A viral Swatch watch shut down the King of Prussia Mall as police dispersed massive crowds
Videos shared on social media showed throngs of people outside the mall around dawn as officers tried to disperse them from the scene.
Police temporarily shut down the King of Prussia Mall on Saturday to disperse large crowds that flocked there for the release of the “Royal Pop” watch — a collaboration from watchmakers Swatch and Audemars Piguet that generated a national frenzy.
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 throngs of people 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.”
Upper Merion police said in a statement that “the crowd continued to grow and became more defiant.” Police arrested one person on charges of trespassing and related offenses. No injuries were reported.
It was one of several chaotic scenes across the country early Saturday morning that greeted the release of the ultra-trendy timepiece. And in the case of King of Prussia, the hype was self-destructive: Police shut down the suburban mall until the early afternoon after the alleged break-in attempt. The Swatch branch did not reopen, police said.
Less of a traditional wristwatch and more of a modish key-chain, the Royal Pop is worn with a custom lanyard and channels a Warholian pop art design. Retail prices begin at $400.
As anticipation grew around the release, Swatch and Audemars Piguet preemptively asked buyers “not to rush to our stores in large numbers” to “ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores.”
That did not happen. Diehards began camping outside the Swatch store in Times Square nearly a week before the Royal Pop’s release, the Wall Street Journal reported. Bloomberg noted that many Swatch stores ultimately canceled their opening day launches.
Swatch and Audemars Piguet said the Royal Pop collection will be available for “several months.” But the first owners are already looking to turn a profit on the resale market, with some online vendors listing them for more than $2,000 as of Saturday afternoon.
It was not immediately clear when the Swatch branch at the King of Prussia Mall would reopen.