Demand for the collab led to crowds storming Swatch stores around the world but there are other ways to get your hands on the new release

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Watchmaker Swatch found itself at the center of controversy this week after having to shut down a number of stores around the world due to overwhelming demand for its new Audemars Piguet collab.

The Audemars Piguet x Swatch “Royal Pop” collection officially launched on May 16, but stores were already reporting long lines days in advance of the drop, with fans and collectors alike hoping to snag one of the pocket watches, which combine AP’s iconic Royal Oak collection with the Swatch POP watches of the Eighties. Despite pleas from officials, large crowds eventually began to form as stores were set to open Saturday, and many locations reported dangerous conditions that required security to step in.

In the end, Swatch closed a number of its stores, with the company releasing a statement asking customers “not to rush to our stores in large numbers,” citing the need to “ensure the safety of both our customers and out staff.” Posting on social media and on its official website, Swatch added that “In some countries/regions, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused…following an overwhelming response to the collection.”

So how can you get your hands on the Royal Pop collection now? Swatch says the new pocket watch collab will still be available at select stores worldwide in the coming weeks, though purchases are limited to one watch per person, per day, and per store. 

Can You Buy the Swatch x AP Royal Pop Collection Online?

You can view the Audemars Piguet Swatch collection online at Swatch.com, though the only thing you can purchase from the collaboration are the accessories. Swatch is selling official lanyards as part of the collection, which let you wear the watch as a necklace, affix it to a bag, or carry it like a pocket watch.

If you can’t make it to a Swatch store in person, you can find the AP Royal Pop collection online through sites like eBay and StockX. The suggested retail price of the Swatch x Audermars Piguet release is $400 and the cheapest price we’re seeing on eBay right now is $700 (at time of this article’s publication). StockX, meantime, has the Royal Pop watches available online from $1,700. There are eight watches in total to collect.

While the Swatch x AP collab is hard to find online, the official Swatch site has another buzzy collaboration available to buy now. The Swatch x Omega “Moonswatch” sold out quickly when it was first released in 2022, with a second drop also selling out a year later. Now, Swatch has select units of the Moonswatch available to buy online, with multiple editions and colorways in stock as of this writing.

As for the Royal Pop, a press release calls it a “groundbreaking watch collection that combines joyful boldness and positive provocation with fine watchmaking,” with Audemars Piguet and Swatch combining their “hallmark features into a disruptive pocket watch available in eight models and designed to be worn in a multitude of different ways.”

Shop more Swatch watches and collaborations online at Swatch.com.