch, the release generated strong online engagement and resale demand. Analysts said the frenzy highlighted how luxury brands are increasingly using high-profile collaborations and unconventional launches to attract attention and drive consumer interest.