Why massive crowds gathered outside watch stores globally

Monday, 18 May 2026 15:34

The highly sought-after collaboration hit shelves worldwide on Saturday.

Hundreds of Aussie watch enthusiasts queued up outside stores to get their hands on the Audemars Piguet X Swatch collaboration.

Audemars Piguet, a luxury Swiss watch company, created the pocket watch with fellow Swiss company Swatch, which is known for its affordable watches.

The highly sought-after collaboration, a pocket watch called the Royal Pop, hit shelves worldwide on Saturday, May 16, with Aussies lining up outside Swatch stores in Sydney to get their hands on the colourful pocket watch.

Videos of the winding line of fold-out chairs and tents in Sydney's Pitt Street have ended up online, with some adding they had seen people lining up since Thursday.

Audemars Piguet is one of the most expensive and exclusive watch companies in the world, so the thought of owning a watch with their branding for under $1000 sent collectors into a frenzy.

The watch is only available at select in-person stores globally.

Swatch stores all across the world have experienced similar crowds of people trying to get their hands on the lucrative pocket watch.

Some Swatch stores in the UK actually refused to open their doors due to safety concerns of a crowd crush.

Following the intense crowds and lines, Swatch have released a statement on its website, discouraging people from lining up.

Lines on Pitt Street outside Swatch Store

"To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you not to rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product," the statement reads.

"The Royal Pop Collection will remain available for several months.

"In some countries/regions, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused."

In Milan, a brawl broke outside one store, while police in Paris used teargas to disperse the crowd.

The idea behind the collaboration came from pop art, according to the Audemars Piguet website.

"Audemars Piguet and Swatch unveil Royal Pop, a new collection that brings together creativity and audacity with haute horlogerie," it reads.

"Inspired by Pop Art, this collaboration reinterprets Royal Oak iconic codes through a disruptive pocket watch, available in eight models and designed to be worn in multiple ways."

The pocket watch is encouraged to be worn in a number of different ways, including as a necklace and a bag charm.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.