The launch quickly descended into chaotic scenes in several locations with reports of packed stores, overnight queues, and even fights.
LONG queues formed outside Swatch stores worldwide as shoppers rushed to get their hands on the highly anticipated “Royal Pop” collection — a collaboration between Swiss watchmaker Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet.
The launch quickly descended into chaotic scenes in several locations with reports of packed stores, overnight queues, and even fights.
In Malaysia, tensions were reportedly high at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, where a scuffle allegedly broke out as crowds surged into the store in a bid to secure the limited-release timepieces.
In Singapore, Swatch’s VivoCity outlet was forced to close for the day due to the overwhelming crowd. In an Instagram Story, the company confirmed the shutdown, saying it was a “collective decision made together with local authorities” to ensure the safety of both customers and staff.
In Bangkok, shoppers also reported long queues forming outside Swatch boutiques ahead of the launch, with footage circulating online showing large crowds gathering early and stores implementing crowd-control measures to manage the demand.
Elsewhere, similar scenes were widely reported across major cities in Europe, including London, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, where shoppers queued for hours and in some cases overnight outside flagship stores.
Social media reaction has been divided, with many expressing disbelief at the level of chaos over the release.
“Oh my gosh i don’t understand why people are pushing each other over this Swatch collab? I used to love love love Swatch a lot back in the 80s. It was the must have IT thing. But today? My gosh. i was shocked to see this,” wrote user anabelle_co.
Others criticised the resale culture surrounding the drop.
“I don’t have the AP x Swatch watch collab. I hate the hype culture around it. Now seeing people charging RM600-RM900 for ‘personal shopper’ fees per watch. Really ruins an otherwise cool thing,” said user faiznur_87.