When the news that Swatch and Audemars Piguet would be teaming up got out earlier this month, it promptly broke the internet. At least, the hyper-niche, watch-obsessed internet. Speculation surrounding the details of the partnership — the model, the color, the movement, the price tag — was rampant. Deepfaked images of brightly colored Royal Oaks baited anyone who’s ever dreamed of owning an AP (read: most of us), especially after it was revealed in a subsequent teaser that the mysterious collaborative effort would be dubbed the “Royal Pop.”
The buzz was not entirely unwarranted. Audemars Piguet is one of the most celebrated watchmakers on the planet, with a storied canon of grail-level references, a tightly controlled stock of available pieces and a cultish following of wannabe collectors. Swatch, meanwhile, has mastered the high-end watch collab through partnerships with the likes of Omega, adding some serious credibility to their semi-accessible flair and signature bioceramic cases. The combination of the two was (and remains) a tantalizing prospect, especially a highly wearable version of a Royal Oak at a literal fraction of the price.
What the duo delivered yesterday instead broke the internet all over again. Rather than a watered-down version of AP’s Gérald Genta-designed darling, Swatch and Audemars Piguet announced an unexpected novelty: a collection of modular pocket watches, set on a lanyard rather than a band or bracelet.
The capsule features a eight colorways — an homage to the Royal Oak’s octagonal design codes across the bezel and screws — with hues not dissimilar to those you might see in a Warhol exhibit.
Color configurations range from light blue on navy to a combination of teal, canary yellow and bubblegum pink, with enlightened names like Otto Rosso, Green Eight and Otg Roz. Intentional detailing like contrast stitching across the calfskin lanyard, or in the case of the Huit Blanc color, polychromatic screws, add to the general playfulness.
Eye-catching colors across the brand’s bioceramic cases is as Swatch as it gets, but AP’s presence is felt through more than just the co-branding hits on the dial and transparent sapphire casebacks. The all-new Swiss-made movement — a hand-wound version of Swatch’s fully automated SISTEM51 movement, co-developed with Audemars Piguet — is the first to be 100% assembled by automation, with a power reserve of 90 hours (the barrel drum on the caseback functions as a visual indicator) and a novel anti-magnetic balance spring.
Beyond the premium construction and octet of high-viz colors, the collection offers not one, but two distinctive models, in “Lépine” ($400) and “Savonnette” ($420) configurations. Available in six of the eight colorways — pink, white, green, lime green, navy and black — the former’s crown is notably situated at 12 o’clock, imbuing the timepiece with the classic pocket-watch look.
The Savonnette style, available in the remaining blue and pink-yellow colorways, appears more akin to what you’d imagine a wristwatch-turned-pocket-watch would look like — the crown, now at 3 o’clock, is paired with a small seconds dial, creating a rotated effect.
This release’s reception, needless to say, has been mixed. Many expectant collectors have lamented the less-than-traditional (or maybe too traditional) form factor, citing the release as a product of the recent collectables craze. Other industry insiders are more bullish. (To their credit, execs from both brands have gone on the record to suggest that this was more or less the intention.)
For what it’s worth, I think the move is a sharp swerve from both brands. Whereas a diffusion Royal Oak might have seemed like a no-brainer, a left-field release provides a playful, buzzy drop for both brands that, with its funky form, becomes an instant piece of horological history, and a fun accessory for anyone who cares enough to put the effort into acquiring one. And while online sentiment (famously hard to quantify) might seem vaguely negative, all press is ultimately good press, especially when there’s zero reputation damage to either brand.
Like other exclusive Swatch releases, the Audemars Piguet x Swatch “Royal Pop” collaboration is highly exclusive, only available at select retail Swatch stores worldwide; the collection goes on sale this Saturday, May 16, with purchases limited to one watch per person, per day. Regardless of the hate you’re currently seeing on Instagram, there’s a good chance these will be gone before you can get one, unless you happen to be in line already.
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