AP & Swatch Make Pocket Watches Great Again With ‘Royal Pop’

By Danial Martinus • 13 May 2026 in Tick Talk

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After weeks of teasing by Swiss watchmakers Audemars Piguet and Swatch, we can finally marvel at the highly anticipated Royal Pop collection, which blends centuries’ old tradition with new school design, giving the antiquated pocket watch a fashionable 21st century makeover.

While some rumours prior to the official launch suggested that the Royal Pop collection was made to be worn as a necklace (teasers showed off the lanyard), it makes much more sense now as a modern day pocket watch, with AP calling it “a new take on the pocket watch.”

But it’s worth mentioning that the brand also suggested people could wear it around their neck or as a bag charm as well. There’s no wrong way to go about it.

A traditional, manually wound movement packaged in fun, new-age colours

As the Royal Pop name may suggest, the watch is inspired by Audemars Piguet’s highly coveted Royal Oak, which has long been a beloved mainstay in the luxury watch space.

Some of the biggest giveaways to that connection are the Royal Pop’s octagonal bezel, as well as its waffle dial, both synonymous with the Royal Oak.

It comes in two variants; one with a plain dial and the other with an additional small seconds sub-dial located at the 6 o’clock position.

Both variants feature a very prominent crown, which you’ll have to use to manually wind the watch. It’s placed at the 12 o’clock position on the plain-dial version, and 3 o’clock on the small seconds version. Why this variation in crown placement?

Reports suggest it’d be easier to read the time if using the latter as a traditional pocket watch, since the crown’s position is where you can put the watch in a lanyard to hang on things. Otherwise, you’d pick up your watch and it’d be upside down (if using the plain dial with crown at 12 o’clock).

The Royal Pop is made of bioceramic and packs Swatch’s innovative SISTEM51 movement, which offers a generous 90-hour power reserve when fully wound. On the front and back of the case, you’ve also got the reassurance of sapphire crystal.

According to the Swatch Malaysia website, the Royal Pop will retail for RM1,720 (plain dial) and RM1,840 (small seconds sub-dial). It’ll be available from 16 May onwards at select Swatch stores nationwide.