Swatch and Audemars Piguet Unveil Royal Pop Collaboration

Source: monochrome-watches.com

Inspired by Vintage Pocket Watches and Swatch POP

From the Audemars Piguet side, inspiration came from the rare Royal Oak pocket watch reference 5961 produced during the early 1980s.

Swatch, meanwhile, drew ideas from its Swatch POP series launched during the early 1990s. Those watches featured small round cases fitted with clips or pins that allowed them to be attached to clothing, bags or bracelets.

The new Royal Pop follows a similar concept. The watch can be worn around the neck, carried in a pocket, attached to a handbag or displayed as a desk clock. Unlike MoonSwatch and Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms models, the Royal Pop is not designed to be worn on the wrist.

Accessories, Sapphire Crystals and Modular Design

The watch transforms into a pocket watch using a calfskin leather strap, while additional Bioceramic holders and straps in different colours and lengths are available separately.

A removable stand can also be attached to convert the watch into a desk clock while protecting the dial when closed.

Unlike previous Swatch collaborations such as MoonSwatch and Scuba Fifty Fathoms, the Royal Pop uses sapphire crystals on both sides of the case.

Royal Oak Styling in Bioceramic

The Royal Pop case is produced in Bioceramic and measures 40 mm in diameter with a thickness of 8.4 mm excluding the holder. When inserted into its holder, overall dimensions increase to 44.2 mm by 53.2 mm.

The design follows familiar Royal Oak details including the octagonal bezel, vertical satin-brushed finishing and eight visible screws. One of the eight versions features multicoloured screws arranged randomly on each individual watch.

The dial incorporates the signature Petite Tapisserie pattern together with Royal Oak-inspired hands and hour markers coated with Grade A Super-LumiNova.

Manual-Wind Sistem51 Movement

Like the Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms collection, the Royal Pop is powered by the Sistem51 movement. In this case, however, the calibre has been adapted for manual winding for the first time.

The movement uses a regulator-free escapement adjusted at the factory using laser technology. Accuracy is rated at between -5 and +15 seconds per day.

The watch also offers a 90-hour power reserve together with an anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring.

Part of the movement remains visible through the caseback, where the calibre is decorated with colourful pop-art graphics recalling the work of Roy Lichtenstein.

An additional detail appears on the openworked barrel, where circular openings reveal the mainspring coils. Changes in the distance between the coils effectively create a natural power reserve indicator. When the openings appear grey, the coils remain visible and the watch requires winding. When the openings appear gold, the mainspring is fully tensioned.

Eight Versions with Different Colour Combinations

The Royal Pop collection consists of eight versions. Six display only hours and minutes and feature a crown positioned at 12 o’clock. The remaining two models place the crown at 3 o’clock and add a small seconds display.

The number eight references the octagonal bezel of the Royal Oak. Each version also features its own colour combination and multilingual name, including Otto Rosso, Huit Blanc, Green Eight, Blaue Acht, Orenji Hachi, Lan Ba, Ocho Negro and Otg Roz.

Availability and Pricing

Royal Pop watches are available through selected Swatch boutiques, while accessories may also be purchased online.

Approximate pricing is set at CHF 350, EUR 385 or USD 400 for the hours-and-minutes versions, while models featuring hours, minutes and small seconds are priced at CHF 375, EUR 400 or USD 420.

According to the brands, Audemars Piguet will direct 100% of proceeds from sales of the Royal Pop towards initiatives focused on preserving and transmitting traditional watchmaking skills, particularly rare artisanal techniques.