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 $500 million.

Lee, whose full name is David S.K. Lee, is the chairman and CEO of the Hing Wa Lee Group, a Southern California-based luxury business empire built around fine watches, jewelry, commercial real estate, private investments, and exotic automobiles. His father founded Hing Wa Lee in 1965 as a wholesale gemstone and jade business, but David transformed the company into one of the most prominent independent luxury watch and jewelry retailers in the United States.

Hing Wa Lee Jewelers operates major showrooms in San Gabriel, Walnut, and Los Angeles, with an additional Laguna Beach location planned. The company is an authorized dealer for many of the world's most prestigious watch and jewelry brands, including Rolex and Cartier, and Lee has used that retail business as a launchpad into commercial real estate, private equity, restaurants, automotive design, media, and collectibles. He is also known for his public-facing car persona, "Ferrari Collector David Lee," which has made him one of the best-known private Ferrari collectors in the world.

Lee's collection is valued at more than $200 million and includes more than 30 cars. 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. In 2026, he elevated the collection even further when he acquired the only factory-white Ferrari 250 GTO ever produced for $38.5 million.

Early Life

David S.K. 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 was a master gemstone carver who founded Hing Wa Lee in 1965 as a wholesale gemstone, jade carving, importing, and exporting business.

In 1978, when David was nine years old, the family immigrated to the United States and settled in Southern California. Growing up, Lee spent time around the family business, learning about gemstones, craftsmanship, sales, inventory, customer service, and the discipline required to run a family-owned company.

Lee attended the University of Southern California, where he graduated from the Marshall School of Business in 1992 with a degree focused on entrepreneurship. After college, he formally joined the family company and began pushing it in a new direction. Rather than remain a wholesale gemstone operation, Lee believed Hing Wa Lee could become a modern luxury retail brand serving Southern California's growing Chinese-American market and a broader high-net-worth clientele.

Hing Wa Lee Jewelers

After graduating from USC, David Lee joined Hing Wa Lee and began transforming the company from a wholesale gemstone business into a luxury retail operation. In 1993, he opened the company's first high-end retail store in San Gabriel. The store expanded beyond jade and gemstone pieces into Swiss watches, fine jewelry, and luxury accessories.

One of Lee's most important early achievements was securing authorized dealer status with Rolex. Hing Wa Lee became the first Rolex-authorized jeweler serving the Chinese-American community in the United States, a milestone that gave the company credibility with both local customers and major international watch brands.

In 1997, Lee opened a second location in Rowland Heights. In 2003, the company developed Hing Wa Lee Plaza in Walnut, a 30,000-square-foot retail center with three levels of parking and an 11,000-square-foot flagship jewelry showroom. In 2013, the company opened a 15,000-square-foot flagship store in San Gabriel designed as a modern luxury destination.

Under Lee's leadership, Hing Wa Lee Jewelers became an authorized dealer for more than two dozen major luxury watch and jewelry brands, including Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Blancpain, Breguet, Piaget, Hublot, and others. The company built its reputation around serving serious watch collectors, jewelry buyers, and high-net-worth clients who wanted both product access and a luxury retail experience.

In 2024, Lee expanded again with the opening of Larchmont Jewelers in Los Angeles. That same year, Hing Wa Lee Jewelers was named Independent Watch Retailer of the Year by WatchPro. Lee has also acquired and begun developing a future Laguna Beach location, extending the brand's reach into Orange County.

Real Estate and Investments

David Lee's wealth does not come only from selling watches and jewelry. A key part of the Hing Wa Lee Group's success has been real estate. Rather than simply leasing space for its stores, the company has bought, developed, and managed commercial properties tied to its retail operations.

That strategy is visible in the development of Hing Wa Lee Plaza in Walnut and the company's San Gabriel flagship. By owning or controlling the properties connected to its stores, Lee created a vertically integrated model in which the jewelry business drives traffic and prestige, while the real estate assets appreciate and generate long-term value.

