Back in the very same room in March 2022, I was present for the unveiling of the first MoonSwatch collection. I predicted they would break the internet and wasn’t far off. This Swatch x Audemars Piguet collab breaks new ground though, for two reasons. A) the noise is already arguably greater because of AP’s place within popular culture compared to Omega, but B) the Royal Pop is also more groundbreaking because it is potentially going to redefine how people wear watches.
“Do I think there will be queues,” jokes Hayek, “is this really a serious question? The question will be, are we facing the crazy queues from the first MoonSwatch? Are we facing 5,000 people in front of a store in Australia? It might be. I don’t know.” So far, the signs are ‘yes, it will’ as queues have already started to form outside Swatch stores in London and New York.
Hayek and Resta were on the same page when they confirmed that while there will be a limitation in terms of how long the Royal Pop will be produced, Swatch will not eternally continue to make them. “There is not a number that we are fixing and sending out to people. Perhaps eight months or 18?” says Hayek. “The only thing [they can confirm] is it’s a one off collaboration.”
This will of course make it attractive to resellers. “It’s unavoidable – they know that the product will be short. It’s very selective. It’s not online. You can only buy it in a store,” adds Hayek.
It is also novel and exciting, and very much aimed at the Gen Zs who are keen to get into watchmaking. It’s inscribed in this philosophy I have that watchmaking is not only the product, but it’s also the culture around it so it’s very important to be a bit audacious and ambitious and go after the next generations,” says Resta. “The idea of this lanyard is smart because it’s a very premium way to attach it around your neck or to a bag. I really see many more expressions as we will not be able to tell people how to use it. We want people to tell us how to use it so we want people to play with it.”
The making of the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop
Resta’s first ever watch was a Swatch at 13 years old after doing well in her exams. Fast forward to now, two and half years after taking over at AP, and Resta’s vision for an AP x Swatch has been realised.
“Compared to a lot of people from the traditional watch industry, Ilaria’s mind is open. She’s not blocked by ‘you cannot do this’. That was really cool,” says Hayek on working together. “And I give her credit for the pocket watch – that came from her. Immediately I said, You’re right. Swatch has the Pop watch, this is perfect, so the name Royal Pop was easy. We were both in agreement that there would be no wristwatch.”
For the history fans out there, Swatch’s Pop has been around since the ’80s and AP’s Royal Oak debuted in 1972, so now feels like as good a time as ever to pool together the genes of these icons.
“The way we worked with Nick has been very informal and very creative,” says Resta. “We are two people that like to think outside of the box and not be constrained by fear or judgment. We do what we believe is right.”
Both Swatch and Audemars Piguet share a similar mission to keep evolving the watch industry, which is why this partnership could be so fruitful for both brands. “We wanted to donate AP’s entire proceeds to initiatives supporting the preservation and transmission of watchmaking savoir-faire, with a focus on rare skills,” says Resta. “This is something that is endangered and this is a way where pop culture can support high end watchmaking. We don’t see this as a commercial activity; rather we leverage the scale of Swatch to reach more younger people. Audemars Piguet is exclusive when it comes to the number of watches we can produce because we preserve our philosophy of handmade finishings and complications. But at the same time, we don’t want to exclude people. That’s where Swatch came in.”
