Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Meek Mills spotted wearing Jacob & Co

Meek Mill was recently photographed wearing a Jacob & Co Five Time Zone reference JC11, featuring a diamond-set bezel and a bold red strap — a pairing that signals intent from across a room. The sighting is consistent with the rapper's well-documented taste for watches that double as visual statements rather than quiet luxury.

The Jacob & Co Five Time Zone is the watch that built the brand's identity. Launched in the mid-1990s by Jacob Arabo — universally known as Jacob the Jeweler — the Five Time Zone was conceived as a dress watch for a clientele that wanted jewelry-level presence on the wrist. The JC11 reference houses five individual time zone subdials arranged symmetrically across an oversized case, typically running around 47mm in diameter. The movement is a Swiss quartz caliber, a practical choice given the multi-timezone architecture, and the case is crafted in stainless steel with the diamond bezel adding considerable sparkle. The red rubber strap on this configuration amplifies the visual contrast deliberately.

Collector reception for the Five Time Zone has always been tied closely to cultural cachet rather than mechanical complexity. It is not a watch that watch collectors debate for its movement finishing or finishing quality — it earns its place as a cultural artifact. Through the late 1990s and 2000s, it appeared on the wrists of Jay-Z, P. Diddy, and dozens of other artists, cementing Jacob & Co's status as the default luxury signifier in hip-hop before Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet dominated that conversation.

Meek Mill's choice to reach for a Jacob & Co in 2024 is a deliberate nod to that lineage. The Philadelphia native has built a public persona around authenticity and street credibility, and wearing a piece with this particular cultural history carries meaning beyond the price tag.

On the market, the Five Time Zone JC11 with diamond bezel carries a UK list price of approximately £15,600, translating to roughly $19,500 USD at current exchange rates. Grey market values sit close to retail given the brand's positioning, though diamond configuration and strap color can influence secondary pricing moderately.