Everyone is going gaga for this disruptive co-creation between two icons of the watch industry.
Much like the Pop Art movement, which playfully blurred the boundaries between high and low culture, the resulting eight chromatic, 1980s-themed pocket watches are a bold expression of the prestigious Gérald Genta-designed AP Royal Oak of 1972.
Following the success of the MoonSwatch (Omega) and ScubaFiftyFathoms (Blancpain) releases, this marks the first Swatch collaboration with a luxury watch brand outside the Swatch Group stable.
Open days at Watches & Wonders are a useful indicator of brand positioning in the eyes of the public, and judging by the extraordinary queues outside its booth this year, AP is certainly placed among the very top tier.
The hype and high demand generated by the Audemars Piguet x Swatch release last week only reaffirm this remarkable cult status. Swatch even posted an alert on its website in an attempt to curb further hysteria and unruly queues at select stores worldwide — South Africa, our turn is coming.
Key features: The number eight is significant to the collection, representing key aesthetic elements of the familiar Royal Oak, including its octagonal case and eight hexagonal bezel screws. Each watch features a 40mm satin-finished Bioceramic case and bezel — measuring 44.2mm when placed inside the octagonal outer holder — and is offered in two versions.
The two-hand, Lépine-style pocket watch layout places the winding crown at 12 o’clock and is available in six colour ways: Otto Rosso (pink/red), Huit Blanc (white/rainbow), Green Eight (shades of green), Blaue Acht (light blue/lime green), Ocho Negro (black/white), and Orenji Hachi (navy with orange highlights). The Savonnette-style OTG Roz (pink/yellow/teal) and Lan Ba (shades of blue) models feature a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock and a winding crown at 3 o’clock.
Each Bioceramic dial is embossed with the characteristic waffle-like “Petite Tapisserie” pattern synonymous with the Royal Oak. Royal Oak-style hour markers and hands are coated with Super-LumiNova. The collection is presented on a calfskin lanyard (available in three lengths) with contrast stitching, which can be attached to a belt loop, worn around the neck, or transformed into a bag charm for your sac Express.
Playful is the operative word for the Royal Pop collection: a removable stand converts each piece into a desk clock, while interchangeable holders and lanyards available for purchase mean the styling possibilities are nearly endless. While there is no integrated bracelet on the Royal Pop, I’m sure the socials will be abuzz with creative ways to wear these on the wrist. Sapphire crystal features both front and back, while the Royal Pop logo is pad-printed on the caseback. Each watch is water resistant to 20m.
Inside: The collection is powered by a brand-new, hand-wound version of the Swatch SISTEM51 mechanical movement, elements of which are partially visible through the transparent caseback: most notably the patented barrel drum (the power reserve). When grey, the barrel chambers expose the coils of the mainspring, indicating that the watch requires winding; when the chambers are gold, the mainspring is fully wound and no longer visible. The movement offers a 90-hour power reserve and features a Nivachron antimagnetic balance spring (developed by Swatch Group and AP), also found in select AP watches.
