Key Takeaways
- Jay-Z is one of hip-hop’s most serious watch connoisseurs, treating timepieces with the same “only the best” mentality as his music. Ahead of his Yankee Stadium shows, we examine his history of rocking expensive luxury watches
- His collection includes grail-level pieces, from early Jacob & Co. Five Time Zone and a 2001 Richard Mille RM001 to collabs like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore and Shawn Carter by Hublot Classic Fusion.
- The lineup runs all the way up to multi-million dollar flexes like a $6 million Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, $3 million custom Richard Milles, a $7 million vintage Patek, and ultra-rare Rolex and Jacob & Co. pieces, underscoring the depth and value of his collection.
Dinner with Jay-Z, $500,000, or one of his luxury watches?
It’s a fair question considering the rarity and insane value that many of the pieces in Jay-Z’s vast watch collection possess. The man is serious about his wrist wear.
Throughout his legendary rap career, he’s introduced us to a few brands like Hublot and Richard Mille via his lyrics, and used big events as moments to debut his latest acquisitions. From the early 2000s when he was wearing the Jacob and Co. Five Time Zone watch, which became a hip-hop staple, to rocking custom, one-of-one pieces from brands like Richard Mille and Rolex, Jay-Z approaches watch collecting the same way he approaches his music. He’s aiming for the best.
Ahead of his highly-anticipated three-show run at Yankee Stadium this weekend, we took a look back at all of the insanely expensive watches that Jay-Z has worn over the years.
Jacob and Co. Five Time Zone
When: 2000s
Price: $12,800-$16,500
Before Jay-Z was known as one of hip-hop’s biggest watch connoisseurs, he was one of the biggest rising rappers out of New York City. His ascent in the rap world happened to align with the ascent of another New Yorker in a totally different industry, none other than Jacob Arabo or as many have come to know him as, Jacob the Jeweler. Early in his career, Jay-Z could frequently be seen with a Five Time Zone strapped to his wrist, the style that would become the signature offering of Jacob and Co. following its debut in 2002. According to the archival Instagram account @aintnojigga, Hov was actually the first rapper to ever wear the multicolored design. Jacob would become an integral piece of Roc-A-Fella’s status in the rap game throughout the aughts. Along with supplying their timepieces and other diamond-encrusted goods, he also was responsible for crafting their iconic Roc-A-Fella chains at the time.
Hov has even shouted out the legendary jeweler on tracks like “Girl’s Best Friend” rapping, “I took you outta Jacob’s in clusters, busters they wanted to rush us, love the way you sparkle when the sun touch ya.” Eventually, Jay-Z would even begin to remix the Five Time Zone to make it uniquely his own by flooding it with diamonds.
Decades later, he is still showing off Jacob and Co.’s innovations, like in 2024 when the rap legend earned the distinction of being the first human on Earth to own the $340,000 Bugatti Tourbillon. You only get those types of privileges if your in the upper echelon of watch collectors. —Mike DeStefano
Richard Mille RM001
When: 2001
Price: $135,000
Astute Shawn Carter fans know that one of Jay-Z’s all-time favorite watches is the Richard Mille RM001. The first Richard Mille timepiece ever made, Hov was one of the very first celebrities to wear a RM001 Tourbillon, which was launched with 16 other watches at the time. The watch was released for $135,000 and was limited to just 80 pieces. Jay was seen wearing this iconic Richard Mille watch in photoshoots for hip-hop magazines like XXL and at events like the 2002 Soul Train Music Awards. —Lei Takanashi
His Own Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Collaboration
When: 2005
Price: $23,500-$69,500
Jay-Z is such a respected watch collector that luxury watch companies have even released collaborations with the man himself. In 2005, he released his own Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshores to celebrate his 10-year anniversary working within the music industry. To officially mark the anniversary, the watchfaces of Shawn Carter’s Royal Oak Offshore pieces had a diamond encrusted numeral marking the 10th hour. The watches were 44 mm in diameter and only 100 were released. Only 50 pieces were released in steel, 30 pieces in 18k rose gold, and 20 pieces in platinum. Each watch also featured Jay-Z’s signature on the caseback. The steel version cost $23,500 at retail, while the super limited platinum iteration cost a whopping $69,500. Each watch came with a special collector’s box that included a 40GB iPod Classic preloaded with Jay-Z’s discography. The iPod was even engraved with Hov’s signature and a quote that read: “I’m so far ahead of my time, I’m ‘bout to start another life. Look behind you, I’m ‘bout to pass you twice”—a bar from The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse single “Hovi Baby.”
According to WWD, the collaboration pulled in $4 million and $500,000 of the profits were donated to the Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit organization founded in 2002 by Jay-Z, which provides financial assistance to aspiring college students. Today, these watches are naturally very hard to find on the resale market. One steel model was sold at a Christie’s auction in 2016 for $30,000. —Lei Takanashi
A $5 Million Hublot Big Bang
When: 2012
Price: $5 million
In December 2012, for Jay-Z’s birthday, Beyoncé gifted her husband something that most of us will never even lay eyes on in real life. A $5 million Hublot Big Bang. The watch was crafted out of 18k white gold and included 1,282 diamonds. When the watch was released in 2012, Hublot said it was one of the most precious timepieces the brand had ever made. The 44 mm diameter watch boasted an 18k white-gold case that included 302 baguette diamonds alone. The watch dial was also made out of 18k white gold and included 179 baguette diamonds. And yes, the 18k white-gold bracelet was made out of 782 baguette diamonds. All the diamonds were grade A VVS quality and took a year to source. Made in collaboration with Geneva’s Atelier Bunter, it took 12 diamond cutters, five diamond setters, and 14 months of labor to construct the watch. —Lei Takanashi
The Shawn Carter by Hublot Classic Fusion
When: 2013
Price: $17,900-$33,900
“I got a Hublot, I call it Tebow, strap that bitch with a gator band.”
