David Lee Net Worth

What Is David Lee's Net Worth?

David Lee is a Chinese-American entrepreneur, luxury retailer, real estate investor, and world-renowned Ferrari collector who has a net worth of $200 million. As Chairman and CEO of the Hing Wa Lee Group, originally founded by his father as a wholesale gemstone business, Lee transformed the company into a powerhouse of luxury retail and diversified ventures. His flagship Hing Wa Lee Jewelers locations in San Gabriel, Walnut, and Los Angeles are among the most prominent authorized Rolex and Cartier dealers in North America, frequently winning industry awards and drawing celebrity clientele. Lee also owns the commercial shopping centers that house his stores and manages a wide-ranging real estate portfolio through Brilliant Realty, the agency run by his wife, Katherine. Beyond watches and jewelry, he has launched or invested in ventures spanning sushi restaurants, luxury car design, media, and tech startups, including stakes in companies like SpaceX through Troy Capital Partners.

But Lee is perhaps best known as one of the world's most influential private Ferrari collectors. Nicknamed "Ferrari Collector David Lee," he owns over 30 Ferraris, valued at roughly $100 million, including multiple ultra-rare models. He owns not one but TWO Ferrari F40s and not one but TWO F50s. He also owns a LaFerrari Aperta. David is believed to be the only person known to own Ferrari's five flagship supercars, also known as the "Big Five": the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari. Oh, and he owns all five in BOTH RED AND YELLOW.

Through a savvy embrace of social media and appearances on shows like "Jay Leno's Garage," Lee has turned his collection into a public-facing passion project and built a massive following online. Whether overseeing a retail empire, restoring vintage Ferraris, or donating millions to fight homelessness, David Lee has fused business acumen with personal obsession to become a modern icon of entrepreneurship and car culture.

Early Life

David SK Lee was born on October 21, 1969, in Hong Kong. He is the eldest son of Hing Wa Lee and Chui Ling Fung. His father, a master gemstone carver, founded the Hing Wa Lee company as a wholesale gemstone and jade carving importer and exporter. In 1978, when David was 9 years old, the family immigrated to the United States and settled in Whittier, California. Growing up, Lee often helped at the family's wholesale business, giving him early exposure to both craftsmanship and entrepreneurship.

He attended local public schools and later enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Entrepreneur Studies from the Marshall School of Business in 1992. During college, Lee worked various part-time jobs and spent weekends helping with sales and inventory at his father's business. He has said these experiences taught him discipline, customer service, and the value of hard work. After graduating, he formally joined the company and set out to modernize and expand the family enterprise into retail and real estate.

Career

After graduating from USC in 1992, David Lee formally joined the family business, which at the time was a wholesale operation specializing in jade carvings and imported gemstone pieces. He quickly recognized an opportunity to modernize and expand the brand by targeting the growing luxury appetite of Southern California's Chinese American community. In 1993, Lee convinced his father to open Hing Wa Lee Jewelers in San Gabriel as a high-end retail store. Two years later, it became the first Rolex-authorized dealer serving the Chinese community in the United States.

The business expanded rapidly. In 1997, Lee opened a second location in Rowland Heights, and in 2003, the family developed Hing Wa Lee Plaza in Walnut, a mixed-use shopping center anchored by an 11,000 square foot flagship jewelry showroom. After his father's passing in 2011, David took over as CEO and began executing a broader vision. In 2013, he opened a new 15,000 square foot flagship in San Gabriel designed as a modern luxury destination, offering one of the largest selections of Swiss watches and fine jewelry in North America.

Lee didn't stop with jewelry. Under his leadership, the Hing Wa Lee Group expanded into real estate development, automotive ventures, media, dining, and private investment. He owns and manages the shopping centers that house his retail stores and launched the real estate firm Brilliant Realty with his wife Katherine. In 2024, he opened Larchmont Jewelers, a boutique concept store located in a restored 1920s building in Los Angeles, further cementing the brand's luxury positioning. His group also includes Collectible Exotic Motors, HWL Entrepreneur Investment Co., Ootoro Sushi, Phoenix Magazine, and Monza Design, a Ferrari-inspired automotive design brand.

In the early 2000s, Lee was appointed by Governor Gray Davis as a commissioner on California's Small Business Reform Task Force, where he advised the state on regulatory reform and economic policy. He continues to serve on various civic and entrepreneurial boards and is a vocal advocate for family business leadership, mentorship, and reinvestment in local communities.

