Timepieces have always been a status symbol for many.
One might expect that Li Ka-Shing, Hong Kong’s wealthiest man with an estimated net worth of $28 billion, to wear a watch worth something in the 5 or 6-digit range, but the 87-year-old billionaire is full of surprises.
The tycoon who is lovingly referred to by locals as “Superman” for his illustrious business career was discovered to be wearing a modest Citizen Eco-Drive watch, during an interview with Bloomberg.
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The watch, typically priced around $400, is set 30 minutes early “because even if I forget an appointment—anywhere in Hong Kong, I can be there in half an hour,” Li says.
Apparently, the businessman who landed at the 20th spot of Forbes magazine’s global ranking of wealth has also been known to be very modest.
Describing the watch as inexpensive, practical and robust, Li revealed that the watch he wears is a solar-powered wristwatch with a black-coated case and bracelet.
“Suppose this watch is a hundred thousand dollars. I need to be careful,” Li pointed out. “But this is a few hundred US dollars, I can play golf, I go swimming, get any exercise, I don’t need to be careful.”
An ironic part of the interview saw the reporter comparing Li’s wristwatch to her own very expensive Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch.
Li Ka Shing shows off his watch at around the 8:50 mark:
