How Jay-Z Turned Watches into Luxury Codes
Plain Patek, been had it. Flooded when I got it from Khaled - JAY-Z
Let’s talk about identity markers for a sec.
Identity markers signal to whom and where we belong, the reason we buy certain brands, and the reason we own practically everything we own.
These markers are less for us and more for others to take note of. Every piece of clothing, car we drive, and so on, all paint a picture of who we are and what we value.
In Hip-hop, the culture’s relationship with jewelry is likely the most widely recognized identity marker, and the conversation typically centers on chains.
Despite that, watches are just as symbolic, if not greater.
Why?
Because watches are a rich (and possibly older) man’s game.
Much like golf, cigars, and wine, watches signal the type of lifestyle one belongs to. And in pop culture, nobody has been better at communicating the language of this kind of luxury than Jay-Z.
Jay-Z doesn’t just rap about watches—he’s architected a cultural syllabus around them that the next generation is able to learn from.
Today, let’s discuss some of his most iconic watch lyrics, moments, and the codes he’s communicated to fans via his watch references.
CODE #1: FUSING HIGH-LOW CULTURE
If you ask watch enthusiasts which celebs have the best collection, they’ll invariably say Jay does at some point on the list.
Moreover, some of the biggest watch brands in culture right now owe their popularity in part to Jay-Z name-dropping them in songs.
In particular, Audemars Piguet and Hublot are two brands that Jay helped bring into cultural conversation, in the process, ushering in a wave of high-low brand collaborations yet to be seen in culture.
In both instances, the watch brand reached out to Jay to solidify a working relationship with him, and more specifically, as the former CEO of Audermar talks about in interviews, Jay opened their brand to an entirely new generation & consumer:
I. AUDEMAR PIGUET
“Got a broke clock, Rollies that don’t tick-tock/ Audemars that’s losing time/ fitting behind all these big rocks - In Paris
In the early 2000s, AP references started increasing in rap songs, with Jay being the leader. His affinity for Audemars Piguet watches caught the attention of the brand, ultimately leading to an official collaboration in 2005.
The product of the partnership was an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore “10th-anniversary Edition” that commemorated Jay’s 10th year in the music industry. Those who purchased the watch also got a special edition iPod with Jay’s autograph etched into the back of it.
According to Wrist Check, this collab was the first time a luxury watch brand had ever partnered with a Hip-hop artist.
II. HUBLOT
According to Something About Rocks, after Jay-Z name-dropped Hublot in "Otis," the brand's popularity increased to such an extent that Hublot struggled to keep up with the demand.
Hublot’s CEO ultimately reached out to Jay, and together, they launched a co-branded watch collection that retailed for over $30,000 and was limited to approximately 250 pieces.
CODE #2: FACTORY VS FLAW
“Them ain’t Rolex Diamonds, what the f*ck you done to that” - Jay-Z, Imaginary Players.
Keeping luxury items in their original condition often signifies respect for the craftsmanship that went into making them. More to the point, “factory” conditions usually help items maintain their overall value — a fact that is not immediately apparent to those new to the space.
To that extent, Jay-Z routinely referenced Rolex in his lyrics in the 1990s, as evidenced by the ones above.
The thing that sets his references apart is that in lyrics like those from “Imaginary Players,” he demonstrates a profound knowledge of the watch’s anatomy, allowing him to discern when it’s fake or altered in a way that doesn’t match, simply by a glance.
Imaginary Players is from his sophomore album “In My Lifetime: Vol 1,” where you can see him rock a Rolex Day-Date:
Moreover, his lyrics show that he knew even back then that altering the watch ruins its value — something that even today’s artists neglect; they’ll “bust-down” a watch, causing it to depreciate faster than a car leaving a dealer’s lot.
CODE #3: JEWELRY AS A STORY ARC
“Bueller had a Mueller, but I switched it to a Millie cuz I’m Richer/ And prior to this sh*t was moving Freebase - Gotta Have It
As Jay’s career has progressed, his wealth and social circles have undoubtedly changed. And with that, his watch collection has expanded accordingly.
In the Reasonable Doubt days, he often mentioned Rolex as his go-to watch brand, but by the time we reach the Blueprint era, we can see that he has moved toward Audemars, Richard Mille, and others.
If we had to put a timeline to Jay Z’s watch loosely references, it’d likely be this:
Rolex: Early 90s & 00’s (Reasonable Doubt, In My Lifetime era)
AP & Hublot: ‘00s & 10’s (Blueprint - Watch The Throne)
Patek & Mille: 2010s & beyond (Magna Carta and Beyond)
**Jay’s watch references often overlap in each era.
In this way, we can trace Jay’s path to success not just by the actual changes in his life, or a listing in Forbes, but by the ever-evolving watch collection that we see him wear.
THE LESSON: Each brand marks a new chapter in Jay’s story arc.
CODE #4: THE ART OF STEALTH LUXURY
“Feast ya eyes/ The piece unique, it’s sapphire/ Rappers liars, I don’t do satire/ Neither I nor my wrist move mockingly/ Y’all spend real money on fake watches shockingly - Neck & Wrist
Jay has always shown a penchant for luxury, and from afar, the watches in his collection may not seem outrageously expensive to the average person. Still, to those who know, they are among the most expensive timepieces in the world.
In this sense, Jay shows us a lesson in stealth luxury.
Stealth is not about being quiet; Quiet means you hope not to draw attention. This is more of an ‘if you know you know’ kind of vibe.
At first glance, a layperson who’s seeing the watch Jay mentioned for the first time wouldn’t see much out of the ordinary, but if you pay attention long enough, you’ll see that what you’re observing is far from normal.
For instance, the piece referenced is the lyrics above, which might be a coveted Patek Philippe that Hodinkee discusses on their blog. It looks simple, but its history and the craft behind it are priceless.
The ref. 2499 as it’s called, was spotted on Jay-Z’s wrist at the Grammys. It’s very rare, and even if you locate one, it would cost millions of dollars to own.
The point being that you don’t have to be loud to show that you’re really having some motion, as the young folks say.
EPILOGUE
For many who’ve never owned an expensive watch, Jay’s lyrics were an introduction to brands that we hadn’t heard of or seen.
The rumor is that he might be working on new music, and he’s been spotted with some new pieces here and there, so you gotta know that we’re gonna get a few watch bars if we get an album.1
As for me? I’m gonna keep grinding until this Apple Watch becomes a Rolex.
Check back with me in a few.
One.
Wrist Enthusiasts has a great breakdown of Jay Z’s watch collection, along with some lyric pulls that I was able to pull from for this piece.
🔥🔥🔥 article !