Not since Hobbs & Shaw teamed up has there been this kind of buzz about an unlikely pairing. A new pocket watch from Swatch and Audemars Piguet (you decide which one is The Rock) is out today after a week of anticipation that included long lines and hype created by AI photos.
The collection is called Royal Pop, which sounds like a game you will never download despite the 40-second ads for it everywhere. It can be worn around the neck like a pendant, comes in eight bright color combinations, and Audemars Piguet hopes that, at ~$400 apiece, the luxury watchmaker can reach a broader, younger audience.
Swatch needs a hit, too: The company saw a 6.75% drop in sales and a 55.6% decline in operating profit in 2025, which is why an activist shareholder is applying pressure.
Twisted-wristers: Buzz and endless lines outside stores were created when pictures of wristwatches “leaked,” but turned out to be fake AI images. The real pocket watches were a disappointment to some, although one expert said they could be worth as much as $2,500 on the resale market.
But…vendors in Singapore and China are already working on manufacturing wrist straps that can house the timepiece and will be ready within weeks of today’s release.—DL
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