Swatch Shuts UK Stores After Royal Pop Watch Launch Triggers Dangerous Crowds

Swatch shuttered stores across multiple UK cities on Saturday after hundreds of shoppers flooded branches to buy the brand’s new Royal Pop pocket watch, BBC Business reported.

The Swiss watchmaker cited staff and customer safety as the reason for closing locations in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield. One arrest was made in Cardiff after roughly 300 people attempted to enter a shopping centre before opening time.

Frenzy Over a £335 Watch

The Royal Pop collection is a joint project between mass-market icon Swatch and prestige Swiss house Audemars Piguet. Eight models in the range start at £335, a price point deliberately accessible compared to a standard Audemars Piguet timepiece.

That affordability, combined with strictly limited stock, ignited a speculative frenzy. The watches began appearing on resale platforms for as much as £16,000 within hours of the launch, underlining the gap between retail price and perceived collectible value.

Swatch issued a public statement urging buyers not to rush its stores in large numbers. The company also confirmed the collection would remain on sale for several months, pushing back against the perception of extreme scarcity.

Background: Cross-Brand Collaborations Drive Retail Chaos

This is not the first time a high-profile watchmaker partnership has overwhelmed retail infrastructure. Swatch’s 2022 collaboration with Omega on the MoonSwatch generated similarly chaotic scenes globally, with stores mobbed and secondary market prices surging to multiples of the £210 retail price within days.

The Royal Pop draws design cues from two distinct eras. Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, first released in 1972, is among the most imitated silhouettes in watchmaking. Swatch’s POP line from the 1980s helped democratise watch ownership during a period when the Swiss industry was fighting off Japanese competition.

Global Scenes Mirror UK Disruption

The UK was not alone. In New York, enthusiasts reportedly camped outside a Swatch store for a full week ahead of the launch, with some reportedly falling ill during the wait. Swatch also cancelled a launch event at Dubai Mall following an unexpectedly large turnout.

Merseyside Police confirmed officers were called to the Liverpool One retail area on Saturday morning after reports of aggressive behaviour and threats from a group outside the Paradise Street store. The crowd dispersed without further incident.

Swatch has not yet confirmed when its UK branches will reopen or how remaining stock will be distributed.

Read Next: What the MoonSwatch Mania Tells Us About Hype-Driven Consumer Markets