It’s Official: Swatch Confirms Its Next MoonSwatch Successor with the Maker of the Royal Oak

It’s official. Swatch and Audemars Piguet have collaborated on a new watch called the “Royal Pop,” set to release Saturday, May 16.

The brands shared the news on social media, following intense speculation earlier this week.

While the scope of the release remains vague for now, Swatch has already dropped a few clues that suggest a radically different timepiece to anything we’ve seen yet.

Swatch

For starters, it probably won’t be a wristwatch like the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch or Scuba Fifty Fathoms made in collaboration with Blancpain.

Ben Bowers for Gear Patrol

Reading the room

In April, Swatch rolled out a cryptic advertisement during Watches and Wonders that pictured eight lanyards in different colors.

The caption on the most recent video also reads, “Two Swiss icons come together to reimagine a completely new way to wear time.”

Taken together, it seems likely that Swatch and Audemars Piguet are looking to distinguish the Royal Pop from not just the MoonSwatch but the Royal Oak.

Also, given the name, it’s possible wearers will be able to pop it off and place it on a keychain, like Swatch’s existing Pop Swatch line.

Audemars Piguet

Though the news might disappoint fans of the Royal Oak who were hoping for an attainable version of the legendary sports watch, the caption does offer some consolation:

Unlike the MoonSwatch, which is powered by a battery, the Royal Pop will use a mechanical movement in an effort to “bring future generations to the world of mechanical watches,” the caption reads.

Availability and pricing

Clearly, Swatch and Audemars Piguet still have a few more details to iron out ahead of the release, currently scheduled for Saturday, May 16.

Then again, specifics like price, size, colors and materials almost feel secondary here.

The Royal Pop is all but guaranteed to sell out, with excitement around the collaboration already reaching a fever pitch online. Some influencers have even joked about camping outside stores a week before its release.

Zen Love for Gear Patrol

The bigger question is what happens after. The MoonSwatch reportedly sold a million units in its first year; however, countless variations have effectively made the watch a moot point.

With the Royal Pop, Swatch and Audemars Piguet are about to find out if hype can become heritage … or whether collaborations in the watch world inevitably fade with time.

A list of official Swatch stores can be found on the brand’s website.

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