The world has gone crazy over the Audemars Piguet x Swatch collaboration.
Okay, “the world” might be a stretch. But there are enough people causing chaos that the story has hit headlines globally.
It isn’t just Singapore where queues and arguments have broken out — it’s happening in the UK and elsewhere too. People are camping overnight, and Swatch has even shut some stores due to safety concerns.
This isn’t the first time. You may remember the Swatch x Omega collab back in 2022—the MoonSwatch. That was a frenzy too. It was a replica of the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, the very watch Neil Armstrong wore when he became the first man on the moon.
An actual Moonwatch costs anywhere between S$7,900 and S$30,000, depending on the model. A MoonSwatch? Just S$400–500.
Suddenly, the masses could own a legit replica.
Of course, there were compromises. The MoonSwatch is mostly ceramic and uses a quartz movement, not a mechanical one like the original. But that’s not the point. The buzz came from the fresh take on a classic and the price.
Why Royal Pop Is Even More Hyped
Audemars Piguet (AP) takes the glamour up another notch. It’s one of the “Holy Trinity” of luxury watchmaking, alongside Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.
Its Royal Oak design is iconic—octagonal bezel, eight hexagonal screws. Price tag? S$25,000 to S$150,000.
Now compare that to the Royal Pop, selling at S$535 to S$570. A steal, many would say.
And it isn’t quartz. It’s mechanical.
It’s powered by Swatch’s SISTEM51 calibre, introduced in 2013 where it was the world’s first mechanical movement built entirely on an automated assembly line. At this price, you obviously aren’t getting master watchmakers crafting parts by hand. But mechanical at S$500? That’s something.
There’s another reason this collab is more surprising than the last. Omega is a subsidiary of Swatch Group, so getting MoonSwatch off the ground was easy. AP, on the other hand, is independent. Some would argue this cheapens its prestige. Either way, Swatch did a remarkable job convincing AP to come on board.
In many ways, this collaboration is better than the MoonSwatch.
One drawback though: it isn’t a proper wristwatch. It’s worn on a lanyard, like a modern pocket watch without a cover clip.
The good news? It’s modifiable. Third-party suppliers already make straps that convert it into a regular wristwatch and honestly, it looks pretty good that way.
Another driver of the craze are resellers.
Buy at S$500+, flip for over S$1,000. A quick search on Carousell shows plenty of listings well above retail. That naturally fuels more buying. Not for the watch, but for the flip.
Why You Shouldn’t Join the Hype
The MoonSwatch scalping market was hot too, back in 2022. Some buyers were flipping for over S$1,000.
But that was just FOMO. Swatch has continued production to this day.
You can walk into any Swatch store and buy any MoonSwatch you want, still at retail price today.
The result? Secondary market MoonSwatches today struggle to sell. Many are listed below retail.
The lesson: if you want scalping profits, you have to move fast before supply catches up. Scarcity is temporary, my friend.
What About Buying Swatch Stock?
Naturally, the more intelligent Dr Wealth reader might think: why not just buy Swatch stock?
Swatch Group is the world’s largest watch company, with a stable of brands under its belt. It’s listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange, with an OTC version in the US under the ticker SWGAY.
But the share price has not done well.
Even if you had bought the stock in 2022 to ride the MoonSwatch craze, you’d still be sitting on a loss today.
So, no. Jumping on Swatch stock in anticipation of strong Royal Pop sales isn’t a sound investment decision. The fundamentals of the business, and whether it fits your definition of a good company to own, should always take precedence over a casual linkage to short-term market hype.
What we can do is sit on the sidelines, observe, and be amused (and amazed) by herd instinct and human behaviour.
A S$500 watch won’t make or break you. But it shouldn’t be confused with an investment either.
Join our Telegram for more insights: https://t.me/realDrWealth
