Last week, Perri Dash, founder of Super Niche and host of The Wrist Check Podcast, shared his insights at Super Nicheâs partnership event with The RealReal. During the event, Dash discussed how hip-hop continues to shape the watch industry, the booming resale market, and what collectors should be paying attention to next.
Hip-hop has long been a driving force behind the popularity of luxury watches, turning brands like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Richard Mille into cultural staples. From iconic lyrics to flashy moments in music videos, rappers have not just worn these timepiecesâtheyâve made them aspirational.
With a background spanning Roc-A-Fella Records, Ralph Laurenâs vintage watch division, and David Yurman, Dash offered a unique perspective on how music, luxury, and culture intersect in the world of watches.
âHip-hop didnât just popularize these brandsâit moved the market,â Dash said. âWhen Future, Drake, or Jay-Z name-drops a watch, that model becomes a grail overnight. You see it in resale prices and in how brands are courting the culture more than ever.â
One standout example Dash highlighted was Audemars Piguet. Once mainly known among European collectors, the brand became a household name in the U.S. after Jay-Z rapped about his AP and later collaborated with the brand. Today, Audemars Piguet is almost synonymous with hip-hop luxury.
The resale market, too, is booming. Steel sport models like the Rolex Daytona and Patek Philippe Nautilus are frequently mentioned in lyrics and seen in music videos, with prices surging from $30K to over $100K. This rise is driven largely by demand from hip-hop culture.
Dash also touched on the growing trend of customization in the watch industry, with artists commissioning one-of-a-kind, iced-out timepieces. Drakeâs Richard Mille with an emerald bezel and Offsetâs fully-busted watches are prime examples of how hip-hop is turning luxury watches into wearable art.
âItâs not just about having the watch, itâs about owning something no one else has,â Dash explained.