Swatch Unveils Their Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Collab

On May 6, 2026, Swatch’s Instagram account teased a release of an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak collab going on sale May 16. People began camping outside Swatch stores days before, and opening day was a chaotic mess. Here’s what we know about the most hyped lanyard-watch of all time, the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop.

Where to Buy the Royal Pop?

In the US, Swatch boutiques in 20 cities were set to begin selling the Royal Pop on May 16: Honolulu, Aventura, Denver, Austin, Las Vegas, Nashville, Tampa, Atlanta, Miami Beach, Orlando, Dallas, Oak Brook, Garden City, New York, Troy, Charlotte, Houston, King of Prussia, Canoga Park, and Santa Clara. Several locations couldn’t open because the mob outside the door was just too crazy. Videos of police macing crowds outside a Swatch boutique in New York City have been circulating the web, and similar scenes took place all over the world. Swatch had to remind everyone that the watches will be made for “several months” and are “not limited editions.”

How Many Colors?

There are 8 colorways of the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop announced so far:

The two models with small seconds hands have 3 o’clock crown configurations and a list price of $420, while the rest (which are only two-hand models) have 12 o’clock crowns and $400 price tags. All of them are manual-wind with display backs so you can see the (non-serviceable) mechanical movement inside. And, a bit surprisingly, they all have sapphire crystals.

Swatch Collabs in Context

Swatch’s Omega Speedmaster-like Moonswatch–their first collaboration with an upscale watchmaker–was a smash hit when it debuted in 2022, and it has remained popular. As a chronically underrated luxury watch brand, we thought Blancpain’s following collab with Swatch in 2023 could help save them, and I would call it a success–although not as big of a sensation as the Moonswatch.

Naturally, some question if collabs like this “devalue” the image of the luxury brand involved, but I think the market has been able to differentiate the Swatch products from the “real deal” while appreciating both.

Will the Swatch x AP Royal Oak Collab Help AP?

Well, it’s worth noting that since the Moonswatch launch, Omega has continued to slide from its #2 spot in the list of top luxury watch brands down to #5, so the Moonswatch hasn’t exactly turned things around for Omega. But it’s definitely a sales leader for Swatch, and it seemed to spur some interest in the Speedmaster.

Some watch geeks are already calling Swatch’s Royal Oak-inspired Royal Pop the “Royal Broke,” but I doubt that will stop many people from buying one.

Is the Swatch x AP Royal Oak a Wristwatch?

The Swatch x AP Royal Pop is not a wristwatch; it’s officially called a “pocket watch” and it comes on a lanyard with, basically, a thin plastic outline that the watch head “pops” into.

With Hublot’s recent Daniel Arsham pendant, a Nautilus pocket watch among the 2026 Patek Philippe releases, and Irina Shayk basically wearing a Cartier Santos as a bra (among other watches at the 2026 Met Gala), it seems there’s a bit of a trend towards non-wrist watches.

I have some doubt that the hype from this Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Oak collab will be long-lasting, as selling non-wristwatches is always an uphill battle in my opinion. But it’s the first time Swatch has collaborated with a luxury brand they didn’t own, so it’s still a significant release. And I’m sure there will be aftermarket bracelets for the Royal Pop heads in no time.