Brawls, Pepper Spray, and Store Closures: Inside the Madness of Royal Pop Release Day
The release of the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop watch led to chaotic scenes at stores worldwide. Many customers camped out for days only to leave empty-handed as stores sold out or closed due to unruly crowds. Resellers capitalized on the demand, with some making significant profits from their purchases.
- ▪At least 16 Swatch stores around the world faced chaos, leading to closures without any sales.
- ▪Some customers camped out for nearly two days, hoping to buy the limited-edition watch.
- ▪Resellers reported making substantial profits, with some watches being flipped for several times their retail price.
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WatchesBrawls, Pepper Spray, and Store Closures: Inside the Madness of Royal Pop Release DaySwatch and Audemars Piguet’s mega-hyped collaboration set off a chain reaction of chaos outside shops around the globe. “It’s capitalism at its worst,” said one reseller in Los Angeles.By Cam WolfMay 19, 2026Save StorySave this storySave StorySave this storyAt around 10:20 a.m. on Saturday, at Westfield Topanga mall in Greater Los Angeles, the manager of the Swatch store stepped out to address the crowd of hundreds that had gathered outside the door.
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