Swatch × Audemars Piguet Royal Pop: the collaboration that changed everything

An unlikely and historic collaboration

When Swatch and Audemars Piguet announced their collaboration around a pocket watch named Royal Pop, the watch world wasn't expecting it. On one side, the Swiss giant of accessible, colorful watches. On the other, the Brassus manufacture, guardian of high-end craftsmanship since 1875. The meeting of these two worlds gave birth to an iconic piece, halfway between author watchmaking and pop culture.

The Royal Oak DNA, reinterpreted

The Royal Pop openly borrows the silhouette of the Royal Oak designed by Gérald Genta in 1972: octagonal case, visible screws, tapisserie dial finish. Where Swatch dares is in the choice of materials and colors. Bio-sourced plastic, saturated pop palette, unprecedented ergonomics — the Royal Pop doesn't imitate, it reinterprets.

An unprecedented format: the modern pocket watch

The big surprise of the Swatch x AP Royal Pop is its format. Neither truly a bracelet watch nor really a pendant, the Royal Pop is worn around the neck, on the belt, in the pocket — or, for many buyers, on the wrist thanks to dedicated straps. This versatility is one of the collection's driving forces.

Why the Royal Pop became cult

• Limited availability: physical-store only sales, queues, successive drops.
• Accessible price: Swatch pricing for an AP design, a rare equation in watchmaking.
• Strong visual identity: 8 signature colors that turn the watch into a fashion accessory.
• Active community: collectors, influencers and enthusiasts share their combinations online.

From pocket to wrist

This very off-label use is what inspired Pop's Straps. The Royal Pop is too beautiful to stay in a pocket. Our straps are designed to wear it daily, like a true premium wristwatch, without altering its spirit or risking damage. Discover the collection.