On May 13, Swatch and Audemars Piguet officially announced their joint Royal Pop project. The collaboration immediately sparked a significant buzz, as it marks the first instance of Audemars Piguet's iconic Royal Oak—which typically retails for at least $20,000—being reimagined through a partnership with a mass-market brand.
The model's debut was posted on the Swatch website, and contrary to expectations, it was not an affordable version of the classic wristwatch. Instead, the brands unveiled a collection of eight pocket-style models designed with a vibrant pop aesthetic. These timepieces can be worn around the neck, kept in a pocket, or used as a bag charm or a decorative fashion accent. This format is a direct reference to the Swatch POP line from the late 1980s, where watches were originally intended to be fashion statements rather than just functional objects.
The Royal Pop design fuses the signature hallmarks of the Royal Oak with Swatch’s distinct visual language. The styling incorporates the trademark octagonal bezel, iconic screws, and the Petite Tapisserie pattern. The case is crafted from bioceramic with sapphire crystals on both sides, while the hands and hour markers are treated with Category A Super-LumiNova®. Inside, it features a modified manual-wind SISTEM51 movement with a 90-hour power reserve, a Nivachron™ hairspring, and factory-set laser precision.
The collection is available in several colorways, ranging from vibrant pink, yellow, and blue options to more understated black and minimalist versions. The line also features both Savonette and Lépine formats, further emphasizing the project's ties to the tradition of pocket watches.
Unlike previous high-profile Swatch collaborations with Omega and Blancpain, this project involves a brand that is not part of the Swatch Group. Audemars Piguet is an independent, family-owned manufacture, and industry observers widely described the mere fact of such a partnership as a surprise. The choice to reinterpret the Royal Oak—one of the world's most recognizable and iconic models—also inevitably generated intense interest.
Additionally, the decision to sell Royal Pop exclusively in physical stores without online access maximizes the sense of scarcity and fuels hype surrounding the release.
However, the launch has been met with a polarizing reaction from the public. Some enthusiasts had expected the brands to reveal a version of the legendary model at an accessible price point comparable to previous Swatch projects. Once the debut took place, it was clear that the actual product was a significant departure from those expectations. Instead of a wristwatch, buyers were offered a pocket-style format with a bold, decorative, and almost cartoonish character. On social media, the new release is being compared to everything from vintage accessories to trendy pop-art objects. GQ even likened them to Labubu, noting that the model works perfectly as a bag charm.
While some viewed Royal Pop as a daring design choice and a fresh take on horological heritage, others saw it as a too-radical and trivial experiment for a brand of Audemars Piguet's caliber, sparking a debate that moved beyond the collection itself to the limits of "democratizing" luxury brands. Some owners of original Audemars Piguet collections expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the collaboration. In their view, the brand is sacrificing its exclusivity and status, arguing that "luxury should not be accessible to everyone."
Despite the criticism, experts are forecasting a successful run for the partnership. Enthusiastic feedback, which is managing to drown out the negativity, suggests that long lines will form at Swatch boutiques on May 16. Even if it fails to replicate the astronomical success of the MoonSwatch—the collaboration with luxury brand Omega—the companies have undoubtedly succeeded in creating a massive media event. Consequently, even in a worst-case scenario for the collection itself, the media impact is expected to outweigh any potential losses.
Finally, there is one small but significant detail: Audemars Piguet announced that 100% of its proceeds from the collaboration will be donated to initiatives focused on preserving the art of watchmaking and passing craft skills to a new generation of artisans. This is a classy gesture, regardless of whether the brand's loyalists embrace or reject the collection itself.
