The rumor that has been circulating for several weeks has obviously broken the internet, and promises to break the market once the watch is marketed.
They symbolize the dream of a lifetime for watch enthusiasts. These luxury houses established over several centuries have imagined iconic models which have established themselves in the collective imagination as true treasures of know-how. Among the well-known names that no longer need to be introduced: Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe. Their stratospheric price, reflecting unparalleled quality and extreme rarity, immediately gives them a desirability that makes you want to put your hand on it (and your wrist underneath). Owning one is a sweet dream for these early enthusiasts. Good news for these enthusiasts on a small budget: one of these historic houses has decided to open up to accessibility, by collaborating with a counterpart at a low price: Swatch. On May 16, the two brands will therefore offer a new watch to the general public.
Experts and laypeople alike are already talking about this mystery collaboration. Heart of the dispute: the gap between the two worlds and above all, the gap between the price positioning of the two labels. Because if Swatch sells models around €120 to €150, you have to multiply this figure by 150 to acquire a designer watch Audemars Piguet.
Named “Royal Pop”, this name takes up the name of the signature models of the two brands: “Royal Oak” for the first and “Pop Swatch” for the second. In terms of price, experts estimate that it could cost more than the previous “MoonSwatch”, around €400 (20 Minutes Switzerland).
In addition to speculation about the forms taken by this collaboration, skeptics questioned its coherence. Because how can a brand as accessible as Swatch can she create a watch alongside a house that sells its watches for €50,000 on average? Firstly, on the product side, the two brands have little in common, other than the core business. Swatch uses accessible materials such as silicone for its bracelets and displays pop colors and playful designs to burst the retina, while Audemars Piguet uses noble materials such as gold and alligator leather, and tends towards aesthetic minimalism. On the business side, we cannot say that it is an industrial synergy since the two labels are not part of the same group.
But this surprise partnership makes sense when we look at what makes up the DNA of both houses: innovation. It is in the very essence of Swatch to provoke the watch market. In the 70’s, faced with the rise of Asian quartz watches, its founder went on the offensive and offered wristwatches at low prices, with fewer components and automated assembly in a market of Swiss excellence which formerly operated on a slower time. Audemars Piguetfor its part, is the first house to have integrated steel and a sporty side into a luxury watch.
Swatch has also already shaken the world of fine watchmaking by partnering with Omega 4 years ago. A financial success which surely gave impetus to this new disruptive collaboration. So see you this Saturday to discover this model which is already making a lot of noise (and queues).
