Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Ice Cube spotted wearing TW Steel

The sighting places Ice Cube — born O'Shea Jackson, cornerstone of N.W.A and a legitimate Hollywood presence since the Friday franchise — wearing a TW Steel CEO Tech Chrono on what the original caption suggests may be a film set. The exact production remains a question for commenters to answer, but the watch itself is worth a closer look regardless of the backdrop.

The TW Steel CE4008 belongs to the brand's CEO Tech line, a collection that leans hard into industrial design language. The case measures 48mm in stainless steel — a calling card for TW Steel, whose founder Jordy Cobelens built the entire brand identity around supersized watches when he launched the Dutch company in 2005. The dial features a black and red color scheme with three subsidiary chronograph registers, a date window, and that characteristically aggressive tachymeter bezel. Power comes from a Miyota OS20 quartz movement, chosen for reliability and cost efficiency rather than horological prestige. It is water resistant to 100 meters.

From a collector's standpoint, TW Steel occupies an interesting position. The brand has never pretended to compete with Swiss mechanical manufacture; instead, it carved out territory in the market for large-format sports watches with a streetwear sensibility. The CEO Tech series in particular has attracted a following among buyers who want visual impact without the five-figure outlay. The CE4008 reference, with its motorsport-inflected aesthetics, is among the more sought-after references within that lineup.

Ice Cube's watch choices have tended toward the accessible and practical rather than the ostentatious. For a figure of his cultural stature — Grammy-recognized artist, producer, actor, and businessman — wearing a sub-£500 quartz chronograph is a statement in itself, intentional or not. It fits a persona that has always been more South Central than Sunset Strip.

At UK RRP around £500 (roughly $620 USD at prevailing rates), the TW Steel CE4008 represents strong value for its size and specification. Grey-market prices track closely to retail, as demand remains steady but not speculative. No significant premium exists on the secondary market, which keeps it accessible to admirers of this particular on-screen cameo.