Store Closures and Market Price Spikes After Swatch and Audemars Piguet Launch

May 16, 2026, 16:47
EuropeFinance

Introduction

The Swiss watch companies Swatch and Audemars Piguet have launched a joint collection of pocket watches, which has led to several store closures and a rapid increase in resale prices.

Main Body

Swatch and Audemars Piguet collaborated to release the 'Royal Pop' collection on Saturday. This series includes eight ceramic pocket watches priced between $400 and $420. While Audemars Piguet usually sells watches ranging from $20,000 to over $1 million, this new pricing is much more affordable. This strategy is similar to Swatch's previous partnerships with luxury brands like Omega and Blancpain. Due to the high demand, Swatch closed seventeen stores in the United States, including locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Houston. The company emphasized that these closures were necessary for 'public safety' because large crowds of customers began queuing as early as Tuesday. Similar crowds were also reported in Asian markets, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and mainland China. Furthermore, the value of these watches rose quickly on the secondary market. In Hong Kong, some watches were listed on the Carousell platform just hours after the launch, with prices between HK$10,000 and HK$30,000. Consequently, some items were being sold for up to seven times their original price, showing a high level of speculative demand.

Conclusion

Although there were logistical problems and unstable resale prices, the Royal Pop collection is still available at a few boutiques worldwide.

Learning

⚡ The Power of 'Causality' Words

At an A2 level, students often use 'so' or 'and' to connect ideas. To hit B2, you need to describe Cause and Effect with more precision. This text provides a perfect map for this upgrade.

🚀 The Level-Up Map

Instead of A2 (Basic)...Use B2 (Advanced)...Context from Article
SoConsequentlyConsequently, some items were being sold for seven times their price.
BecauseDue toDue to the high demand, Swatch closed seventeen stores.
AndFurthermoreFurthermore, the value of these watches rose quickly...

🛠ī¸ Linguistic Breakdown

1. "Due to" vs "Because"

  • A2 Style: Because there were many people, the store closed.
  • B2 Style: Due to the high demand, the store closed.
  • The Secret: Due to is usually followed by a Noun Phrase (the high demand), not a full sentence. This makes your writing sound more professional and 'dense'.

2. The "Consequently" Pivot

  • Use this when you want to show a direct logical result. It acts as a bridge between a fact (High demand →\rightarrow low supply) and a result (High resale price).

3. "Furthermore" for Layering

  • Don't just list facts. Use Furthermore to tell the reader: "I have already given you one problem; now I am adding another, more important one."

Pro Tip: Start your sentences with these connectors to instantly change the rhythm of your speech from 'choppy' (A2) to 'fluid' (B2).

Vocabulary Learning

collaborated (v.)
worked together with someone on a project
Example:The two brands collaborated on the new watch line.
released (v.)
made available to the public
Example:They released the collection on Saturday.
collection (n.)
a group of related items
Example:The collection includes eight ceramic watches.
ceramic (adj.)
made of ceramic material
Example:The watch case is ceramic.
priced (v.)
set a price for something
Example:The watches were priced between $400 and $420.
affordable (adj.)
reasonably priced, not expensive
Example:The new pricing is more affordable than before.
strategy (n.)
a plan of action to achieve a goal
Example:This strategy mirrors their previous partnerships.
partnership (n.)
a cooperative relationship between parties
Example:Their partnership with Omega was successful.
luxury (adj.)
expensive and high quality
Example:Luxury brands command high prices.
demand (n.)
the desire or need for something
Example:The demand for the watches was high.
closed (v.)
shut down or stop operating
Example:The store closed for safety reasons.
crowds (n.)
large groups of people gathered together
Example:Crowds gathered outside the store.
queuing (v.)
standing in line waiting for service
Example:Customers were queuing for hours.
reported (v.)
stated or announced information
Example:They reported increased sales.
markets (n.)
places where goods are bought and sold
Example:Markets in Hong Kong were busy.
value (n.)
the worth or importance of something
Example:The value of the watches rose quickly.
listed (v.)
put up for sale or display
Example:The watches were listed on Carousell.
platform (n.)
a website or service for buying and selling
Example:They used the platform Carousell.
speculative (adj.)
based on speculation rather than certainty
Example:Speculative demand drove prices up.
logistical (adj.)
relating to organization and coordination
Example:Logistical problems delayed shipments.
unstable (adj.)
likely to change or fluctuate
Example:Prices were unstable during the launch.
resale (n.)
the act of selling something again
Example:Resale prices were high after the launch.
boutiques (n.)
small, specialized shops
Example:Boutiques worldwide sold the collection.