Why did Hongkongers queue round the clock for a new watch?

‘Royal Pop’ ceramic pocket-style watches, a collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Swatch, set to go on sale on Saturday

Long lines stretching across several blocks have formed in Hong Kong as shoppers turned up days ahead of the launch of the “Royal Pop” pocket watches – a collaboration between luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet and Swatch.

A South China Morning Post reporter observed about 50 people queuing in Causeway Bay on Thursday evening, a few metres from the Swatch store on Kai Chiu Road.

“If you don’t try, you don’t win,” said one hopeful, who only gave his name as Jackson. “How many opportunities do you have in your lifetime to get an AP [Audemars Piguet]?”

The “Royal Pop” collection – pocket-style ceramic watches available in eight colours – is set to go on sale on Saturday and has generated strong online buzz since the collaboration was announced.

Part of the appeal is the chance of owning an Audemars Piguet-branded product at a fraction of the price of the Swiss watchmaker’s traditional Royal Oak timepieces, which can cost hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars and are often difficult to obtain even for buyers who can afford them.

By contrast, the Swatch collaboration is priced at between HK$2,940 (US$375) and HK$3,150 in Hong Kong, depending on the model, according to the brand’s website.