Chaos at Swatch Stores Over Audemars Piguet Collaboration
The release of the Royal Pop line, a collaboration between Swatch and luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, has led to widespread chaos at Swatch stores across the United States. Fans have flocked in large numbers to purchase the new collection, resulting in fights, arguments, and even arrests.
The Royal Pop line features eight different watch variations, each available in unique colors such as pink, white, deep green, mint green, light blue, yellow, black, and navy. The watches are priced between $400 and $420, which is significantly more affordable compared to the typical Audemars Piguet Royal Oak design, which can cost anywhere from $36,600 to $112,700.
As a result of the overwhelming demand, at least 17 Swatch stores in the U.S. were forced to close temporarily for public safety reasons. These closures included locations in California, Florida, New York, Texas, and Michigan.
In Houston, over 100 people waited in line for the collaboration before the Swatch store at The Galleria shopping mall abruptly closed. Hriday Patel, who had been waiting with his friends since around 4 a.m., reported that fights broke out during the three hours he spent in line.
"You would think the Galleria, for such a hyped-up thing... you would get at least four or five people to watch the line or put up a barricade," Patel said. "They didn't do anything."
A store employee, who did not reveal her name, stated that the crowd was getting intense while announcing the closure. She told customers, "Due to the safety of our staff and you guys, we have to shut down the store today."
Some locals in line described violent incidents among the massive crowd. Edric Gray mentioned several altercations with someone who tried to cut in line. The newcomer moved dozens of chairs to the back, replaced them with his own, and chained them to a metal pole. However, when he stepped away, the chain was cut down by others who returned the chairs to their original spots.
"It got very aggressive," Gray said.
Another local, Cy Hargrove, was about 120th in line and had been waiting since Thursday to buy a watch for his mother. He expressed disappointment, saying, "If I could've snuck my way into the front, I might have gotten a watch."
Elsewhere in Texas, three people were arrested for criminal trespassing at a Swatch store in Austin's The Domain mall. According to CBS Austin, police were called after a group began fighting in anticipation of the store opening at 10 a.m. Law enforcement asked people to disperse multiple times, and those who refused were arrested.
In Troy, Michigan, police were called to the Swatch store at the Somerset Collection as hundreds of customers lined up around 4:30 a.m. The Troy Police Department requested assistance from surrounding agencies to manage the crowd. Two individuals were cited for trespassing after they refused to leave.
The chaos was also reported in New York City, where at least one person was taken away in handcuffs at the Times Square store. John McIntosh, 44, described the scene as "a total s*** show," adding that there was no line since Wednesday morning, just a mob scene.
Swatch acknowledged on its social media channels that the launch saw "extraordinarily high demand." The company stated that some stores had to be closed in accordance with security staff and local authorities to ensure a safe environment for everyone.
Swatch reminded customers that the Royal Pop Collection is not a limited edition and urged them not to rush to stores in large numbers. However, some individuals were attempting to resell the watches online for up to nearly $8,500.
The company also mentioned that lines of more than 50 people would not be accepted in some countries, and sales of the collaboration might need to be paused.
Chaos at Swatch stores caused by eager customers has also been reported internationally in Switzerland, France, and England. The Daily Mail has reached out to Swatch for further comment.
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