Chrono24: The Royal Pop hype is cooling off
Recent data from Chrono24 shows that, following the initial hype, the excitement surrounding the Audemars Piguet x Swatch “Royal Pop” on the pre-owned marketplace has already begun to wane two weeks after its launch.
Data from Chrono24 shows that the average resale prices have fallen from around €1,440 in the first few days to just under €1,000 today for most models, with a retail price of €385 or €400.
When measured against the retail price, the trend becomes even clearer: On the first day of trading, “Royal Pop” changed hands at roughly 5.5 times its retail price—the highest premium of the entire period—and two weeks later, it was trading at less than double that price.
Royal Pop continues to sell at retail price
Balazs Ferenczi, Head of Brand Engagement at Chrono24, explains: “The ‘Royal Pop’ was most expensive during the first weekend, when demand was at its peak. That premium has largely disappeared today. What remains is a watch that still sells above retail price, but at a price that suits someone who really wants to wear it.”
Demand has already peaked
According to Chrono24, purchase inquiries have declined since the launch. At their peak, daily inquiries reached 2.9 times the highest figure the “MoonSwatch” had ever recorded in March 2022. Two weeks later, they are still at about 1.4 times that figure.
The initial rush has died down, but interest in the “Royal Pop” remains higher than anything a Swatch collaboration has ever achieved before.
Chrono24: Fewer new listings
Prices in the early days were driven by exceptionally high demand coupled with limited supply. As demand has waned, prices have fallen, and at the same time, the influx of new listings has slowed.
In the first few days, sellers listed the “Royal Pop” nearly twice as often as they had listed the “MoonSwatch” back in 2022. Two weeks later, this influx is more than 80 percent below the peak seen in the first few days.
Royal Pop: A Familiar Pattern
Every Swatch collaboration to date has followed a similar pattern: a sharp spike at launch, followed by a few weeks of cooling off as supply catches up and the first resellers sell off their stock.
The “Royal Pop” follows this pattern. The black model, which was the most sought-after version in the early days, remains the most popular today—both in terms of inquiries and completed sales.
Another detail from 2022 has remained the same: the blue “Làn Bà” continues to sell for around 1,600 euros, while the other models in the collection have settled at a lower price point. The situation was similar with the “Mission to Neptune,” which also remained significantly more expensive than the other models after the launch of the “MoonSwatch.”
Beyond “Royal Pop”: Colorful watches capture the spirit of the times
The “Royal Pop” comes in eight bold colors, making it a perfect fit for a pre-owned market that has been moving in exactly this direction for years.
In 2018, about one in six watches sold on Chrono24 had a colored dial. Today, that figure is already about one in four. The proportion has risen by about 16 percent over the past five years.
Blue is by far the most popular dial color. At the same time, green and pink have gained significantly in popularity over the same period.
This trend is particularly evident at both ends of the market. In the entry-level segment, where the “Royal Pop” is positioned, colored dials have long been established—for example, in popular lines such as Seiko’s “Presage,” Oris’s “Aquis,” or Doxa’s “Sub.”
They are just as firmly established in the high-end market and define iconic models such as the “Nautilus” by Patek Philippe and the “Overseas” by Vacheron Constantin.
Audemars Piguet once again highlighted this trend this week, unveiling six new, colorful “Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding” chronographs on June 2—in turquoise, yellow, orange, and pink.
