In the world of watch collecting, there’s a term for three of the most legendary, historic, accomplished and well-respected brands and manufacturers: The Holy Trinity.
The Holy Trinity, otherwise known as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, and Audemars Piguet, are world-renowned for their heritage, quality, and craftsmanship. And while there are many other high-end companies making exceptionally beautiful watches like A. Lange & Söhne or Breguet, big new releases coming from the Holy Trinity generate more attention than most other brands.
Which is why it was so surprising when news broke recently that Audemars Piguet was collaborating with the Swatch company for a new project. Audemars Piguet, or AP, is best known for their “Royal Oak.” A legendary watch, designed by Gerald Genta, that’s a favorite of many collectors and nearly impossible to get in stores without a lengthy “relationship” with a boutique. Swatch, though they own high-end brands like Breguet and Omega, is known mostly for making accessible, affordable starter watches.
Swiss police officers secure the area as customers queue to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 16, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
An independent watch brand at the top of the market selling “timepieces” for $30,000 and up. A massive conglomerate that sells “bioceramic” watches for $350-400. A match made in…heaven?
Surprising though it may be, the “Royal Pop” was announced in early May, a new and unique collaboration between the two companies. Instead of a traditionally understated stainless steel case, the Royal Pop comes in several bright colors. Made in Swatch’s bioceramic material, all designed to sit in a type of pocket watch format with a lanyard connected to it.
Retailing for $400-425, the May 16 in-store-only release was expected to draw significant interest. Boy did it ever.
Despite what “experts,” politicians and certain media outlets may like to claim about the current state of the U.S. economy, turns out there is tremendous demand for $400 watches. To the point where massive crowds gathered across the country, some days in advance, to get the Royal Pop. Swatch announced on Saturday that a number of stores would stay closed, without selling watches, due to safety concerns.
Customers queue to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 16, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone)
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And on Long Island, New York, rowdy crowds that essentially formed a mob rushed the Roosevelt Field Mall, forming an unruly mob that brought in local police. One video from the scene showed a police officer overwhelmed by the crowd, and using pepper spray to control the mob.
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According to the New York Post, four people were arrested on scene. One for a “second-degree assault charge.” A whopping 19 Swatch stores were closed on Sunday for safety concerns. The store in SoHo never opened on Saturday as the crowd of several hundred were too rowdy to even start selling watches. It’s been a similar story overseas, with locations in London and elsewhere seeing problems with
Many of those camping out intended to resell the Royal Pop, with most going on eBay for around $1,600-$2,000. But again, when we hear every day that the economy is in dire shape, why are there thousands upon thousands of people lining up for $400+ watches? Or many more willing to spend $2,000+ on a watch that retails for $400 and doesn’t currently have an option to wear on a wrist?
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A gold Audemars Piguet luxury watch is displayed at Christie’s Palm Beach Luxury Show on Worth Avenue on March 7, 2023. (Meghan McCarthy / The Palm Beach Daily News / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Some have listed a full set of the different color options for well over $10,000. What kind of down economy is this?
The AP x Swatch “Royal Pop” brings a unique opportunity for collectors or watch fans to get a watch that’s associated with the Holy Trinity for just a few thousand, instead of tens of thousands. By that measure, it’s a bargain. But the fact that there are so many out there willing to buy into the product, even at that price, shows that maybe things aren’t as bad as they think they are.
