Swatch stores in Manchester and Liverpool remained shuttered for a second consecutive day after queues once again swelled with shoppers desperate to get their hands on a new £335 pocket watch. The Swiss firm initially closed its locations in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Cardiff, and London on Saturday, citing "safety considerations."
In a social media post addressing the global crowds, Swatch pleaded with the public to "not rush to our stores in large numbers," assuring that the watches - which have already been resold online for up to £16,000 - would "remain available for several months." This promise did little to deter the frenzy, as some critics argued the company should have simply sold the watches on its website, while noting that police resources had been unnecessarily diverted to manage the chaos.
One man was arrested in Cardiff on Saturday, and police were called to reports of people "making threats" outside the Liverpool store. The firm launched its new "Royal Pop" pocket watch collaboration with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet at selected stores worldwide on Saturday, drawing inspiration from the Pop Art movement of the 1950s and 60s. Swatch described it as "a disruptive collaboration between two icons of Swiss watchmaking," blending Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak design with the famously colorful Swatch Pop brand from the 1980s.
The madness extended beyond the UK: an event was cancelled in Dubai, police were called to launches in France and Switzerland, and in New York, shoppers camped for a week in Times Square, with reports of some becoming unwell during the wait. Swatch's online statement reiterated the safety plea: "To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you not to rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product. In some countries, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused."