The watch world is split over Audemars Piguet’s Swatch collab: It’s like a ‘Ferrari Civic’

• Audemars Piguet and Swatch teased a new watch collaboration called Royal Pop on Saturday.
• The watch world has erupted with opinions about a luxury brand pairing up with an entry-level label.
• Some collectors criticized the partnership, fearing it may devalue Audemars Piguet’s luxury status.

Watch collectors’ worlds have collided.

Audemars Piguet and Swatch teased a new partnership on Saturday that has watch collectors fired up: some are excited, others have questions, and some really aren’t happy about it.

The two Swiss brands said they’re planning a “disruptive” drop, dubbed Royal Pop, that promises a “new way to wear time” and is geared toward future generations.

Some watch enthusiasts vowed to get their hands on the product, despite not knowing whether it would be a wristwatch or another type of timepiece. One TikTok user posted a video of people camping outside a UK shopping center days before the May 16 release.

“There is unprecedented hype right now, and the public is genuinely obsessed,” WatchGuys CEO Robertino Altieri told Business Insider. “I have not seen this level of cultural interest in a watch release in years.”

Some Audemars Piguet collectors aren’t impressed by the partnership, however. Naysayers on social media have said the collaboration cheapens the luxury brand, which typically sells for more than $20,000 compared to the $65 starting price of a Swatch. Some of those critics have threatened to sell their Audemars Piguet watches before the Swatch release.

Darryl Granberry, a social media personality known as DDG, was among the dissenting voices. He ranted online about the collaboration, including his frustration that his $200,000 watch could look similar to one in the Swatch collection that costs a lot less.

He compared it to buying a Ferrari and finding out there’s a “Ferrari Civic for $30k,” he said in an X post on Sunday.

Others trolled the launch with memes about the newfound accessibility of Audemars Piguet. One joked that Audemars Piguet was partnering with McDonald’s on a limited-edition chicken nugget.

“People who have spent six figures on AP feel like the silhouette is being cheapened, and they are the loudest critics online,” Altieri said.

People are also speculating on the price point, which the companies have not yet revealed. The companies are at opposite ends of the pricing spectrum, which leaves a wide range of options for the Royal Pop drop.

Swatch Group and Audemars Piguet didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

For some, though, the Swatch crossover could be the closest they’ll get to owning an Audemars Piguet.

So far, no official images of the collaboration have been released, but that hasn’t stopped the watch world from circulating its own concept photos of colorful wristwatches and pocket watches attached to lanyards.

If the two brands decide to take a “bigger swing” and release a design that visually resembles Audemars Piguet’s popular Royal Oak model, as some of the concept images have depicted, Altieri expects it to resell for at least $5,000.

“That is the version that breaks the internet,” Altieri said.