A watch drop. Three cities. Toppled barricades, gate-jumpers, police deployment — and watches selling for Rs 2 lakh on resale platforms within hours. Welcome to the AP x Swatch Royal Pop launch in India, and it went exactly as chaotic as you’d expect.
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What Is the AP x Swatch Royal Pop Collection?
The Royal Pop is a collaboration between the Swiss watchmakers Audemars Piguet — a high-end luxury brand whose usual range starts from around Rs 21 lakh — and Swatch, an entry-level fashion brand. The collection has been described as one that “breaks the rules of watchmaking” and was seen as a way for watch enthusiasts to grab an AP watch at an affordable price. Prime Video
The limited-edition collection includes eight colourful pocket-watch-inspired designs and was released only through select Swatch stores worldwide. Outlook India
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Collection Name | AP x Swatch Royal Pop |
| Price (Lépine model) | Rs 41,000 |
| Price (Savonnette model) | Rs 44,000 |
| India Launch Cities | Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi |
| Resale Price | Up to Rs 2 lakh |
| Design Inspiration | Audemars Piguet Royal Oak |
Gen Z Chaos: What Actually Happened
Toppled barricades, long queues and complete chaos marked the launch across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. In a video from Phoenix Marketcity Bengaluru, young men were seen jumping the gates, slipping past security guards and running toward the store. In Mumbai, large crowds pushed each other in an attempt to enter. Prime Video
As consumer turnouts grew exponentially ahead of official opening hours, conditions outside and inside major shopping malls deteriorated rapidly. Documentation from Mumbai and New Delhi recorded highly frustrated consumers pushing past barriers and arguing with security personnel as inventory levels depleted rapidly. Numerous shoppers who had reportedly queued for consecutive hours were ultimately turned away without purchasing a timepiece. Vi
The scenes weren’t limited to India either — viral videos from Dubai also showed packed queues, pushing, shouting and frustrated buyers struggling to enter stores. Outlook India
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Swatch’s Official Response
Following viral videos showing chaotic scenes outside stores, Swatch released an official statement asking customers not to rush to stores in large numbers for the AP x Swatch Royal Pop collection. A bit late — but fair enough given what was unfolding on the ground. Outlook India
The Resale Frenzy
The watches are already being resold on secondary marketplaces with prices touching Rs 2 lakh — nearly five times the retail price. The “affordable AP watch” has very quickly become anything but affordable in the secondary market, with flippers driving up prices before most genuine buyers even had a chance to purchase. The internet had strong opinions about this — and most of them were not kind. Prime Video
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FAQs
Q: What is the AP x Swatch Royal Pop price in India? A: The AP x Swatch Royal Pop is priced at Rs 41,000 for the Lépine model and Rs 44,000 for the Savonnette model in India, available at select Swatch stores in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi. Prime Video
Q: Why did Swatch issue an official statement after the Royal Pop launch? A: Swatch issued a public statement urging customers not to rush to stores in large numbers after viral videos showed chaotic scenes — including packed queues, pushing and crowd-control issues — outside stores in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Dubai during the launch.
