Audemars Piguet Prices Hold After Swatch Tie-Up as $180,000 Selloff Threat Fades
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jun 2
Audemars Piguet Prices Hold After Swatch Tie-Up as $180,000 Selloff Threat Fades
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jun 2
Secondary-market prices for Audemars Piguet have shown no discernible impact weeks after its Swatch-linked Royal Pop launch, despite collector fears that the collaboration would dilute the brand.
WatchCharts said the product has not hurt AP's core Royal Oak franchise because Royal Pop is not designed to compete with wristwatches that typically retail above $50,000 and carry multiyear waiting lists.
AP still faces a softer market backdrop: its WatchCharts index remains about 40% below its 2022 peak, and inventory is aging faster than at Rolex or Patek Philippe.
In the first quarter, AP secondary prices rose 2%, versus 1.7% for Rolex and 3% for Patek, suggesting stabilization but not a full recovery.
For AP, which makes about 50,000 watches a year, the collaboration appears aimed less at near-term sales than at winning younger buyers and broader cultural relevance.