J Balvin is officially an investor of Bezel, a tech-first, luxury watch marketplace with a growing roster of notable investors such as John Legend, Kevin Hart, Steve Aoki and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho, to name a few.

The Grammy-winning Latinx artist is known for rocking inventive and boundary-pushing looks. Aside from his interest in fashion, he’s also an avid collector of remarkable timepieces. His collection spans an eclectic mix, ranging from bold pieces like the Richard Mille 12-01 Blue Sapphire, to innovative Jacob & Co Astronomia and prestigious Patek Philippe Nautilus. “Watches have always been a passion of mine,” said J Balvin. “I’m excited to join Bezel in their efforts to create the new standard for luxury watch shopping.”

Founded in 2022, the platform is dedicated to providing a fully authenticated buying experience for its users. “When I bought my first watch years ago with my first bonus from my newly minted job in tech, I was shocked at how intimidating the whole process felt,” Bezel’s co-founder and CEO, Quaid Walker recalls on his personal experience. He emphasized that since he had no one to seek advice from before making such a luxurious and commemorative purchase, the whole process felt “nerve-wracking and risky.”

This is why the company is operated by a team of experts with previous work experience in esteemed auction houses as well as tech giants like Google. Walker tells Hypebeast that they were “obsessed over in-house authentication from the beginning,” which naturally led them to build ”a product that felt native to the next generation of collectors,” with every client being looked after by a designated Bezel concierge representative.

Speaking on J Balvin becoming an investor to Bezel, Quaid Walker tells Hypbeast, “I’m incredibly excited to welcome J Balvin, a global icon and a massive watch collector, to the team. He’s a force in the world of watches and fashion and will be an invaluable resource as we move closer to our vision for what Bezel can continue to do for collectors.”

According to Bezel, the company saw a six times net revenue growth year-on-year in the final quarter of 2023, and has now garnered a total funding of $10 million USD.