Swatch watch saved the Swiss watch industry in 1983. Forty-plus years later, a Swatch collaboration just made an Audemars Piguet accessible to mere mortals.

A Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet starts at $35,000 Canadian and you cannot just walk into a store and buy one. The Swatch collaboration changes that. Colin Potts, Executive Director of the Horological Society of Canada, says this only works because the Swatch Moonwatch partnership in 2022 proved the model: pair an accessible brand with a marquee timepiece and elevate both without degrading either.

A pocket watch can sell for $20 at auction or $1,000. Colin Potts says three things make the difference: the mechanical movement, the finishing, and the material. His underrated pick: Seiko, collectible and fully integrated at $500. The luxury holy trinity: Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Rolex.

Topics: Swatch watch, Audemars Piguet, luxury watches, Seiko, Horological Society Canada

GUEST: Colin Potts | horologicalsocietyofcanada.org

Originally aired on 2026-05-21