Audemars Piguet and Swatch have now joined the list of global launches hit by chaos and overcrowding after opening events for their much-hyped "Royal Pop" collaboration were cancelled in Mumbai and Delhi.
The launch events in India were called off on Saturday after massive crowds stormed venues at Mumbai's Palladium Mall and Delhi's DLF Avenue, with eager buyers and resellers scrambling to secure fewer than 100 units from the initial limited-edition batch.
Social media videos showed huge crowds packed inside the malls, with people pushing, breaking security barriers and creating panic-like scenes. Earlier launches in Dubai had also witnessed overcrowding and long queues, while Bengaluru saw fans surging ahead and people nearly falling over each other in attempts to buy the watches.
In a statement, Swatch India confirmed that the sales had been postponed due to safety concerns for customers and staff.
"In light of safety considerations for both our customers and our staff, the timing of our launch sale at Palladium Mall, Mumbai and DLF Avenue, Delhi has been advanced. Given the level of demand, extended queuing would not have changed the chances of securing a piece," the company stated.
One viral clip featured a visitor claiming they had been waiting since 5 am before the situation spiralled out of control. According to the visitor, several people broke through security checkpoints and behaved aggressively despite efforts by mall authorities to manage the crowd.
Another video showed a visibly frustrated staff member addressing the crowd directly, saying: "We are not animals. The store is not opening today."
The incident triggered widespread reactions online, with many social media users criticising organisers for poor crowd management and lack of preparation despite the predictable hype surrounding the release.
"In India, the best option is always an online lottery followed by a physical sale to selected buyers," one user commented, while another said the organisers should have anticipated the rush and implemented stronger security arrangements.
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Several users also claimed that many people in the queues were resellers hoping to profit from the watches rather than genuine collectors or enthusiasts.
The frenzy was not limited to India. According to reports, Swatch also shut stores across the United Kingdom, including branches in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, citing safety concerns after thousands queued outside outlets to buy the collection.
The "Royal Pop" collection has sparked a global craze among luxury watch collectors, fashion enthusiasts, Gen Z buyers and resellers, with scenes resembling sneaker drops rather than traditional luxury watch launches. Videos circulating on TikTok and Instagram showed overnight campers and serpentine queues in cities including Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, New York, Toronto and Bangkok.
In Dubai, hundreds reportedly gathered outside stores as early as 6:45 am. One customer, Rishi Navani, who queued between Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Mall, described the situation as "absolute chaos" and supported the decision to cancel the launch in the interest of public safety.
Many customers also criticised the lack of real-time communication from organisers, calling the experience disappointing and poorly coordinated.
Luxury collaborations involving Swatch have previously generated massive global demand. Earlier partnerships with Omega and Blancpain also saw overnight queues and crowded launches across multiple countries.
So far, neither Audemars Piguet nor Swatch has announced whether the "Royal Pop" launch will be rescheduled or shifted to a raffle-based or online release format.
Price in india
Available: May 16, 2026, in-store only at selected Swatch boutiques worldwide, Palladium in Mumbai
Priced at Euro 385 / INR 43215 approximately for the Lépine version
Priced at Euro 375 / INR 44897 approximately for the Savonnette version
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