Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s most recognized footballer, is investing in Chrono24 GmbH, the world’s largest specialized online marketplace for luxury timepieces. The footballer’s investment will expose him to the secondary market for luxury timepieces. While the company has not specified how much the Portuguese national has invested in the Germany-based corporation, it has revealed that other shareholders include private equity firms and Louis Vuitton chairman Bernard Arnault. The marketplace, which has over 500,000 watches listed by dealers and individual sellers, held a $1 billion fundraising round in 2021. Chrono24 Co-Chief Executive Officer Tim Stracke said Ronaldo’s investment was “significant”. “The market for second-hand watches is expected to expand 75% by the end of the decade, reaching 35 billion Swiss francs ($39.6 billion),” Bloomberg said, citing consultancy company Deloitte. The publication further added that, according to LuxeConsult, a Swiss-based analysis and consulting firm, the trend was so prevalent that revenues of pre-loved timepieces may end up overtaking sales of new watches by 2033. Ronaldo’s love for luxury watches is hardly a secret; his diverse collection is valued in the millions and includes brands ranging from Rolex to Jacob & Co, Girard-Perregaux and Franck Muller. Moreover, Stracke further said the deal was not an endorsement or marketing agreement. “He gave money to us, not us giving money to him,” he said. Stracke said that while prices for some Rolex models were stabilising, others were still falling.