San Francisco — Whatnot, the live-shopping marketplace originally founded around collectibles, is accelerating its expansion into higher-value product categories by embracing jewelry and luxury watches. The move comes amid surging demand for authenticated luxury items and follows a recent funding infusion designed to support broader category growth.
Whatnot has built its reputation on live auctions and sales of pop culture items, sports cards, sneakers and other “enthusiast” merchandise since its founding in 2019. Its valuation jumped to nearly $5 billion after a Series E round in early 2025. With that capital, the company has signaled interest in elevating its product assortment beyond mid-tier consumer goods.
In recent months, luxury-watch sellers and jewelry resellers have increasingly used Whatnot’s platform to offer authenticated goods from premium brands. Goldpawnership, a reseller specializing in authenticated designer handbags, accessories and timepieces, now regularly features luxury watches including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Tiffany, and Omega.
The company has also partnered with LePrix, a wholesale platform for pre-owned luxury handbags, to grant Whatnot sellers access to authenticated luxury handbags. Though that is handbags rather than watches, it signals Whatnot’s intention to expand deeper into luxury and bring in trusted inventory sources.
Whatnot’s shift is aligned with broader trends in retail: resale of luxury goods is growing rapidly worldwide, driven by consumer interest in sustainable purchasing, brand awareness, and a willingness to transact secondhand if authenticity is assured. Livestream commerce itself is gaining traction, especially in the U.S., as a hybrid of social engagement and e-commerce.
To enable this expansion, Whatnot is investing in features and seller tools aimed at authenticity, trust, and quality of experience. Verification processes are being emphasized more strongly; resellers are increasingly expected to provide proofs of authenticity. Sellers of high-value watches or jewelry are being vetted more strictly. Whatnot is also developing new UI enhancements in its app to better showcase luxury watch items and jewelry—zoomable images, close-up detail shots, more robust cataloging of condition, and likely insurance or guarantees for high-value shipments. While the company has not publicized all such measures, several resellers report tighter scrutiny for luxury listings.
One notable collaboration involved Goldpawnership and Joe Hollywood Sports Cards. In a Whatnot live auction event, Goldpawnership offered a curated set of high-end jewelry and a luxury watch: including a Rolex Datejust and a Cartier 18-karat gold Love bracelet among the items. Such selections underscore that luxury watches and fine jewelry are no longer peripheral; they are becoming headline offerings in Whatnot’s luxury-adjacent inventory streams.
Whatnot also benefits from its existing strengths in livestreaming, community engagement, and seller tools. The platform already hosts thousands of livestream shows weekly, drawing audiences that appreciate real-time interaction, negotiation, and the thrill of auction-style selling. The addition of luxury categories helps Whatnot capture higher average order values, and appeal to more affluent buyers, without sacrificing the platform’s interactive, entertainment-centric model.
Nevertheless, the company faces some risks and challenges in this expansion. Authenticity concerns are central: counterfeit luxury watches and jewelry are common in marketplaces, and if Whatnot fails to enforce adequate verification, it risks reputation damage and regulatory scrutiny. The logistics of high-value items—secure shipping, insurance, handling returns—are more demanding. Customer expectations for presentation, packaging and after-sale service are higher in luxury goods, meaning Whatnot must refine its operational processes.
Further, competition in luxury resale is strong. Specialized platforms such as Chrono24, The RealReal, and Fashionphile already serve a large base of luxury watch and jewelry buyers, often with stringent authentication and strong brand trust. Whatnot’s advantage lies in its livestream model and engaged user base, but to win over luxury consumers, it must match or exceed existing standards in trust, quality, and transparency.
From a financial perspective, the expansion into luxury watches and jewellery could increase Whatnot’s margins, as higher price items typically yield higher percentage fees or commission income. It may also lead to greater variability in inventory acquisition costs and shipping risks. Balancing those pressures will be essential for sustainable growth in this segment.
In summary, Whatnot’s move into jewelry and luxury watches represents a calculated evolution of its marketplace. By combining its strength in live shopping and community engagement with expanded product categories, authenticated luxury inventory, and improved seller tools, it aims to attract higher-end buyers and sellers. How effectively it can build and protect trust, ensure authenticity, and deliver superior service will determine whether this move becomes a defining chapter in Whatnot’s growth story or a cautionary case in handling luxury resale.