Audemars Piguet and Swatch is a coming together of two horological titans that is set to disrupt the luxury watch market.
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After a week of teasing, Audemars Piguet and Swatch finally announced the launch of Royal Pop, a playful and affordable take on Audemars Piguet’s legendary Royal Oak.
Below, we have rounded up everything we know about this groundbreaking collaboration.
What is the Royal Pop?
The name itself is a nod to a Swatch model released in 1986 that deconstructed the very purpose of the watch. It was a timepiece that could be worn on the wrist but also popped out of its frame and clipped onto clothes, where it could act more like a fashion accessory than a timekeeper. What horophiles are eagerly anticipating is Swatch’s bold approach to affordability and wearability combined with the legendary luxury of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak (the ‘Royal’ of Royal Pop) in one timepiece.
After days of the Swiss brands teasing the release of the project with short promotional clips on social media – resulting in watch lovers letting their imaginations run wild with illustrations and AI-generated images of what might be expected – the design and the technological specifications of the hotly-anticipated piece have finally been spilled.
So, what do we know about the Royal Pop?
Crafted from bioceramic, the new Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop comes in 8 vibrant colourways, and two different styles: a lidless pocket watch with its crown at the 12 o’clock position and only hour and minute indications, and a ‘savonette’ (or, ‘hunter’ style pocket watch) with its crown at 3 o’clock and a small second indicator at the 6 o’clock position.
As expected, the watch is a throwback to Swatch’s innovative ‘Pop’ and can be clipped into a handy pocket watch holder with a leather lanyard, so it can be worn in multiple ways.
All eight rainbow-hued models are 40mm (without their cases) and nod to the distinctive octagonal bezel with eight visible screws of the classic Royal Oak, and, fittingly, each is named in different languages after its colour combinations and the number eight: Huit Blanc (a white version with rainbow accents), Green Eight (green and light blue), Otto Rosso (rosy red and pink), Orenji Hachi (navy blue with orange), Blaue Acht (bright green and light blue), Ocho Negro (monochromatic black and white), Lan Ba (light and medium blue) and Otz Roz (a jazzy vibe with pink, yellow and turquoise). Present, too, is the signature Royal Oak Petite Tapisserie dial pattern, and both the hands and hour markers are coated with Super-LumiNova so they can be read in the dark.
The timepiece is powered by Swatch’s Sistem51 movement, which boasts a precision rating of -5 / +15 seconds per day and a power reserve of 90 hours. For the first time, it’s a hand-wound calibre. An exhibition caseback allows viewers to see all movements within the watch, and each is decorated with bright, pop-art inspired colour – a nice touch.
Where is the Royal Pop available?
The Royal Pop is available to purchase from May 16 and will only be sold at selected Swatch boutiques – check here for your nearest supplier.
The piece will likely be available in limited numbers at a time, so pick your favourite colour first. Based on past Swatch collaborations, many fans may be considering camping outside Swatch shops well in advance of the launch.
How much does it cost?
Prices are 350 CHF / 385 EUR / 400 USD for the hour-and-minute version, and 375 CHF / 400 EUR / 420 USD for the other, small seconds model.
Why have Audemars Piguet and Swatch collaborated?
Swatch has had an enormous amount of success with several of its previous collaborations, in particular when it teamed up with stablemate Omega to release the first limited-edition MoonSwatch in 2022, a playful and affordable take on the iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch. To date, more than two million units have been sold and Swatch made it clear they would be interested in revamping other iconic watches from the classic watchmakers.
With the release of the MoonSwatch (plus its subsequent rainbow-coloured iterations), Omega also saw a significant uptick in the sales of its traditional Speedmaster, and it is likely that coveted ‘halo effect’ on sales is partly a motivation for Audemars Piguet. It is also a chance for the brand to bolster awareness amongst a younger demographic, who may aspire to own a classic Royal Oak but find the watch beyond the realms of affordability right now.
Indeed, trying to get your hands on a MoonSwatch shortly after its release felt like the watch industry equivalent of trying to get tickets to a Taylor Swift concert, and both brands will be looking to match that hype this time around.
Get ready for this to be the summer of the Royal Pop – if you can get your hands on one.
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