The Swatch store located at the confluence of passeig de Gràcia with Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes in Barcelona did not open this Saturday after several days of crowds for the launch of a limited edition watch in collaboration with Audemars Piguet.
Hundreds of people had gathered around the establishment since the middle of the week, some with tables and chairs to pass the wait, in a scene marked by an evident paradox. The product had generated such expectation that the firm opted to close for safety and left those who had been queuing for days without in-person sales.
Swatch closed the store after several days of queues on passeig de Gràcia
The gathering was maintained throughout the week in one of the busiest commercial points in the Eixample. The launch had also caused similar scenes in other cities around the world, with buyers awaiting a limited edition that had driven up demand before its official release.
Among those waiting in front of the premises were not only collectors. Some of the potential buyers were looking to resell the watch for up to four times its original price, an expectation that had already begun to circulate in advertisements published on buy-and-sell websites before sales began.
The pressure on the store increased with the passing days and ended up leading the brand to suspend the opening. At the entrance, the establishment placed a notice which read that for safety reasons the store remains closed.
The Mossos deployed riot police and there were no incidents
During the day, the Mossos d'Esquadra deployed several units of riot police in the area. The operation responded to a routine public order measure due to the accumulation of people in the commercial heart of Barcelona.
Despite the overcrowding registered at the intersection of passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via, the Mossos d'Esquadra did not report any incidents. The police presence was maintained while the store remained closed and the gathering continued outside.
Resale advertisements even offered the watch for up to four times its original price even before the official release of the model.