Hundreds gather overnight for limited-edition watch as stores shut doors over safety concerns
Launch events for the highly anticipated collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet were abruptly cancelled in Delhi and Mumbai on Saturday after huge crowds triggered chaos outside stores.
Videos circulating on social media showed packed scenes at Mumbai’s Palladium Mall and Delhi’s DLF Avenue, where buyers and resellers had gathered in large numbers to grab the limited-edition “Royal Pop” watch collection.
Crowd Rush Forces Stores To Shut
According to eyewitnesses, several people had queued outside the venues since early morning, with many claiming they arrived as early as 5 am. However, the situation reportedly spiralled out of control after crowd barricades were breached and pushing broke out near entry points.
One attendee described the scene as “completely unmanageable,” alleging that some people in the queue were paid resellers trying to secure watches for profit.
In a viral video, a store staff member can be heard telling the crowd, “We are not animals. The store is not opening today,” as frustrated customers shouted outside the venue.
Swatch India Cites Safety Concerns
In an official statement, Swatch Group said the launch sale in Mumbai and Delhi had to be postponed due to safety concerns involving both customers and staff.
The company also clarified that extending queues or waiting longer would not have improved anyone’s chances of purchasing the watch because of the extremely limited stock available during the initial drop.
Social Media Questions Event Planning
The incident quickly sparked reactions online, with many users criticising the organisers for allegedly failing to prepare for the massive turnout.
Several users suggested that an online lottery system would have been more effective for a limited-edition launch of this scale, while others blamed resellers for creating the frenzy.
Some also pointed out that similar launches in other countries have handled even larger crowds through tighter security and organised queue systems.
