Pocket watch chaos comes to California as long lines and frustration over take viral collab
A viral collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet has led to chaos in California as long lines form outside stores. Many shoppers are eager to purchase the pocket watches, which are being resold for significantly higher prices. The overwhelming demand has resulted in store closures across multiple cities due to safety concerns.
- ▪Hundreds of shoppers lined up outside the Topanga Westfield mall in LA for the release of the 'Royal Pop' pocket watch collaboration.
- ▪The limited supply of watches led to the Los Angeles Police Department turning away over a hundred people waiting outside the mall.
- ▪Resellers are listing the pocket watches on E-bay for prices ranging from $2,000 to $4,000, significantly higher than the retail price of around $400.
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Metro Pocket watch chaos comes to California as long lines and frustration over take viral collab By Katie Jerkovich Published May 16, 2026, 7:41 p.m. ET Chaos has erupted over a viral watch collab forcing the closure of stores in Los Angeles and across the country as watch enthusiasts and resellers wait hours to get their hands on the items in hopes of scoring big bucks. Hundreds of shoppers lined up outside the Topanga Westfield mall in LA starting on Friday night in hopes of getting a pocket watch, the latest “Royal Pop” collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet. It looks like something right of the 80s, with the bright colors that merge “Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak with Swatch’s vibrant POP line,” per the company.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at California Post.
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