Chaos scenes in shops around the world caused the release of the new limited Swatch Royal Pop watch series in collaboration with the Audemars Piguet house resulting in the Swiss company closing its stores in major UK cities.
As the BBC reports, Swatch announced yesterday that stores in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield will not open «due to safety issues for customers and staff»While one person was arrested in Cardiff.
The timing
The company was to launch its new collection of pocket watches «Royal Pop», in collaboration with the luxury watch house Audemars Piguet, with eight models that will cost from £335.
However, the watch has already gone out for sale online with prices that reach £16,000.
Swatch then urged the world «not to flock massively to our stores to buy this product», as it should have been «ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff».
On her website, the statement continued: «The Royal Pop collection will remain available for several months.
In some countries and regions, queues of more than 50 persons cannot be accepted and may have to be temporarily discontinued.».
AP Swatch, known primarily for its colorful watches since the 1980s, described these products as «a revolutionary partnership between two emblematic names of Swiss clockwork».
Chaos from France to New York for a Swatch
And in France, police authorities had to use tear gas to disperse a crowd of 300 people outside a shop near Paris.
Objectif pour certains : faire une bonne affaire en revendant ces montres. Mais à Lille, notamment, ceux qui avaient dormi... pic.twitter. com/Hh8n8E1nD6
— franceinfo (@francinfo) May 16, 2026
In Milan, a fight was caused in front of a store at the time of the opening, according to local media.
The launch of limited edition Swatch watches descended into chaos Saturday in several European cities and New York, with French police firming tea gas to restore order at one store near Paris https://t.co/ELpjJEVSyg pic.twitter. com/eryQJG46i0
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 16, 2026
In New York City, the queue outside the store in Times Square evolved into «mosh pit», as described by John McIntosh, 44 years old, who waited since Wednesday to acquire the watch. «Whoever pushes harder and bypasses others gets ahead»He said. Other buyers resorted to the market at extra cost, even paying $2,400, considering it «opportunity» compared to other Audemars Piguet watches.
— ACD NEWS (@Leminhmobihome) May 17, 2026
