Watch Paparazzi

Singer Chris Brown spotted wearing Cartier

Chris Brown, the Grammy-winning R&B and pop artist known for his conspicuous taste in high-end watches, was recently spotted wearing a heavily customised version of the Cartier Roadster XL, reference W62019X6 — a piece that stands out even by the exuberant standards of celebrity watch culture.

The Cartier Roadster XL was launched in 2002 as the brand's answer to sportier luxury, sitting alongside the Santos and Pasha in Cartier's sports-oriented lineup. The W62019X6 reference is the oversized variant, housing an automatic movement — Cartier's in-house calibre 8510, a reliable 25-jewel workhorse offering approximately 42 hours of power reserve — within a substantial 47mm × 44mm stainless steel barrel-shaped case. The signature integrated bracelet, Roman numeral chapter ring, and blued steel hands anchor it firmly within Cartier's design language. The white lacquered dial keeps legibility intact even beneath significant aftermarket modification.

Brown's piece departs dramatically from stock. A full aftermarket diamond treatment reportedly totalling 22 karats of VS-clarity round brilliants covers the case, lugs, and bracelet links — a conversion that requires skilled lapidary work to preserve water resistance and bracelet articulation. Customisations of this scale typically originate from specialist houses in New York, Los Angeles, or Geneva, and can cost anywhere from £20,000 to well over £60,000 depending on stone quality and coverage density.

From a collector standpoint, the Roadster XL occupies an interesting position. It was discontinued around 2012 and has since developed a modest but genuine secondary-market following among collectors who appreciate its avant-garde proportions and the comparative rarity that discontinuation brings. The unmodified W62019X6 trades softly on the grey market, which ironically makes it an accessible canvas for custom work without destroying significant horological value.

Brown has long cultivated a reputation as a serious watch enthusiast, with previous sightings including Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks, Richard Mille straps, and Patek Philippe complications. The diamond Roadster XL fits neatly into that portfolio — a Cartier reference with genuine pedigree, elevated by bespoke customisation into something that reads as unmistakably personal. For an artist whose aesthetic runs loud and deliberate, the choice is entirely coherent.