Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop Lands 16 May as Strap Makers Rush to Turn It Into a Wristwatch
Tomorrow is the day, the watch world is bracing for what could become the most talked about drop since the original MoonSwatch. The newly unveiled Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop collection officially lands tomorrow at selected Swatch boutiques worldwide, bringing together one of Swiss watchmaking’s most exclusive names with the king of accessible hype culture.
After weeks of speculation fuelled by teaser campaigns and AI generated mockups online, the collaboration turned out to be something nobody fully expected. Rather than a traditional wristwatch, the Royal Pop collection consists of eight colourful Bioceramic pocket watches inspired by the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Swatch’s original 1980s POP line.
Still, despite the unconventional format, anticipation has gone through the roof ahead of tomorrow’s launch. Queues have already formed outside major Swatch stores in cities including London, New York and Houston, with collectors, flippers and curious enthusiasts camping out days in advance hoping to secure one.
The collection features eight different models split across two case styles. Six come in classic Lépine configuration with the crown at 12 o’clock, while two Savonnette variants move the crown to 3 o’clock and add a small seconds display. All retain unmistakable Royal Oak design cues including the octagonal bezel, exposed screws and petite tapisserie style dial texture.
Inside sits a manually wound version of Swatch’s SISTEM51 movement offering a 90 hour power reserve, while pricing starts at around £335 for the simpler models and rises slightly for the small seconds versions. Availability will be strictly controlled, with purchases limited to one watch per person, per store, per day.
Credit - Swatch x AP
What is perhaps most interesting is how quickly the aftermarket has already reacted before the watches have even officially gone on sale. Although Swatch designed the Royal Pop as a wearable pocket watch with lanyards and clip systems, third party brands have wasted no time developing ways to convert the pieces into proper wristwatches.
Independent strap makers including Delugs, Wristbuddys and Helvetus have already teased upcoming strap systems and adapter concepts specifically designed for the Royal Pop. Some companies have even launched notify pages before the release date, anticipating demand from buyers who want the Royal Oak aesthetic on the wrist rather than hanging from a lanyard.
Elsewhere, the 3D printing community has reportedly started developing custom click in adapters allowing owners to fit standard straps to the case, while generic pocket watch wrist conversion systems are already being suggested as temporary solutions.
In many ways, that was probably inevitable. The Royal Pop may officially be marketed as a pocket watch, but with its 40mm Royal Oak inspired case shape and slim proportions, most enthusiasts immediately saw the potential for wrist wear. The aftermarket response simply confirms what the internet suspected from day one.
Whether the Royal Pop becomes another MoonSwatch level phenomenon remains to be seen, but one thing is already certain: tomorrow’s launch is going to be chaos.
