I watched Jimmy Wanjigi explain why many wealthy people are obsessed with expensive watches, and his perspective was fascinating.

According to him, a luxury watch isn’t just a fashion statement but a portable store of wealth.

He says, you can wear a KSh 100 million watch on your wrist, travel across borders with it, and, in many cases, attract far less attention than if you were carrying the equivalent value in cash or other assets.

That’s one reason, he argues, why expensive watches have become popular among billionaires, and even among criminals such as drug traffickers and fraudsters. They can literally carry their wealth on their wrists.

Wanjigi also pointed to limited-edition watches as investments rather than mere accessories. In his view, some rare models appreciate over time much like prime land.

For example, if someone buys a limited-edition Rolex for KSh 100 million today, it could potentially be worth KSh 120 million or more several years later, depending on demand, rarity, and condition.