Crowds Force Swatch Store Closures During Royal Pop Collection Launch

Chaos erupted at Swatch stores from New York to London as watch enthusiasts lined up for a highly anticipated new release, forcing several locations to temporarily close, according to an NBC News report by Marlene Lenthang.

he full Swatch Royal Pop collection. (Photo: Swatch)

The Royal Pop Collection, a collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Swatch, launched Saturday, with watches priced between $400 and $420.

However, surging crowds prompted last-minute store closures over safety concerns.

“To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you not to rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product,” Swatch said in a social media post.

“The Royal Pop Collection will remain available for several months. In some countries, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accommodated, and sales may need to be paused.”

In France, security personnel guarded a Swatch store in Le Chesnay while crowds gathered outside another retail location in Cannes on Saturday.