Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Audemars Piguet and the Swatch Group are collaborating for a pocket watch series called Royal Pop, blending Swatch’s “Pop” line with Audemars’ iconic Royal Oak design. The sales launch caused a frenzy at selected Swatch shops.
Disruptive pocket watch
Audemars Piguet and Swatch have decided to blend some of their hallmark features into a disruptive pocket watch, available in eight models and designed for wear in a multitude of ways. “This partnership is more than a tribute; it is a disruptive collaboration between two icons of Swiss watchmaking,“ Swatch said. The Royal Pop watches draw inspiration from Audemars Piguet’s legendary Royal Oak collection, launched in 1972, as well as the Swatch POP watches of the 1980s.
“Why this collaboration? “, Audemars Piguet CEO Ilaria Resta asked. “For the joy and boldness it represents. And because it invites a broader audience, including the younger generations, to experience mechanical watchmaking differently. “Audemars Piguet, based in Le Brassus since 1875, is the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families (Audemars and Piguet).
Sensational market reactions
The pairing of a high-end luxury watch with an entry-level, accessible brand, transcending the boundaries between mechanical and electronic timepieces, caused a sensation. On the first day of sales, crowds of customers and collectors prevented some stores from opening due to safety concerns, Swatch said on Instagram.
The collection of eight Swiss-made Bioceramic models can be worn on the wrist, in your pocket, around your neck, attached to a handbag, and more, with three lanyard lengths to choose from and a small removable stand that lets you turn it into a desk watch. Swatch’s signature, innovative SISTEM51 movement, in a new hand-wound version, powers the models. Swatch and Audemars Piguet jointly developed the Nivachron balance spring of the movement earlier.
Royal Oak influences design
Customers can choose between two different versions. First, a Lépine-style pocket watch in six different models, with the winding crown positioned at 12 o’clock. Time reading is simplified to two hands (hours and minutes). Second, a Savonnette-style pocket watch with the winding crown at 3 o’clock. This version, available in two models, features a dial with a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The Audemars Piguet × Swatch collab logos are on the dial and the crown.
From a design perspective, the Royal Pop incorporates key Royal Oak signatures, including the “Petite Tapisserie” pattern, the octagonal bezel, and its eight hexagonal screws. The decision to issue eight models refers to the eight sides of the case and the eight screws on the Royal Oak’s signature bezel. As part of this collaboration, Audemars Piguet will use 100% of its proceeds to fund a dedicated initiative supporting the preservation and transmission of watchmaking savoir-faire, with a focus on rare skills and the next generation of horological talent.
Text: SCCIJ with material from Audemars Piguet and Swatch
