Swatch closes Bay Area store after crowds gather for $400 watch drop

Swatch closed its Westfield Valley Fair store in Santa Clara on Saturday after crowds gathered for the release of a new $400 pocket watch made with luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet.

The shutdown came during a nationwide rush for the Royal Pop collection, a brightly colored line that pairs Swatch's mass-market watches with Audemars Piguet, the high-end brand behind the Royal Oak, one of the most recognizable luxury watch designs.

Swatch said the collection went on sale Saturday at selected stores and is limited to one watch per person, per store, per day.

The eight models are priced at $400 or $420, depending on the design.

The Valley Fair store was closed for the day because of "public safety considerations" and "high demand," Swatch said. Customers had lined up before the store opened, hoping to buy one of the watches.

San Jose police told NBC Bay Area that officers helped with crowd management at the mall but said there were no reports of violence.

The Bay Area scene was part of a wider frenzy around the release.

In Los Angeles, hundreds of people lined up outside Westfield Topanga before the watches went on sale, according to KABC. In the Philadelphia area, WPVI reported that police responded after a large crowd gathered at the King of Prussia Mall. KXAN reported that three people were arrested for criminal trespassing outside a Swatch store in Austin, Texas, after police asked crowds to disperse.

Meanwhile, videos posted on social media from around the world showed fights and near-riots.

The hype was driven in part by the unusual pairing of Swatch and Audemars Piguet.

Swatch has generated similar attention in recent years with lower-priced collaborations tied to luxury watch brands, including Omega and Blancpain. Those releases drew collectors, casual buyers and resellers hoping to profit from limited in-store availability.

The Royal Pop watches are not traditional wristwatches.

Swatch describes them as pocket watches inspired by Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak and Swatch's 1980s POP line. They come attached to a lanyard-style strap and are designed to be worn or carried in different ways.

It was not immediately clear Saturday when sales would resume at Valley Fair.

Swatch said the Royal Pop collection would remain available for several months, though only at selected stores.

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