The launch of a limited edition timepiece has watchmaker Swatch closing some of its stores over safety concerns.
The Swiss-based watch brand shuttered stores around the world as demand for its Audemars Piguet collaboration watches overwhelmed shops due to crowds of customers trying to get their hands on the timepieces.
Swatch released eight pocket watches with Audemars Piguet. The Royal Pop watches are priced at $400 apiece.
Aggressive crowds
The limited edition watches are only available at Swatch retail stores. Shortly after the announcement, customers congregated outside stores, leading to long queues, frustration, and even some fights on release day.
Swatched annnounced the closures due to safety concerns and urged customers not to rush to stores.
“To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you not to rush our stores in large numbers to acquire the product,” said Swatch.
Cops pulled out the pepper spray at the @swatch x @audemarspiguet drop in Long Island 📷
— Complex Style (@ComplexStyle) May 16, 2026
📷: @gg.chang (via IG) pic.twitter.com/fK0vprS9d5
“The Royal Pop Collection will remain available for several months. In some countries, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused.”
Videos circulating on social media depicted large and aggressive crowds outside retail locations. At least one person was arrested in New York City, theNew York Timesreported.
In France, cops fired tear gas into a crowd of about 300 people outside a Swatch shop near Paris, with four people reportedly being punched outside a store in Lille,AFPreported.
A brawl erupted outside a Swatch store in Milan, Italy, in one video circulating online.
Shoppers brawled outside a Swatch store in Milan following the launch of its new collaboration with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet.
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 18, 2026
The watch sells for £335 retail, but some have been seen put up for resale online for up to £16,000.
The rare collaboration has seen long… pic.twitter.com/pVTqfWAVIv
What is Royal Pop?
The Royal Pop is a limited edition release in collaboration with Audemars Piguet. The $400 watches are modelled after the high end Royal Oak watches, which can go for up to $30,000.
The Royal Pop is the first collaboration with a brand outside the Swatch Group umbrella,USA Todayreported. The Swiss watch brand has previously collaborated with Omega and Blancpain to produce its own interpretations of the Speedmaster and Fifty Fathoms timepieces, respectively.
Swatch told AFP similar issues with long lines and lack of organization occurred during the 2022 launch of its MoonSwatch collab with Omega.
“There were problems… because the lines were extremely long and the organization by some shopping centres was not sufficient to handle the rush,” Swatch said.
“As with the MoonSwatch, things ‘normalized’ a bit after launch day, especially after we again communicated that the Royal Pop collection would be available for several months,” it said.
