Cristiano Ronaldo Buys Stake In Luxury Watch Marketplace Chrono24

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has become a shareholder of the GBP-770-million luxury watch online marketplace Chrono24 after buying an undisclosed stake.

Chrono24 CEO Tim Stracke and Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, pose in undated photo. Cristiano Ronaldo, through CR7 SA, has become an investor in the company based in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany, in July 2023. (@chrono24/CEN)

The leading luxury watch resale platform – based in Karlsruhe, Germany – boasted about the 38-year-old Portuguese international’s investment on 12th July.

Bosses at the company hope the football star’s involvement will help boost the firm’s profile and sales.

Ronaldo, who is the world’s highest-paid athlete after signing a GBP 175 million-a-year deal with Saudi side Al-Nassr, has a personal watch collection estimated at around GBP 5 million.

His collection reportedly includes a GBP-1.6-million Franck Muller Trumps Van Cleef & Arpels watch with 474 white diamonds, as well as a one-of-a-kind Hublot worth more than GBP 800,000.

Previous Chrono24 investors include Bernard Arnault & family, Aglae Ventures, General Atlantic, Insight Partners, and Sprints Capital.

They have reportedly have solidified the watch market’s unicorn status with a valuation today exceeding USD 1 billion (GBP 763 million).

Image shows Chrono24 CEO Tim Stracke and Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, undated photo. Cristiano Ronaldo, through CR7 SA, has become an investor in the company based in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany, in July 2023. (@chrono24/CEN)

Ronaldo said in a statement obtained by Newsflash from Chrono24: “As a long-term watch collector and regular user of Chrono24, it’s a pleasure for me to become a shareholder in the company now.

“Chrono24 unites millions of watch lovers from all around the world to share in their passion, together – that global unification is something I know well and am thrilled to be a part of.”

Chrono24 CEO Tim Stracke added: “No one brings passion for luxury watches to the world stage quite like Cristiano.

“He has already solidified his place as one of the greatest athletes in history, and as an investor shows astute knowledge of world-class luxury and technology.

“That coupled with his authentic, proven passion for watch collecting makes him the perfect teammate as our company moves further into global expansion and our next chapter.”

The two posed for a photo shared on Instagram by Ronaldo, who wrote: “Very happy for this new investment!”

After its founding 20 years ago, Chrono24 says it has led the way in the digital marketplace by featuring over 530,000 watches from more than 3,000 dealers.

Image shows Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, undated photo. The footballer through CR7 SA, has become an investor in the Chrono24 company based in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany, in July 2023. (@chrono24/CEN)

According to the company’s stats, its website gets visited by more than nine million people every month.

Chrono24 says: “A known disruptor in the luxury watch world, Chrono24 has forever changed the way people shop for luxury watches, offering accessibility, transparency, and connectivity to enthusiasts that spans the entire world.”