See the New Audemars Piguet and Swatch Royal Pop Watch Collection
The collection will be available at select stores beginning May 16
On Tuesday, Audemars Piguet and Swatch revealed what the highly anticipated Royal Pop watch collection will look like ahead of its May 16 debut. While social media was abuzz about what the watch could look like, Swatch had dropped a major hint in a video released during Watches and Wonders that featured five bold-colored lanyards. Swatch continued to leave breadcrumbs about the release on Instagram, confirming the collection, the name, and the release date while careful to conceal what the models would look like.
“This partnership is more than a tribute, it is a disruptive collaboration between two icons of Swiss watchmaking,” the watchmakers said in a statement. “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.”
The collection offers a playful approach to timekeeping rather than a traditional bracelet. The lanyard is meant to inspire wearers to “break” free from the wrist, opting instead to wear it around the neck, place it in a pocket, attach it to a handbag, and more. “There are no limits, with three lanyard lengths to choose from and a small removable stand that lets you turn it into a desk watch,” the respective brands said.
The watch will be available in eight colorways, powered by Swatch’s SISTEM51 movement, which had been teased in one of the brand’s videos. The movement is partially visible through the transparent caseback, each with its own colorway. Sales begin May 16 at select Swatch stores.
