Swatch boss defends chaotic watch launch after safety fears
Swatch's CEO defended the launch of the Royal Pop pocket watch amid safety concerns due to overwhelming crowds. Nick Hayek Jr. emphasized that the company had communicated the ongoing availability of the watch and viewed the initial demand positively. Despite some chaotic scenes, he described the launch as 'extraordinary' and acknowledged the cooperation of authorities in managing the situation.
- ▪Swatch's Royal Pop pocket watch launch attracted huge crowds, leading to store closures for safety reasons.
- ▪CEO Nick Hayek Jr. stated that the company had communicated the ongoing availability of the watch.
- ▪Police were called to manage crowds at various locations, including Cardiff and Manchester.
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NewsUKHome NewsSwatch boss defends chaotic watch launch after safety fearsMr Hayek ultimately described the launch as ‘extraordinary’Josie Clarke Tuesday 19 May 2026 15:55 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2979564","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/swatch-royal-pop-up-boss-defends-chaos-b2979564.html","title":"Swatch boss defends chaotic watch launch after safety fears"}}Swatch stores closed as huge crowds gather to buy limited edition watchYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom…
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