Watch Paparazzi

Musician DJ Khaled spotted wearing Jacob & Co

A recently surfaced throwback image shows DJ Khaled — then a rising Miami DJ and producer — wearing a Jacob & Co Five Time Zone on wrist, diamond bezel catching whatever light was available in what appears to be an informal backstage or studio setting. The photo predates Khaled's mainstream superstar status, making it a genuine document of the taste-making era when Jacob & Co watches were a primary currency of credibility in hip-hop circles.

The Jacob & Co Five Time Zone is immediately identifiable by its oversized 47mm stainless steel case and the signature dial architecture: five geometric sub-dials — each in a distinct primary colour (blue for New York, red for L.A., yellow for Paris, blue for Tokyo, with a central master hand) — set against a near-black base dial. The diamond-set bezel visible here is consistent with the brand's factory-set option, typically featuring round brilliant-cut diamonds totalling approximately 3.25 carats. The movement is a proprietary Jacob & Co multi-timezone quartz calibre, a deliberate choice by Jacob Arabo that prioritised legibility and reliability over mechanical complexity at a time when the watch was built first as a lifestyle statement.

Launched in the late 1990s and reaching peak cultural saturation by the early-to-mid 2000s, the Five Time Zone is a legitimate piece of horological pop culture. It appeared on the wrists of Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and nearly every significant figure in that era's rap ecosystem. Jacob Arabo himself became a fixture in the industry before his legal troubles briefly sidelined the brand. The watch's collector significance today is primarily historical — it is the artefact of a specific cultural moment rather than a technically complex timepiece.

DJ Khaled's relationship with Jacob & Co has only deepened over the years. He has since been photographed wearing the Astronomia Solar, a piece retailing in the seven-figure range, featuring a hand-crafted movement with a tourbillon, rotating Earth globe, and magnesium-aluminium alloy arms. The Five Time Zone, by contrast, sits at the accessible end of the Jacob & Co catalogue — a reminder that even the most extravagant tastes have an origin point.

On the secondary market, Five Time Zone references with diamond bezels in good condition trade modestly, typically between $2,500 and $5,000 depending on condition and diamond quality. UK list pricing was approximately £10,000 at retail. For Khaled collectors and hip-hop memorabilia enthusiasts, the cultural premium on pieces from this era remains real.