“I’m still the man to watch, Hublot on my left hand or not.”
No matter what Hublot lyrics come to mind first, it’s clear that Jay-Z is a big fan of the luxury Swiss watchmaker. The relationship was further solidified in 2013 when Jay-Z released his own limited edition timepieces with the brand, the Shawn Carter by Hublot collection. The style was a take on Hublot’s Classic Fusion model and released in both black ceramic and 18k yellow gold options. The face gave a slight peak at the inner workings of the watch through a cross-like cut-out design. The back of the face was fully skeletonized and also featured Hublot and Jay-Z co-branding written around the bezel. Black crocodile leather bands completed each design. The watches officially made their retail debut in November 2013 as a part of the Barneys New York “A New York Holiday” collection that was personally curated by the rap legend. The ultra limited drop was kept to 250 black styles and 100 yellow gold. —Mike DeStefano
The $6 Million Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300G
When: 2019
Price: $6 million
For Diddy’s 50th birthday party in 2019, Jay-Z wore Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime, Ref. 6300G. The watch isn’t super flashy, but it’s very expensive. Released in 2014, the Grandmaster Chime was produced for the company’s 175th anniversary. It took eight years to develop the watch, which is made of 214 components and contains 20 complications and 1,366 parts. Jay-Z is wearing the second version of the watch. The original, which is the Ref. 5175, was made with yellow gold cases. Jay-Z’s white gold version is a bit more subdued and two black and white dials. This one was so good that Hov strapped it to his wrist again to attend the 2026 Met Gala. —Aria Hughes
A $2.5 Million Richard Mille 56 Custom “Blueprint”
When: 2019
Price: $2.5 million
For the NAACP Image Awards in 2019, Jay-Z donned a custom made Richard Mille watch that took 3,000 hours to make. Named “The Blueprint,” after his sixth album, the watch was cut and milled from solid blocks of sapphire according to celebrity jeweler Alex Todd, who also added that it’s the most expensive Richard Mille watch ever made. It’s also been reported that forming the bright blue sapphires into this shape took years of research and testing to make sure that the watch was durable and comfortable. Jay-Z has since worn it on numerous occasions including his B-Sides 2 concert at Webster Hall in April 2019.—Aria Hughes
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
When: 2021
Price: $200,000+
It’s been over a decade since Jay-Z released his own watches with Audemars Piguet, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t expect Hov to break out one of the valuable timepieces from time to time still. One such instance came in June 2021 during the NBA Playoffs. He decided to pull up to support the home team when he sat courtside for a second round matchup between the Nets and Bucks at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Along with a paisley cap and pair of Rhude Pumas, Jay-Z accessorized with an 18k gold Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. It features a sapphire dial with moon phases and is complete with the Royal Oak’s signature exposed screws around the bezel. This particular watch retails for upwards of $200,000. —Mike DeStefano
A $3 Million Richard Mille RM 56-01 Tourbillon Sapphire
When: 2021
Price: $3 million
When Jay-Z pulled up to Michael Rubin’s White Party in 2021, he decided that Independence Day could only be celebrated properly with $3 million on his wrist. Yes, that green watch Hov wore to the party was another one of many Richard Milles in his collection. The model he wore was a RM 56-01 Tourbillon Sapphire, a unique take on one of Richard Mille’s most iconic watch models. RM 56-01 Tourbillon Sapphire is defined by its sapphire crystal baseplate and transparent movement. According to the luxury watchmaker’s website, only five of these watches were produced. Jay-Z didn’t just get one of the five, but even customized his own to be produced in a green sapphire colorway. According to a comment given to Complex by customizer Alex Todd, the retail price for the watch was around $3 million. —Lei Takanashi
One-of-One Vintage Rolex Datejust
When: 2020
Price: Priceless
If you ask someone who knows nothing about watches to name a watch brand, chances are that “Rolex” will be what comes out of their mouth. The Swiss brand has long been a status symbol and for many it is still the pinnacle of luxury timepieces. So, it’s no surprise that Jay-Z has owned what we can assume is dozens of Rolexes throughout his career. One of the most rare is also one of the most recent that has been spotted on his wrist. Back in July 2020, the rapper sat courtside at the Staples Center in a one-of-a kind vintage Rolex. According to GQ, the watch is a Datejust that was altered by Franck Muller before he would go on to start his own eponymous watch company in 1991. The special makeup sports a gold dial, white face, and black leather band. What makes it so rare is the non-traditional features added by Muller, such as a moonphase and perpetual calendar. There’s no indication of what Jay-Z ultimately paid for the unique wrist piece, but given its exclusivity you can’t even really put a number on it. This one is priceless.—Mike DeStefano
$7 Million Patek Philippe
When: 2023
Price: $7 million
Michael Rubin’s annual White Party in the Hamptons has become a must-see event for celebrity spotting. Of course, the A-listers all come dressed to impress. Even in all white, they find ways to stand out from the crowd. Case in point, Jay-Z showing up in a $7 million vintage Patek yellow gold Reference 2499. Most people can’t rock a mansion on their wrist. That’s just normal for him. —Mike DeStefano
$3 Million Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon
When: 2025
Price: $3 million
For Super Bowl LIX, Hov kept the fit simple: black beanie, black T-shirt, black track pants, and a crispy pair of white Nike Air Force 1s. What wasn’t simple was the wrist wear; a $3 million Richard Mille featuring details like orange-red sapphires and a gold skeleton hand in the “rock horns” pose on the face. Oh yeah, it’s a one of one. Because of course it is. —Mike DeStefano
