Official Look at the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop

If you have been online in any capacity over the last few days, you’re bound to have seen discussion around the upcoming Audemars Piguet x Swatch collaboration. We’re used to high-end brands collaborating with those lower on the totem pole in sneakers, like Nike and Louis Vuitton, but in the watch world it’s not as common. Swatch has worked with more “prestige” brands in the past, but the Audemars Piguet project that was officially teased over the weekend has purists up in arms and everyone talking about finally flexing an AP on their wrist.

Well… that might not be the case as the first look at the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop collab shows something many didn’t expect.

In the video posted by Swatch, we can see the creation process of the AP x Swatch Royal Pop. The rounded-edge rectangular watch face is stamped with AP and Swatch logos near the 12-hand, with more co-branding found on the crown and “Royal Pop” logos on the reverse, which shows the gearing inside the design.

However, the timepiece isn’t attached to a band used for wrist watches. Instead, the AP Swatch Royal Pop is “popped” into an outer band that can be attached to a keychain. Basically, it’s a pocket watch. A bit of a let-down if you ask us, and the sentiment online seems to be the same.

Across the 30-or-so-second advert, multiple colorways of the AP Swatch Royal Pop are shown, including bright pop-art-style colors of bright red, blue, and a two-tone yellow and pink that looks almost like a BBC Ice Cream Boardflip. There were also a few subtle options, like a black and white rendition and a white version with pops of multi-color detail on the face itself.

In total, there are eight different pocket watches as part of the collab. Inside the Royal pop is an updated version of Swatch's signature SISTEM51 movement, reimagined as a hand-wound caliber. Two styles will be offered, Lépine and Savonnette. The Savonnette is only offered in two colors, the pink/blue/yellow and the two-tone blue.

The AP x Swatch Royal Pop will be released on May 16, 2026 via Swatch locations worldwide. Retail is set at $400 for the Lépine and $420 for the Savonnette. Check below for a first look at the AP x Swatch Royal Pop, a list of storefronts carrying the release, and for updates in real-time on this AP Swatch collab and more, download the Sole Retriever mobile app for updates in real-time.

Where to Buy the AP x Swatch Collab

Nicholas Vlahos

Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy watching films and discovering music. Follow me on Letterboxd @nickvlah For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com