Chaos erupted at watch release events globally, including in Dallas, as large crowds gathered for the new Audemars Piguet and Swatch collaboration.
DALLAS — A new watch collection by Audemars Piguet and Swatch drew a large crowd out to NorthPark Center in Dallas early Saturday morning, online videos showed.
This happened not only in Dallas, but all around the world.
The buzz in Houston started days ago, with people camping outside the Houston Galleria, WFAA’s sister station KHOU reported. Houston’s crowd got so chaotic, they needed to shut down over safety concerns, according to the Houston Chronicle. Swatch even posted a statement on social media Saturday afternoon that read:
“To all our dear fans worldwide of our AP x Swatch collab, launched on May 16. To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you to not rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product. The Royal Pop Collection will remain available for several months. In some countries, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused.”
The Royal Pop collection combines Audemars Piguet’s iconic “Royal Oak” design with the colorful style of Swatch’s 1980s-inspired watch line. The release includes eight different variations, each priced around $400. Traditional Audemars Piguet watches can range in price from about $7,000 to more than $300,000.
Dallas police told WFAA via email that officers responded the 8600 block of N. Central Service Road (U.S. Highway 75 service road), where NorthPark Center is located, to help disburse a large crowd. No injuries were reported, DPD said.
Video posted online showed at least one person being escorted out of the mall in handcuffs. WFAA reached out to DPD to clarify if any arrests were made and have not heard back.
WFAA has also reached out to NorthPark Center, Audemars Piguet and Swatch for comment.