Most Influential Rapper of All Time: Tupac “Makaveli” Shakur’s Watch Collection

Snoop Dogg and Tupac. Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

In the 1990s, Tupac Shakur, an American rap artist, and actor, came to personify the gangsta-rap style. Even after his passing, he became a symbol of the heroic struggle. He is also considered one of the best-selling artists in history, with 75 million album sales so far.

Tupac, a tortured soul with extraordinary talent and sensitivity, was shot and killed in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. He passed away six days afterward, and his murder remains unsolved.

Tupac started as a rebel with a mission to express the struggles and unfairness that most African Americans faced. His ability to do this gave him a voice for future generations still fighting to achieve equality, as well as for his previous era.

His greatest struggle in life occasionally was with himself. The lines between Shakur’s work and his personality faded more and more as fate led him to the nihilistic gangsta rap as well as the clutches of the infamous Death Row Records mogul Suge Knight, with devastating results.

Apart from all these, there is no doubt that Tupac Shakur permanently changed the face of the style. He also loved Rolex timepieces and contributed to the company’s rise to prominence. So here are some of the luxurious Rolex watches the rapper owned in his collection:

1. Rolex Submariner

One of the Rolex watches in Tupac’s collection was the 40mm Rolex Submariner in 18k yellow gold. This Rolex Submariner ref 16803 is a crucial and unexpected model for the world’s most popular luxury diving timepiece. Its significance is based on the fact that it gave the legendary Submariner a long list of brand-new functions that people currently often overlook. Nevertheless, it is remarkable that it took the company so long to make the timepiece in its renowned Rolesor bi-metal blend, given that the ref. 16803 was first introduced in 1984.

The Submariner is a piece from the Rolex specialist collection with a particular purpose. The Submariner is a water-resistant watch that can withstand up to a depth of 1,000 feet, making it perfect for both experienced divers and people who spend a significant amount of time inside the water. Rolex securely covers the Oyster casing with a stainless steel screw-down case back as well as a watertight screw-down crown to shield the self-winding movement from these severe levels.

A sapphire crystal additionally shields the dial. The unidirectional bezel on the casing may be adjusted to monitor decompression halts and other dive times as the user emerges from the water following deep immersion dives. The casing also has a black dial featuring contrasting light hour markings for enhanced visibility.

The rap legend Tupac Shakur is in this photo from the early 90s wearing (what it lookes like) a 40mm two-tone Rolex Submariner in 18k yellow gold and stainless steel on a gold jubilee bracelet, which is a very unusual combination for the model, featuring a black dial.  Photo: Getty Images

2. Rolex Day-Date in 18k yellow gold

In a picture from back in 1996, Tupac Shakur wore an 18k yellow gold Rolex Day-Date during the MTV Video Music Awards.

This Rolex Day-Date timepiece is automated and has a 36 mm monobloc casing made of 18 ct yellow gold featuring a screw-down case back with a rotating crown. The gorgeous dial is an ombre shade of green featuring diamond hourly indicators.

The diamonds are embedded in 18 ct gold placements with baguette-cut diamonds at the six and nine o’clock spots. The minute indicators are placed around the external surface, while the date and day of the week are displayed at the three and twelve o’clock positions. A scratch-resistant sapphire crystal also guards the dial, which has a cyclops lens above the date and is ringed by a gorgeous diamond-set bezel.

The self-winding caliber 3255 is the engine that drives the piece. It is a perpetual, automatic, self-winding movement comprising functions for the seconds, minutes, and hour indicators in the center.

Other features of this Rolex Day-Date include instant day and date in windows, unlimited fast setting, halt seconds for accurate time set-up, an estimated 70-hour power reserve, and waterproofing up to 100 meters (330 feet). It is also complemented with an 18 ct yellow golden President band that is fastened with a covert foldable Crownclasp.

Tupac Shakur is in this photo from 1996 at the MTV Video Music Awards wearing a 36mm Rolex Day-Date in 18k yellow gold where the bezel, hour markers of the dial and the bracelet have been factory set with pavé diamonds. Note that this model is from 2020 and of course not exactly the same as the one Tupac wore, but it is very similar. The bracelet is furthermore often posted without diamonds but Tupac:s watch was semi-set with diamonds. Photo: Getty Images

3. Rolex Day-Date Pyramid

For nearly 17 years now, this Rolex Day-Date Pyramid that Tupac used to wear has been discontinued. When the piece was first introduced in 1977, it was available in stainless steel and 18K yellow gold. It was also the inaugural Rolex to include a sapphire crystal. Approximately 25,000 Rolex Oysterquartz pieces were reportedly created overall.

With the fluted bezel, Oysterquartz President band with a hidden clasp, and distinctive clicking tone from its quartz-powered movement, the Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date ref. 19038 is among the most valuable Oysterquartz watches. The precious gemstones were placed as indicators, and 12 more were placed over every marker around the bezel.

When quartz movements started getting more and more significant, Rolex entered the quartz clock market by introducing one of the most exquisite watch concepts ever made with the debut of the Oysterquartz. Its linked bracelet with the flat front casing is similar to those of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Vacheron Constantin 222, and IWC Ingenieur SL. For a timepiece first introduced 43 years ago, its recognizable 1970s aesthetic nevertheless feels rather modern.

Furthermore, the 18K yellow gold model 19038 was equipped with a unique band referred to as the “Pyramidal” bracelet. The central links are finished with 8 tiny pyramids to complement the bezel mounted on them. Also, the watch weighs 148 grams in total, including the 25 links on its factory-installed band.

Tupac “2pac” Shakur was a collector of Rolex watches and was here wearing a 18k yellow gold 36mm oyster-quartz day date Rolex “Pyramid” president where the repeated pyramid bezel has diamonds hour makers. The inner links of the bracelet have been polished with pyramid effect decoration.

4. Rolex Day-Date Diamond

Another Rolex watch in Tupac’s collection is the Day-Date Diamond, with a bracelet that is fully studded with diamonds. This first high-end dress timepiece with a date and day window on the face was unveiled by Rolex in 1956. Since then, the innovative Quickset feature and the reference 18038 have both been developed.

The watch comes in yellow gold while the dial is a navy blue roman. On the other hand, the caliber 3055 self-winding movement has a Quickset feature. This enables the user to change the date window by turning the crown in the direction of the 6-hour marking.

In addition, this elegant Rolex Day-Date watch has a 36mm water-resistant Oyster casing, an all-gold structure made of 18 k yellow gold featuring semicircular connections and a hidden Crownclasp, and the Quickset mechanism.

Tupac Shakur is in this picture wearing a 36mm Rolex President Day-Date in yellow gold with a navy blue roman diamond dial. The bracelet is fully after set with diamonds. Photo: Getty Images

Conclusion

In addition to being a legendary rapper and a rebel, Tupac Shakur was also a renowned watch lover and collector. This was undeniably true as most of his pictures and videos from back then portrayed him wearing valuable pieces from the famous Rolex brand.

In general, Hip hop has influenced style and wristwatch collecting more than any other aspect of pop culture. Rap and timepieces undeniably go hand in hand, be it Tupac in the 1990s with his characteristic yellow-gold Rolex Day-Date, or any other artist.