It was about time for Mark Zuckerberg to take his style to the next level.
The Meta founder and CEO appeared in a recent interview donning a flashy wrist watch with an eye-watering price tag.
Watch experts tell Business Insider that the arm candy, a De Bethune DB 25 Starry Varius, costs between $90,000 and $95,700 — nearly as much as a futuristic Tesla Cybertruck, which rings in at $99,990, or almost double the average salary in the US.
Earlier this month, the 40-year-old tech tycoon posted an Instagram snap with his wife, Priscilla Chan, in which he sported another luxe time piece on his wrist. Eagle-eyed followers quickly clocked it as a pricey Patek Phillipe watch — a 5236P model, which costs more than $141,000, to be exact.
The glitzy additions to Zuckerberg’s wardrobes signals a sartorial shift for the social media mogul, who was previously notorious for wearing Silicon Valley chic, otherwise known as a plain hoodie, jeans and sneakers.
“I feel like I’m not doing my job if I spend any of my energy on things that are silly or frivolous about my life, and that way, I can dedicate all my energy to building the best products and services and helping us reach our goal and achieve our mission,” he said in an interview about his stripped-down personal style a decade ago.
Now, it appears Zuck’s hallmark tech bro uniform has undergone an upgrade, one fitted with gold chains, unwieldy curls and designer garments, like an Alexander McQueen suit adorned with opulent, silver dragonflies.
“Today he’s embracing more of an elevated frat-meets-street style vibe,” New York image consultant Carol Davidson told Business Insider, describing Zuck’s new fashion as a “curated, you-never-know-what-he’ll-be-sporting aesthetic.” “Tomorrow, who knows?”
The first whispers of a wardrobe metamorphosis were uttered back in March, as the public noticed the Facebook creator reimagining his appearance.
“Is mark zuckerberg becoming stylish?” one X user remarked in disbelief.
Then, the internet ran wild with an AI-altered image of Zuck with facial scruff after he posted a clip of himself with longer hair and a gold chain dangling from his neck.
The New York Times hailed the shearling coat-wearing Meta exec’s glow up as a “new, looser” version of the controversial billionaire. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal lauded his head of “Gen Z curls” as “Mark Zuckerberg 3.0,” who has ditched everyman streetwear for Buck Mason sweaters, Todd Snyder basics and Vuori athletic attire.
But style savants aren’t convinced Zuckerberg’s image overhaul is a solo endeavor.
“It shows Zuckerberg or someone helped him to choose intentionally the old rich taste to elevate himself,” Edith Chan, a Madrid-based image and branding consultant, told Business Insider.
A spokesperson for Meta debunked such speculations to The Times, revealing that the tech magnate “mostly buys clothes he finds on Instagram.” That is to say, he’s supposedly revamping his wardrobe on his own, although, the representative said, “he does get input from time to time for formal events and occasions.”
The Post has reached out to Meta for further comment.
Regardless, it seems to be working in his favor, according to Venky Ganesan, a partner at Menlo Ventures. He told The Times that Zuck’s rebrand is likely “very good for business.”
“It shows a focus on function, not status or style,” New York image consultant Joseph Rosenfeld told Business Insider, confirming Zuck’s “style evolution.”
“He’s stepping into a role where his appearance reflects his position as a tech innovator.”