Jay-Z joins as investor to watch marketplace Wristcheck

Rapper-turned-entrepreneur Jay-Z has joined the team of watch marketplace Wristcheck as an investor to the business.

The 24-time Grammy winner, who is himself a “watch aficionado”, was dubbed a long-time “inspiration” by the company’s founder and CEO, Austen Chu, having helped fuel Chu’s love for watches through the bridging of the accessory with pop culture.

In the announcement, in which no details of investor terms have been disclosed, Chu said: “As the most influential celebrity watch collector of the 21st century and a certified GOAT [Greatest Of All Time, ed.], his support carries immense weight both personally and professionally.

“It’s a testament to the trust and community we’ve built, and marks a major milestone in cementing Wristcheck as the go-to platform for watch enthusiasts worldwide.”

Chu highlighted Jay-Z’s work at his record label Roc Nation, which he said “perfectly aligns with what [he] is building here at Wristcheck” where his mission is to “shape the watch world of tomorrow”.

Founded in late 2020, the platform, which serves as a marketplace for buying, selling and learning about watches, also looks to merge pop culture with its own values, striving for the overarching goal of creating a safe and accessible community for those interested in the accessory.

Jay-Z’s involvement in the company builds on past investments, including a pre-series A funding, that amount to around 13.6 million dollars to date.