SWATCH GR.ADR 1/20/SF2,25

The joint Royal Pop from Swatch and Audemars Piguet is sold out in boutiques and fetches around €1,440 on average on the secondary market, peaking at up to €2,500. Retail prices were between €385 and €400; the white “Huit Blanc” model is currently commanding the highest premiums. Experts expect many buyers to resell quickly for a profit, but consider the long‑term investment value uncertain and see limited impact on the overall market. According to Chrono24, demand for the genuine Royal Oak has already increased by about 40%. » More on handelsblatt.com

Swatch is bringing the Royal Pop, a mechanical hand‑wound ceramic model developed in collaboration with Audemars Piguet, to market for around €400, adopting design codes from the Royal Oak. The launch led to massive queues, chaotic scenes outside stores and strong demand on the secondary market, where individual pieces are trading for thousands of euros. For Swatch the collaboration is a major PR success and creates artificial scarcity, while the broader watch and luxury market remains volatile and challenging for the group. » More on deraktionaer.de

The launch of limited-edition Royal Pop watches, produced in collaboration with Audemars Piguet, provoked huge queues, violent scuffles and safety-related store closures across Europe and New York. French police used teargas to disperse a 300-strong crowd near Paris, while fights and pushing were reported in Milan and Times Square. Swatch shut multiple stores in the UK, the Netherlands and elsewhere for safety, and many buyers and resellers paid large premiums on the secondary market. » More on theguardian.com