Why people are so excited about Swatch's Royal Pop watch

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Why are people so excited about Swatch's Royal Pop watch? 19 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleKathryn ArmstrongandVicky WongLightRocket via Getty ImagesThe Royal Pop watch collection is much-hyped collaboration between Swatch and luxury brand Audemars PiguetThe launch of an exclusive pocket watch has sparked a frenzy that forced stores worldwide to close and in some cases saw police officers and security deal with huge unruly crowds. The Royal Pop watch collection, a highly anticipated collaboration between Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet (AP), went on sale on Saturday in selected stores around the world.

Similar to past sales of its kind, some people queued for days to get their hands on one of the eight models. But the ferocity of interest in the product, both online and on the high street, has split opinions about responsible marketing and whether the watches are even worth it. The hype machine: Streetwear and the business of scarcityFound on celebrity bags and in viral videos: The toy fashionistas are lovingBetter known for its colourful watches from the 1980s, AP Swatch has described the Royal Pop collection as "a disruptive collaboration between two icons of Swiss watchmaking".

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While original sales of the collection were exclusively in selected stores - with people only able to buy one £335 (€385; $448) watch per person - they have been driven by an online campaign that has lasted months. Retail expert Catherine Shuttleworth said Swatch had done a fantastic job in teasing the product, drawing on younger shoppers' love of collaborations, exclusivity and newness. "The hype has worked," she told the , adding that the watch was aspirational, with shoppers able to pay a fraction of the usual cost for an AP product.

Watch reviewer and podcaster, Britt Pearce, agreed, describing these types of collaboration as "a flash in the pan, but they're a very exciting flash in the pan". via Getty ImagesPeople queued for days to get their hands on a Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal PopSwatch closed its stores in several cities across the UK after hundreds of people queued outside and the police were called in. There were reports of threatening behaviour and at least one arrest.

There have also been reports of scuffles in Amsterdam and Milan as well as in cities in Asia and the Middle East. According to the news agency, police officers fired tear gas to control a 300-strong outside a Swatch shop near Paris, and four people reported being punched in the crowd outside a store in Lille, northern France. Some watch enthusiasts in New York camped for a week and there were reports that people had become unwell during the wait.

Getty ImagesSales kicked off on Saturday with huge crowds at stores worldwideIn a social media post after crowds gathered at branches worldwide, Swatch asked people "not to rush to our stores in large numbers" and closed its stores for safety reasons once the crowds became too big.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.