New Yorkers create encampment for $400 fad watch — filled with paid line-sitters and a shocking overdose
On Thursday evening, the scene outside the Times Square Swatch store resembled a makeshift encampment.
This sight was not uncommon for those involved in the resale market, looking to profit from a highly anticipated release.
Between Seventh and Eighth avenues, nearly half of the block was occupied by foldable camping chairs against police barricades. The sidewalk was scattered with trash bags, empty coffee cups, and personal belongings.
A group of individuals took turns holding spots in line, while others utilized the Marriott Marquis Hotel’s facilities to freshen up or catch a quick nap in their cars. One woman, inching her chair closer to the store, exclaimed, “I’ve been here for five days!”
Unfortunately, a middle-aged woman with strawberry blond hair appeared to have overdosed while waiting in line around 5:32 p.m. An NYPD officer administered Narcan to revive her.
All of this anticipation was for a watch that was not set to go on sale until Saturday.
The excitement revolved around the latest collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet — a limited-edition, bioceramic pocket watch that combines Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak with Swatch’s colorful POP line from the 1980s.
While the retail price ranged from $400 to $420, the resale potential was promising, with early offers reaching into the thousands.
“You have to be bold to be out here,” said Luis M., a watch enthusiast and reseller known as HypedUpNYC, speaking to The Post.
He and his team had been camping outside the store since Monday. While he typically resells everything, he expressed a desire to keep this particular watch. However, he had already received an offer of $3,500 for it.
“You have to know what you’re doing, to be honest,” he remarked.
Luis mentioned that their group took shifts overnight and utilized nearby hotels to freshen up before returning to the line.
“Once the store closes, we go home, shower, change,” he explained. “My car’s right here — we’re just making the most of what we can do.”
Despite the long wait, he and his friends maintained a positive attitude near the front of the line, treating the experience more like a casual hangout, complete with blunts and Modelo.
Further down the line was John McIntosh, also known as “the parking pirate.” He was a well-known line-sitter, which was somewhat frowned upon in the camp-out culture.
“I’ve been there every day for the Diddy trial, Donald Trump …,” he shared with The Post, chuckling.
Although McIntosh had only been there since the morning, he was hoping to be paid to wait in line for someone else, using that money towards his own watch, which he could then sell. Despite facing some technical issues with his eBay account and being unfamiliar with platforms like StockX, he remained optimistic that a jeweler or tourist might be interested in the limited-edition timepiece.
According to McIntosh, the NYPD had been monitoring the line over the past few days, issuing tickets and warnings about removing chairs.
Line sitting has become a common practice to secure access to exclusive product releases, sample sales, or high-demand store openings. Professionals offer their services by the hour and can be found on platforms like TaskRabbit, creating a sort of underground network for these services.
In a city where lines are a part of daily life, from bagels to sneakers, line sitting has become a way for individuals to save time.
“It’s worth it for me to be here,” stated a woman in a mustard yellow hoodie with “New York” written on it. While not her usual activity, she explained to The Post that the offer was too good to pass up, justifying her presence since Monday.
She was visibly annoyed that McIntosh had managed to move ahead of her after joining the line on Thursday.
“I get paid upfront,” she proudly stated, although she declined to disclose the exact amount.
“I’ve been here since Monday and haven’t left,” she reiterated to McIntosh.
“It’s not worth fighting over,” he replied.
At around 5:32 p.m., there was a disturbance near the front of the line.
“She’s about to OD on heroin,” expressed one reseller, who had also been waiting since Monday.
A middle-aged woman in a black hoodie with “New York City” printed on it was visibly struggling as two NYPD officers called for backup. After administering Narcan, she regained consciousness.
Despite the security guard’s reassurance that the line was relatively calm, the overdose incident added a sense of urgency.
“Saturday may bring a different story,” he mentioned to The Post. “I won’t be here, luckily, but we’ll see — not for that.”
