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Swatch Shuts Stores In Multiple Cities As Audemars Piguet Collaboration Draws Unsafe Crowds

The company says the collection is not limited to calm the rush.

Overview

  • Large crowds for Saturday's Royal Pop pocket‑watch release led Swatch U.S. to close at least 19 stores for safety and prompted shutdowns across London, including all city locations.
  • Police intervened at several sites, with Nassau County officers using pepper spray at Roosevelt Field after a crowd surged outside the Swatch store.
  • In Troy, Michigan, the Somerset Collection store canceled its launch and three people were arrested after refusing to leave, according to police.
  • Swatch told customers the Audemars Piguet collaboration is not a limited edition and said sales will continue for months, with some countries capping queues at 50 people.
  • Resellers filled lines and quickly listed watches at several times the roughly $400 retail price, fueling frustration for buyers who waited overnight.