"Swiss watchmakers Audemars Piguet and Swatch merge haute horlogerie with pop-inspired irreverence in the new Royal Pop Collection, a collaboration that reimagines the iconic Royal Oak as a wearable pocket watch. Launching on May 16th, 2026, the series introduces eight pocket watches made from Swatch's proprietary Bioceramic material, a composite blending ceramic powder with biosourced components derived from castor oil. The collaboration combines Audemars Piguet's angular luxury watch codes with the colorful modular spirit of Swatch's 1980s POP watches."
"Each model arrives in either Lépine or Savonnette style, referencing historic pocket watch typologies while embracing a brighter, more playful aesthetic rooted in Pop Art. The watches can be worn in multiple ways using interchangeable lanyards, allowing them to hang around the neck or attach to clothing. images courtesy of Audemars Piguet and Swatch"
"A newly developed hand-wound version of Swatch's SISTEM51 movement sits at the center of every Royal Pop model. Known for its industrial simplicity and mechanical efficiency, the movement is reworked here with colorful detailing visible through the back of the watch, introducing a more expressive visual language to traditional mechanics. The project also nods to lesser-known chapters of Audemars Piguet's history, particularly the ultra-thin polygonal pocket watches the brand experimented with during the 1960s and 70s, decades before the Royal Oak became one of the defining luxury sports watches of the modern era."
"The collaboration arrives at a moment when luxury watchmaking increasingly seeks younger audiences through experimentation, collectibility, and unconventional formats. 'Why this collaboration? For the joy and boldness it represents,' notes Chief Executive Officer at A"
Audemars Piguet and Swatch create the Royal Pop Collection by combining luxury watch design codes with pop-inspired irreverence. The Royal Oak is reimagined as a wearable pocket watch, with eight models made from Swatch Bioceramic, a composite of ceramic powder and biosourced components derived from castor oil. Each watch comes in Lépine or Savonnette styles, referencing historic pocket watch typologies while adopting a brighter Pop Art aesthetic. A hand-wound version of the SISTEM51 movement powers every model, with colorful detailing visible through the caseback. Interchangeable lanyards allow multiple wearing options, including around the neck or attached to clothing.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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