The watch giant Swatch has been forced to close stores across the globe after huge crowds attempted to rush security guards to get their hands on limited edition £335 pocket watches.
Global Frenzy Over 'Royal Pop' Timepiece
From London to New York, hundreds of people waited through the night, if not for several days, outside Swatch stores to get their hands on the 'Royal Pop' timepieces, made in collaboration with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet. However, those looking to get their hands on the timepiece were left disappointed and empty-handed when Swatch closed many of their stores as staff struggled to grapple with the high demand.
Chaos in London
In London's Battersea Power Station, customers described the atmosphere as 'tense' when they were told they would not be getting their hands on a watch today. Chaotic scenes at the southwest London shopping centre, shared on Instagram, showed police officers accompanied by police dogs holding back a massive crowd of people waiting to get into the store. Customers at many stores across the capital were greeted with loudspeakers announcing the stores would not be opening. One video shared on X, formerly Twitter, appears to show a large crowd forcing their way past security outside the store just before 8am today.
MyLondon said another post showed queues outside the Swatch store at Westfield where an announcement can be heard to those waiting: 'Unfortunately the Swatch store will remain closed for the entire day. This is 100 per cent confirmed. Could you please leave by the nearest exit. Thank you.' Swatch later announced that all stores in London as well as those in Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield and Glasgow would not open today.
International Incidents
Meanwhile, Manchester's Trafford Centre saw similar scenes to those in London where crowds of prospective buyers reportedly rushed inside. A spokesperson for the Trafford Centre told the Manchester Evening News that the store would remain shut throughout the day with bosses remaining in 'close contact' with the brand. In Paris, French police fired tear gas on a crowd of over 300 people to restore order. A metal shutter and two security gates were damaged in the incident, and police said the stores had underestimated the need for security. Things also turned ugly in Milan, where a fight broke out in front of a Swatch store at opening time on Saturday, according to footage broadcast by local media.
Across the pond in New York, the opening of the Swatch store in Times Square was met with 'pushing and shoving' in the waiting crowd. John McIntosh, who had been in line since Wednesday described the scenes as like a 'mosh pit'. The 44-year-old said: 'People who got here last night have gone to the front, people who cut this morning, whoever cheats and pushes the hardest gets to front.' Like many others, Mr McIntosh hoped to get his hands on the brightly coloured watch to resell it immediately at a huge mark-up.
Resale Market Soars
The watch is already being pre-sold on websites such as eBay for quadruple the retail price. Another buyer, who gave his name as Mac, said he had managed to get his hands on one after five days of queuing. 'It was pretty hectic... it's nasty, but I was able to get in. Retail for them is about $400, I sold one just now for $4000.' Dressed in a grey suit and shades, Benny, 30, decided to pay rather than wait, shelling out $2,400 for one of the watches. 'It's basically $2,000 over retail, but you can't get an AP (Audemars Piguet) for less than $2,000, so I think it was a steal,' he said. 'I'd rather pay a premium and come out and get it.'
The Daily Mail has approached Swatch for a comment.
