One of the biggest surprises surrounding the Audemars Piguet x Swatch collaboration was the reveal that the collection would arrive as pocket watches rather than traditional wristwatches. With no official wrist strap solution offered by Swatch at the moment, aftermarket brands quickly stepped in to reimagine the Royal Pop as something closer to a wearable Royal Oak experience. Below are some of the most notable strap makers currently developing dedicated solutions for the collaboration
Delugs
Among the brands currently developing Royal Pop strap solutions, Singapore-based Delugs offers one of the most design-focused approaches so far. Through its ongoing “Project WristPop,” the brand is developing a rubber case-strap system that allows the pocket watch to sit naturally on the wrist without permanently modifying the watch itself. Most notably, Delugs rotates the six Lépine-style models so the crown sits closer to the 2 o’clock position. The layout draws inspiration from driver’s watches such as the Cartier Asymmétrique and Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921, giving the Royal Pop a completely different wrist presence.
Golden Concept
Another Royal Pop strap solution worth paying attention to comes from Stockholm-based Wristbuddys, a brand already familiar to many watch enthusiasts through its aftermarket straps for the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch and Blancpain x Swatch collaborations. This time, the company is developing textured FKM rubber straps specifically designed around the geometry of the AP x Swatch release. Current concept images suggest a sportier, Royal Oak Offshore-inspired aesthetic, with colour-matched options expected across all eight Royal Pop models.
Wristbuddys
Another Royal Pop strap solution worth paying attention to comes from Stockholm-based Wristbuddys, a brand already familiar to many watch enthusiasts through its aftermarket straps for the Swatch x Omega and Blancpain collaborations. This time, the company is developing textured FKM rubber straps specifically designed around the geometry of the AP x Swatch release. Current concept images point toward a sportier, Royal Oak Offshore-inspired aesthetic, with colour-matched options expected across all eight collaborative models.
Also see: The 5 best luxury sports watches
