Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo continues to expand his investment portfolio. The 38-year-old’s latest venture involves the online luxury marketplace Chrono24. An aficionado of luxury watches himself, Ronaldo’s investment in the company comes as no surprise.
Founded 20 years ago, Chrono24 is the world’s largest online platform dedicated to the purchase and sale of luxury watches. Since its establishment, the company has effectively disrupted the luxury timepieces market. Chrono24 doesn’t just operate with new watches, as it also retails used and vintage watches, along with accessories.
The marketplace claims that it reaches more than nine million unique visitors every month. Their offerings include over 530,000 watches from more than 3000 dealers, and over 30,000 private sellers. Given its scale, the company has seen tremendous growth and attracted some elite investors. LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault is one of the most notable investors in Chrono24. The marketplace has been given a valuation of more than $1 billion.
• What is Chrono24?
Imagine if Amazon and a Rolex had a baby → That’s Chrono24.
It’s the world’s leading marketplace for luxury watches → new, pre-owned, and vintage.
Chrono24 in a nutshell:
→ 3K dealers
→ 500K watches
→ 30K private sellers
→ 4.6M monthly page views pic.twitter.com/wnewWt9n4V— WealthBeat (@wealthbeat_) July 13, 2023
Not only does the investment make sense from a financial standpoint, but it also goes along with Ronaldo’s other investments in the luxury segment. The forward announced that he had purchased a stake in the company through an Instagram post with the company’s co-CEO Tim Stracke.
Speaking on his investment, the Al-Nassr striker said, “As a long-term watch collector and regular user of Chrono24, it’s a pleasure for me to become a shareholder in the company now. Chrono24 unites millions of watch lovers from all around the world to share in their passion, together – that global unification is something I know well and am thrilled to be a part of.”
Cristiano Ronaldo is the new ambassador of the watch company Chrono24. ⌚🔥 pic.twitter.com/6LZbpiBbaD
— TCR. (@TeamCRonaldo) July 12, 2023
Stracke was similarly enthusiastic about Ronaldo’s investment. He said, “His passion for timepieces met his business genius and he’s taking both to the next level. It’s a big day for us and our community, whose love for watches knows no bounds. A victory for the art itself. And a proof that dreams can be achieved with feet, brains, and infinite devotion.”
While the exact value of his shares in the company has not been disclosed yet, Stracke made it clear that his involvement was ‘significant’ for Chrono24.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s love for luxury watches
The Real Madrid legend can boast of having one of the most lavish watch collections in the world. His admiration for luxury timepieces began during his days at Manchester United. A young Ronaldo was often spotted wearing a classic steel Rolex Daytona, worth up to $30,000.
As the years went by, the forward’s collection multiplied in size and worth. The most expensive watches in his assortment include – a yellow-gold GMT-Master II, a Rolex Dayton featuring gemstone bezels, and even the million-dollar Hublot ‘Masterpiece’ MP-09 Tourbillion.
Despite his elegant tastes, even Ronaldo couldn’t resist an ‘iced out’ Rolex. His GMT-Master II, studded out in diamonds, is worth at least $485,350.
