Swatch VivoCity outlet closes as crowd rushes to buy AP Royal Pop collab watches

Swatch closes VivoCity outlet after overwhelming crowd rushes to buy Audemars Piguet ‘Royal Pop’ watches

A huge crowd descended upon VivoCity on Saturday (16 May) following the launch of the highly anticipated Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop collection.

Videos circulating on social media showed people rushing into HarbourFront MRT station the moment train station gantries opened.

A large congregation was also seen inside VivoCity near the Swatch outlet.

Swatch VivoCity outlet closes due to ‘overwhelming crowd’

At around 6am, Swatch Singapore posted an Instagram Story announcing the closure of its VivoCity outlet for the rest of the day.

“Due to the overwhelming crowd today, we will unfortunately need to close our VivoCity location for the rest of the day,” the company wrote.

Swatch added that the decision was made “together with the local authorities” to ensure the safety of both staff and customers.

The brand also reminded customers that the Royal Pop collection is “not a limited edition release” and hinted at future restocks.

However, no confirmed dates were given.

Long queues formed overnight at Ion Orchard and MBS

Long queues were also seen outside Swatch stores at ION Orchard and Marina Bay Sands.

According to CNA, crowds had already started forming outside the Ion Orchard outlet from around 4pm on Friday (15 May).

Security officers and police were reportedly deployed to manage the crowd and clear gathering areas.

By about 11.15am on Saturday, all available stock at the ION outlet had reportedly sold out in under two hours.

A similar situation unfolded at Marina Bay Sands, where customers queued in an organised line before the watches sold out quickly for the day.

Royal Pop collection revives Swatch collaboration frenzy

The latest launch marks another major collaboration for Swatch following the global frenzy surrounding the Omega MoonSwatch release in 2022.

The watchmaker also collaborated with Blancpain in 2023 for the Fifty Fathoms collection.

This time, however, the collaboration is not a traditional wristwatch.

The Royal Pop collection features eight pocket watch models inspired by Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak design and Swatch’s 1980s Pop watches.

The pieces, which feature 40mm Bioceramic cases and a hand-wound Sistem51 movement with a 90-hour power reserve, can be worn around the neck using calfskin lanyards, clipped onto bags or carried in pockets.

Listings already appearing on Carousell

Although the Royal Pop collection is not limited edition, purchases are restricted to one watch per person each day.

The collection retails from S$535 to S$570.

Listings for it have also already started appearing on Carousell.

Some sellers are even asking for prices in the thousands, with one listing reportedly pricing the watch at S$10,000, CNA reported.

Checks by MS News showed that the prices on Carousell ranged from S$800 to S$1,500, more than two times of the original price.

Also read: Long Queues At MBS & ION Orchard For Omega-Swatch Collab, Police Officers Deployed