— By Plasteurope.com staff — 

Looking down on a watch is sort of the whole point. But one made of plastic? Now that is truly something the luxury-minded might hold in low regard – or so we thought. Because now keeping the time is keeping up with the times, when many people no longer see plastic as an inferior material.

The fact that plastic items can also spark all-consuming desire and send people into a shopping frenzy is currently being demonstrated by Swiss watch manufacturers Audemars Piguet (AP) and Swatch with their new joint collection Royal Pop.

Visually, the crossover chronograph marries the typical octagonal shape of all luxury watches from AP and the pop-inspired, everyday appeal of a Swatch. Its case is made of so-called bioceramic, a composite of ceramic powder and bioplastic derived from castor oil.

Related: What’s in a watch? For Apple’s SE 3, plastics, perhaps

The Royal Pop retails for just under EUR 400, but is already sold out almost everywhere, with the surge in demand turning this plastic watch with a luxury label into a first-class speculative investment. Units are being offered on online auction platforms for more than EUR 2,000 – and are likely to find buyers.

The royal mania has even prompted Swatch to post a warning on its website: “To ensure the safety of both our customers and our staff in Swatch stores, we kindly ask you not to rush to our stores in large numbers to acquire this product. In some countries/regions, queues of more than 50 people cannot be accepted, and sales may need to be paused.”

When last was there such enthusiasm for a plastic timepiece, of all things?