Audemars Piguet x Swatch’s Royal Pop launch descends into global chaos as stores close

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The highly anticipated global launch of the Audemars Piguet and Swatch Royal Pop watch on May 16, 2026, quickly turned chaotic. Stores in several countries closed before opening due to safety concerns, leading to police intervention and leaving thousands of eager customers disappointed and empty-handed.

The Royal Pop watch, a high-tech ceramic timepiece priced at $400, was planned for a global launch in over 200 stores at the same time. However, the actual release quickly became an example of how things can go wrong when demand far exceeds what a company is ready for.

Audemars Piguet and Swatch haven’t officially commented on the recent disruption, so store managers, local social media teams, and police are handling the situation on their own.

Watch fuelled chaos across the globe

MyLondon reported that the atmosphere at the Battersea Power Station launch in London was tense, with people pushing and shouting. Several UK stores, including those in Westfield London and Glasgow, didn’t open on time at 9:00 AM. Managers had to use loudspeakers to explain to the crowds that it wasn’t safe to open the doors yet.

This was the scene at Battersea Power Station for Swatch x AP watch Collaboration

— London & UK Street News (@CrimeLdn) May 16, 2026

Similar chaotic scenes unfolded in France, where hundreds of people who had waited in line overnight stormed stores as soon as they opened. According to La Depeche, this overwhelming rush forced many shops nationwide to close their doors, with police directing the situation.

Just in: The AP x Swatch launch event in Miami (Aventura) has been shut down due to overcrowding. Over 3,000 people crowded the mall, causing a significant stampede. @SwatchUS @AudemarsPiguet

— vision (@JakesVision) May 16, 2026

Launch events for a new product in Mumbai and New Delhi, India, were called off after large, chaotic crowds gathered, according to NDTV. Swatch India explained on Instagram that they moved up the launch date due to high demand and that waiting in long lines wouldn’t have increased anyone’s chances of getting the product.

By about 10 a.m. Eastern Time, Swatch USA noticed the disruption happening around the world, according to WatchPro. They responded by posting on Instagram twice to say that 16 of their US stores would remain closed because of safety issues.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Swatch United States (@swatch_us)

Today’s release of the Bioceramic Royal Pop Collection was incredibly popular. To keep everyone safe, some stores temporarily closed at the request of security and local police.

Resale listings have already hit £16,000 ($21,000)

Almost immediately after the product went on sale, listings appeared online for as much as £16,000 ($21,000). It’s still unclear if the brands will switch to an online lottery system due to the difficulties people had purchasing the item.

This isn’t the first time a popular product launch has turned chaotic. Back in April 2026, people reselling Pokémon cards in London actually broke down the security gates at a Sports Direct store to get their hands on a limited-edition release. Even though the police were there, they didn’t step in to stop it.

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2026-05-16 20:49