How a Swatch pocket watch release caused chaos at malls around the world, including King of Prussia
The Royal Pop pocket watch release caused chaos at Philly-area malls.
A highly anticipated collab between two Swiss watch brands — one known for its affordability and one that’s considered ultra-luxe — caused chaos over the weekend.
It all started when Swatch and Audemars Piguet announced a limited edition collection. Fans were intrigued, if not skeptical.
For those not typically hanging out with Jay-Z (a longtime Audemars Piguet admirer and past collaborator) or who think of the Associated Press when they hear AP, let’s just say: These watches are super expensive (starting at $20,000 but going into the million-plus range) and lauded for their design.
It’s a stark contrast to Swatch, which is known for its plastic watch faces and switchable silicone straps. Debate ensued — and is still ongoing — regarding whether a collab collection would raise or cheapen Audemars Piguet‘s value and status.
@nbcphiladelphia The Swatch store at the King of Prussia Mall was closed Saturday after hundreds of people tried to enter the business ahead of its new watch release, police say. The disturbance also prompted the mall's closure until 12 p.m. Police also said one person was arrested and accused of defiant trespassing and related charges following the disturbance. Several Swatch stores across the country were forced to close on Saturday due to the "extraordinarily high demand" of the new Bioceramic Royal Pop Collection, which prompted massive crowds to gather outside the stores, according to the company. #nbc10philly ♬ original sound - nbcphiladelphia
The brands unveiled the Royal Pop pocket watch, a play on Audemars Piguet‘s signature Royal Oak silhouette with an octagon bezel, and Swatch’s Pop watch, with bright colors and interchangeable features. The Royal Pop includes a leather lanyard strap that can be worn several ways. The watch cases are made of a proprietary Swatch premium plastic and come in eight colorways.
The watches were released by Swatch on Saturday and retail for $400 — if you can manage to get your hands on one.
That’s where things went downhill.
The hype sparked massive crowds of watch enthusiasts, collectors, and resellers alike. The watches are already reselling for thousands of dollars. Groups gathered ahead of mall openings around the world to attempt to charge toward the Swatch stores and be among the first to snag one of the coveted timepieces.
In the U.K., Swatch closed several stores after hundreds of people queued outside, according to the BBC. In the Netherlands, the Guardian reported police intervention and more store closures. Police officers fired tear gas outside of Swatch stores in Paris. A Times Square shopper in New York City said they waited outside the store for five days in order to snag the watch at its release. Another shopper compared the crowd to a “mosh pit.”
Scenes were similar at the Philadelphia region’s only Swatch location.
» READ MORE: A viral Swatch watch shut down the King of Prussia Mall as police dispersed massive crowds
Police temporarily shut down the King of Prussia Mall on Saturday, The Inquirer reported, dispersing large crowds waiting to try and purchase one of the watches. The Swatch store ended up not reopening over the weekend.
Upper Merion Township police said more than 100 officers responded around 4 a.m. to the mall, where they said hundreds of people were “attempting to enter [KOP] before its opening.”
Videos shared on social media showed crowds outside the mall around dawn as officers tried to disperse them. In one video, an officer is heard swearing at eager would-be customers and telling them, “none of you are going to go in.” On Saturday evening, a sign on the Swatch door said the location was not selling the Royal Pop watch anymore.
Still, this creates quite the pickle.
The highly promoted and anticipated Swatch and Audemars Piguet watch is only available in-store, not online.
As of Monday morning, Swatch’s webpage promoting the special collection had a note to customers asking them “not to rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product.”
The company added that some areas cannot support large queue sizes and that sales may need to be paused.
Still, Swatch promised, “The Royal Pop Collection will remain available for several months.”
