How Rolex became rap and pop world’s favourite wrist candy

When Columbian pop sensation Shakira wanted to burn her unfaithful ex-boyfriend after she split from the football superstar Gerard Pique in 2022, she turned to Rolex for inspiration.

In the the Spanish lyrics to the revenge track Out of Your League, the 46-year-old singer hit out at the relationship Mr Pique had started up with a public relations executive half her age with the zinger: “I’m worth two 22-year-olds. You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo. You traded a Rolex for a Casio”.

Shakira is not alone in turning to iconic and aspirational brands to get their point across.

According to a study by luxury department store Fenwick, Rolex and other prestige watch and jewellery brands are commonplace in the lyrics of pop starts, rappers and other artists.

“For as long as music has been prominent in pop culture, artists have been referencing brands in their lyrics,” Fenwick says.

But which top end brands turn up most in chart-topping tunes?

According to Fenwick Luxury jewellery and watch brands feature in a total of 2,341 songs, with Rolex, Cartier and Tiffany in the top 3 within the category.

In Ariana Grande’s songs “7 Rings” and “Side to Side” the artist includes Tiffany & Co, in her lyrics.

Mabel also featured Rolex in her UK top 20 charting song “Let Them Know”.

In 2021 Beyoncé was announced as the face of Tiffany & Co. and has since mentioned the brand in her songs “Alien Superstar” and “Heated” showing her commitment to the brand.

Her husband, Jay-Z lit up social media in 2021 when he was pictured wearing a Tiffany Blue dialed Patek Philippe Nautilus.

Among all brands tracked in the study, not just watches and jewellery, Rolex is registered as the third most influential luxury brand in music with 1,381 mentions, beaten only by Louis Vuitton and Gucci.

Notoriously mentioned in hip-hop and rap music, Rolex has been included lyrics from Drake, Future, J. Cole, A$AP Rocky, Kanye West and Jay-Z.