A piece of hip-hop history has officially changed hands. The lavish gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex GMT Master II, which became synonymous with Drake during the promotional cycle for his seminal 2011 album Take Care, has been sold for a staggering $500,000.
The timepiece was listed by Wind Vintage, a Palm Beach, Florida-based firm led by renowned watch specialist Eric Wind. According to the listing, the watch reached its full asking price of half a million dollars. While the watch is deeply tied to the OVO founder’s aesthetic during that pivotal moment in his career, industry insiders have clarified its provenance.
Charlie Dunne, Senior Watch Specialist at Wind Vintage, noted that the accessory was not part of the rapper’s personal collection. Instead, the watch belonged to a colleague of the artist who provided it for the Take Care album photo shoot and subsequent promotional campaigns. Despite this, the watch remains a highly coveted artifact for collectors of both horology and music memorabilia.
Reflecting on the current state of the market, Eric Wind told WatchPro, “Personally, I have never seen the collectible watch market hotter than it is today. The velocity with which we are selling the watches, frequently selling the watches within minutes of listing the watch on our site, is mind-blowing.” He added that the diversity of highly educated buyers suggests the market is robust rather than fragile.
The sale package is as extensive as the watch itself. The golden Rolex features full links, showing light wear on the clasp and minor scratches on the caseback, and comes complete with its original box and official documentation of authenticity. Furthermore, the buyer received a collection of exclusive OVO memorabilia, including a Swiss army knife, an OVO owl statue, rare apparel, and a backstage VIP pass.
As of now, representatives for the Toronto superstar have not provided further comment on the sale.