What was supposed to be one of the biggest luxury watch launches of the year quickly turned chaotic after massive crowds gathered outside Swatch stores for the much-hyped AP x Swatch Royal Pop collection launch.
Videos from cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and even Dubai have now gone viral online, showing packed queues, pushing, shouting and frustrated buyers struggling to enter stores during the launch.
Why was everyone rushing to buy the AP x Swatch Royal Pop collection?
The Royal Pop collection is a collaboration between luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet and Swatch. The launch generated huge excitement globally because the watches combine Royal Oak-inspired designs with Swatch’s more accessible pricing model. The limited-edition collection reportedly includes eight colourful pocket-watch-inspired designs and was released only through select Swatch stores worldwide. Prices in India were reportedly above Rs 40,000 depending on the model.
Like previous viral Swatch collaborations such as the MoonSwatch launch, the Royal Pop collection was not made available online, forcing buyers to physically visit stores.
Viral videos show pushing, shouting and packed queues
As crowds continued growing outside stores, several videos online showed people tightly packed inside malls and shopping areas while trying to secure a watch before stocks ran out.
One viral clip from Bengaluru’s Phoenix Marketcity reportedly showed massive queues stretching through the mall premises, while videos from Mumbai captured visibly frustrated customers pushing through crowds.
According to reports, some buyers who had reportedly waited for hours eventually left disappointed due to crowd management concerns and limited availability.
Swatch issues statement
Following viral videos showing chaotic scenes outside stores across cities, Swatch released an official statement asking customers not to rush to stores in large numbers for the AP x Swatch Royal Pop collection.
The brand said the request was made to ensure the safety of both customers and store staff during the global launch frenzy.
“To all our dear fans worldwide of our AP x Swatch collab, launched on May 16,” the statement read.
“To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you not to rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product.”
Swatch also clarified that the Royal Pop collection would remain available for several months, suggesting that buyers do not need to panic over immediate availability.
“The Royal Pop Collection will remain available for several months,” the statement added.
The company further revealed that in some countries, queues with more than 50 people may not be accepted and sales could temporarily be paused due to crowd management and safety concerns.
Why luxury watch collaborations create such frenzy
Over the last few years, limited-edition luxury collaborations have increasingly become internet-driven cultural events rather than simple product launches.
Scarcity, resale value, social media hype and collector culture often combine to create intense demand around such releases.
