Swatch was forced to shut multiple retail stores worldwide on Saturday after overwhelming crowds caused chaotic safety hazards during the launch of its new “Royal Pop” pocket watch collection, a highly anticipated collaboration with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet.
Thousands of eager shoppers and resellers camped out for days in major global hubs including London, New York, Singapore, Mumbai and Dubai.
Because the £335 timepiece is exclusively available in-person, local crowds quickly swelled into aggressive mobs, triggering emergency shutdowns.
In Dubai, officials cancelled the release entirely. A Swatch statement explained:
“In view of public safety considerations, we have decided not to proceed with the sale of the product at Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates and the event has been cancelled.”
Similar closure occurred across the UK. In Liverpool, police were dispatched to disperse a rowdy crowd.
Frustrated by the extreme lack of order, one customer in Mumbai expressed the exhaustion shared by many, stating, “We are not animals; the store is not opening today.”
Swatch confirmed that shutting the stores was a necessary, collective decision made alongside local authorities to fully protect both staff and customers.
