Turmoil ensued outside New York City Swatch stores as eager resellers and watch aficionados anxiously awaited a new product launch, leading to the unexpected closure of the SoHo location amid the chaotic debut.
On Saturday morning, hundreds of individuals converged on the Swatch stores in SoHo and Times Square, capping off nearly a week of extensive lines that transformed city sidewalks into makeshift camps.
The excitement revolved around the latest collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet—a limited-edition, bioceramic pocket watch that combines Audemars Piguet’s renowned Royal Oak with Swatch’s lively POP line from the 1980s.
At the Times Square store, some customers gained entry well before the official opening time of 10 a.m., and the highly sought-after watches sold out within an hour.
In the SoHo location, the crowd reportedly became so unruly that the store had to shut its doors.
The commotion follows an incident earlier in the week when an individual overdosed while waiting for the weekend product launch.
