Long lines stretching across several blocks have formed in Hong Kong as shoppers turned up days ahead of the launch of the “Royal Pop” pocket watches – a collaboration between luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet and Swatch.
A South China Morning Post reporter observed about 50 people queuing in Causeway Bay on Thursday evening, a few metres from the Swatch store on Kai Chiu Road.
“If you don’t try, you don’t win,” said one hopeful, who only gave his name as Jackson. “How many opportunities do you have in your lifetime to get an AP [Audemars Piguet]?”
The “Royal Pop” collection – pocket-style ceramic watches available in eight colours – is set to go on sale on Saturday and has generated strong online buzz since the collaboration was announced.
Part of the appeal is the chance of owning an Audemars Piguet-branded product at a fraction of the price of the Swiss watchmaker’s traditional Royal Oak timepieces, which can cost hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars and are often difficult to obtain even for buyers who can afford them.
By contrast, the Swatch collaboration is priced at between HK$2,940 (US$375) and HK$3,150 in Hong Kong, depending on the model, according to the brand’s website.
The watches are inspired by both the classic Royal Oak design and Swatch’s vintage “Pop Swatch” concept from the 1980s.
The collection includes both Lepine-style – where the crown is at 12 o’clock – and Savonnette-style – with a 3 o’clock crown and a small second at 6 o’clock – with details such as octagonal bezels referencing the Royal Oak aesthetic.
But the atmosphere outside the store suggested many in the queue were eyeing resale opportunities rather than horology, with listings already flooding platforms such as Carousell. Asking prices exceeded HK$10,000.
Several people interviewed by the SCMP said they planned to buy multiple watches, despite an official limit of one per customer per designated store each day.
A man surnamed Khan said he planned to purchase “five or six”.
After speaking to Jackson, the SCMP later observed him walking towards a group near the back of the queue and asking in Cantonese: “Who are you with?”, suggesting some people in line may have been coordinating in groups.
Jackson had earlier said he hoped to buy the orange version because it would match his iPhone 17, despite no such model in the announced line-up.
The watches will be sold at six Hong Kong stores, including branches in Causeway Bay, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui. The watches will not be available online, and there has been no indication they are limited editions.
Long lines were also observed outside the Swatch stores at Langham Place and on Canton Road outside Ocean Centre.
Swatch collaborations with luxury Swiss watchmakers have previously triggered frenzied scenes globally, including overnight queues and strong resale activity following launches with Omega and Blancpain. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