David Lee in the passenger seat of an F50 (Credit: darylchapmanphotography)

Ferrari Collection

David Lee became internationally known for his extraordinary Ferrari collection, which is considered one of the most valuable private collections in the world. Estimated to be worth around $100 million, the collection includes more than 30 Ferraris spanning from the 1960s to the present. Most notably, Lee is believed to be the only person in the world to own Ferrari's five flagship supercars—the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari—in both Rosso Corsa red and Giallo Modena yellow, an achievement that places him in a class of his own among collectors.

His garage includes extremely rare and high-value models, such as two F40s, two F50s, a LaFerrari Aperta, and a 250 Lusso Competizione. Other standouts include a Ferrari F2002 Formula One car driven by Michael Schumacher, a 275 GTB 4 Cam, and a 365 Daytona Spyder. In 2022, after a public years-long back-and-forth with Ferrari over access, Lee finally acquired the elusive LaFerrari Aperta, completing his "Big Five" collection after initially being denied one due to his social media visibility.

In 2018, Lee commissioned a one-of-a-kind Ferrari Dino restomod known as the Monza 3.6 Evo, which upgraded the original 246 GTS with a 400-horsepower 3.6L V8, flared bodywork, and modern suspension. The car was so well-received that Lee launched Monza Design, a brand aimed at creating a limited run of 25 similar builds.

More recently, Lee debuted a green carbon fiber Ferrari Daytona SP3, a rare limited-edition model that signaled a new visual direction in what he calls his "relish collection." The SP3 was paired with a matching 812 Competizione and marked a bold step beyond his iconic red-and-yellow theme.

His collection also includes a Pagani Huayra, a McLaren P1 GTR made street-legal, and a Porsche 918 Spyder—further cementing his place as one of the most serious collectors of modern exotic cars. Here are some notable examples and their respective prices/values:

David Lee's Ferrari Collection:

• SF90 – $1 million
• F8 Spider – $350 thousand
• Enzo – $3.4 million
• 2 F50s – $3.5 million a piece (there were only 349 F50s ever produced. It's not known if any other collector in the world owns TWO!)
• 2 F40s – $2 million a piece
• 288 GTO – $3.3 million
• F2002 Michael Schumacher F1 Champion Car – $3 million
• Roma – $250 thousand
• 488 Pista Spider – $650 thousand
• 812 GTS – $400 thousand
• F12 DSKL TDF – $1.3 million (1/1 produced in his honor and named in his reference)
• 250 Lusso Competizione – $5 million
• 275 GTB 4 Cam – $4 million
• 308 GTS – $3.3 million
• 365 Daytona Spyder – $3.8 million
• 246 Dino – $500 thousand

In this video, David breaks down every car he's ever owned:

Personal Life and Philanthropy

David Lee lives in Southern California with his wife, Katherine, who runs Brilliant Realty, the real estate division of the Hing Wa Lee Group. In addition to working together on business ventures, the couple are active philanthropists. In 2024, they donated $1 million to support the construction of a transitional housing facility for homeless families in Pasadena. The shelter, named the David and Katherine Lee Home, will serve 20 families and is operated by the nonprofit Door of Hope.

Lee is also deeply involved in educational and entrepreneurial mentorship. He serves on the Board of Leaders at the USC Marshall School of Business and is a mentor in its Career Advantage Program. He co-founded Titan Education, a peer-driven initiative supporting young entrepreneurs, and leads the CEO Club, a private network for Chinese American business leaders. He is a member of USC's Widney Society, which recognizes donors of $1 million or more, and has also served on boards for the Los Angeles Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Advisory Council.

In 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Lee as a Commissioner of California Volunteers, a state organization that promotes civic engagement and community service.

Outside of business and philanthropy, Lee collects rare watches, vintage guitars, fine wine, and Ducati motorcycles. His wine cellar holds over 3,000 bottles, and his guitar collection includes autographed instruments from rock legends. He enjoys playing golf and participates in vintage racing events, often piloting classic Ferraris on tracks like Laguna Seca.

Real Estate

In January 1999, David and Katherine paid $800,000 for a home in San Marino, California. They sold this home in August 2003 for $2.445 million. In January 2015, they paid $5.15 million for a waterfront home on Lido Island in Newport Beach, California.

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