Aussies desperate to get their hands on a $630 version of a designer $60,000 item were seen queuing “for days” over the weekend as the new release caused chaos at stores around the world.
Audemars Piguet, a prestigious, luxury Swiss watch manufacturer released its highly-anticipated collaboration with cheap and cheerful brand, Swatch, on Saturday.
The new timepiece is AP’s iconic Royal Oak design reinterpreted in plastic as a colourful, convertible pop-art pocket watch called “Royal Pop” that can be worn around the neck or attached to a belt loop or bag.
Traditional AP wristwatches can retail between $30,000 – $60,000 for an entry-level stainless steel model with prices hitting more than $150,000 for rarer designs, making the $630 version highly appealing to the masses.
But it seems demand was higher than expected, with stores across the globe smashed by huge crowds, prompting some to shutter up completely as others dealt with “hostile” altercations and were forced to call in police.
In Australia, footage shows scenes weren’t quite as chaotic as several international cities. However, some Aussies were seen waiting in line for days to snag one of the popular pocket watches.
“There’s a queue for the AP Swatch collab at 9am on Friday,” noted one video filmed in Melbourne, despite the fact the official release was 8am the following day.
Another clip showed a huge line snaking down Collins Street in Melbourne at 5pm night before the release.
Perth, Brisbane and Sydney also attracted similar crowds, with clips posted to TikTok showing people camping out, with some bringing foldable chairs and blankets to survive the evening.
One video filmed in Brisbane CBD at 5.30am on Saturday has people looking rugged up for the cold, dark autumn morning.
While Westfield in Bondi Junction had a huge swell of people waiting to attempt to purchase the item.
Many reacted in shock at the scenes across the country, labelling it “insane” and “mental”, as others who waited in line reported the watches “sold out” before they got to buy one.
“I was first in line before the ‘apparent 11 VIPs’ in front of us took all the good colours,” claimed one.
“What’s the hype about?” asked another.
As one stated: “All this for a f**ing watch.”
Others noted “there are more people in the queue than watches”, with most stores reportedly only having around 25 Royal Pop’s on launch day.
Internationally, some Swatch stores made the decision not to open over safety fears.
The Swiss firm said it would not open its branches in London “in light of safety considerations for both our customers and our staff”, the BBC reports.
Footage shared on social media shows the moment waiting customers were told about the decision at a Westfield shopping centre in West London.
“We will not be opening today,” a tannoy announcement can be heard stating, as police hold back crowds from the front of the shop.
Angry punters could then be heard shouting back, “what about tomorrow?” and “why?”
Across London, at the Battersea Power Station store, the atmosphere was described as “hostile with barging and heckling”.
Another video filmed in a shopping centre in Dubai shows a huge swell of people after Swatch had to cancel its events for a similar reason.
Wild footage also showed a New York police officer pepper-spraying a rowdy mob swarming a US store in a panic over the watch, the New York Post reports.
And in Milan, police were reportedly called to stop altercations.
“Dubai police and shopping mall security had to step in after people crowed the AP X Swatch event,” it read, noting some had “waited over 10 hours” for the chance to snag a watch.
Overwhelmingly, many in the comments section said the item was “not worth” the hassle, especially as more stock would eventually become available.
“Finally, a trend I’m NOT interested in getting,” remarked one.
“The world has completely lost its mind,” scoffed another.
Others felt sorry for those who queued overnight, only to have the event cancelled in the morning.
Priced at $630 for a two-handed version and $670 for a model with a small seconds sub-dial, the AP X Swatch product comes in eight different versions and debuts a new self-winding Swatch mechanical movement with 90 hours of power reserve.
The collaboration, announced on May 3, was a surprise to fans as AP is not part of the Swatch Group, which also includes Omega and Longines.
Across the world, the new product has already begun circulating on reseller sites, with one being priced at £16,000 (around $30,000), the BBC reports.
As a result, AP has had to issue a buying limit for customers, stating only one can be purchased – as well as stressing “it is not a limited edition item”.
“The Royal Pop Collection will remain available for several months,” a statement on its website reads.
“In some countries and regions, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused.”