Swatch Audemars Piguet Royal Pop Collection, and the AI Renders Which Fans Prefer.

Much hype preceded the latest Swatch luxury brand collaboration.  Hype which the first image here would suggest was warranted.  This image which shows an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Swatch demonstrates a direct copy of the uber high-end piece, one which would unquestionably recapture the hype of the original Omega Moon Swatch.  Something badly needed, as the second collab, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Swatch, is still very much available on Swatch's own site.  While the Omega Moon Swatch sold out in hours, and resells for many hundreds above retail.  However, the above image is AI generated, and nothing like the real thing.

Indeed, the true face (pun intended) of the collaboration is a pocket watch.  Anyone familiar with the history of Swatch won't be overly surprised by this, the Pop brand was a pocket watch brand, therefore it's entirely expected that it's one of those.  What's less expected is that consumers don't want the pocket watch, they want the AI render version.  What is perhaps even more surprising, and is a stark demonstration of the fact that we truly live in interesting times, is that they are going to get what they want.

In an unprecedented move, Chinese manufacturers are producing the bands and bracelets from the AI renders, and are selling them in absolute barrel-loads.  According to this article in Wired, the demand created by the AI generated images resulted in supply.  We are of the view the chicken laid the egg here, and it was a deliberate, targeted campaign to create demand, with the supply already in place.  Whatever the case, we certainly live in unusual times, where a copy of a thing is more popular than the thing, and results in it being more desired than the original.

Perhaps you disagree, and would love a pocket watch.  If so, they are available now on Swatch's website for £335 a piece.