The Hing Wa Lee Group's broader real estate operation has included commercial retail, residential properties, luxury homes, multi-family properties, and industrial assets. Lee's real estate interests are managed through related entities including HWL Development & Real Estate Holdings Co. and Brilliant Realty, the real estate agency run by his wife, Katherine Lee.

Lee has also diversified through private investments. His business interests have included Collectible Exotic Motors, HWL Entrepreneur Investment Co., Ootoro Sushi, Phoenix Magazine, Monza Design, Fermata wine glasses, beverage companies, education ventures, and technology startups. He has also been involved as an investor through Troy Capital Partners, which has had exposure to companies such as SpaceX.

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

Ferrari Collection

David Lee is best known internationally for his Ferrari collection, one of the most recognizable private car collections in the world. His collection is valued at more than $300 million and spans Ferrari history from the 1960s to the present.

The collection's most famous feature is what Lee calls his "Mustard and Ketchup Collection." He owns Ferrari's five modern halo cars, the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari, in both Rosso Corsa red and Giallo yellow. The pairing is believed to make him the only collector in the world with both color-matched sets of Ferrari's "Big Five."

The collection also includes a number of significant modern and vintage Ferraris, including a Ferrari F2002 Formula One car driven by Michael Schumacher, a 250 GT Lusso Competizione, a 275 GTB, a 365 Daytona GTS/4, an F12 TDF customized in his honor, a LaFerrari Aperta, an 812 Competizione Aperta, an SF90 XX Aperta, and a Daytona SP3 Tailor Made finished in exposed carbon fiber.

Lee's collection is not limited to Ferrari, though Ferrari clearly dominates it. His garage has also included ultra-high-end cars such as a Pagani Huayra, a McLaren P1 GTR converted for street use, a Porsche 918 Spyder, a Porsche GT3 RS, a Ford Mustang GTD, a Rolls-Royce Spectre, and other luxury and performance cars.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Bianco Speciale

In January 2026, David Lee made one of the most significant purchases of his collecting career when he acquired a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at Mecum Auctions in Kissimmee, Florida, for $38.5 million. The car, chassis 3729GT, is known as the "Bianco Speciale" because it is the only Ferrari 250 GTO that was factory-finished in white.

Only 36 Ferrari 250 GTOs were produced, making the model one of the most valuable and coveted cars in the world. Lee's example was originally delivered to British privateer racing team owner John Coombs and was raced by drivers including Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori, Jack Sears, Mike Parkes, Mike MacDowel, Mike Salmon, and Richie Ginther. Its competition history included multiple second-place finishes and a GT class win at Brands Hatch.

For Lee, the purchase was the ultimate collector's move. His garage was already famous for modern Ferrari supercars, but the 250 GTO gave the collection one of the most historically important Ferrari models ever built. After the purchase, Lee referred to the car as one of the final missing pieces in his Ferrari collecting journey.

In 2026, Lee also added another historic Ferrari when he purchased a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder for $18.5 million. Combined with the 250 GTO, that acquisition pushed his collection deeper into the rarest and most valuable tier of vintage Ferrari ownership.

Ferrari Collection Current Models

David Lee's Ferrari collection includes many of the most important modern and vintage Ferrari models ever built. Exact purchase prices have not been publicly disclosed for most of his cars, but the collection's total value is estimated at more than $300 million. Some of the most notable examples include:

• 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO "Bianco Speciale" – Price paid: $38.5 million. Estimated value: $40 million to $60 million.
• 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder – Price paid: $18.5 million. Estimated value: $18 million to $22 million.
• Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Competizione – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $5 million to $10 million.
• Ferrari 275 GTB – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $3 million to $5 million.
• Ferrari 365 Daytona GTS/4 – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $3 million to $4.5 million.
• Ferrari 288 GTO, red – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $5 million to $8 million.
• Ferrari 288 GTO, yellow – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $5 million to $8 million.
• Ferrari F40, red – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $2.5 million to $4 million.
• Ferrari F40, yellow – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $3 million to $5 million.
• Ferrari F50, red – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $6 million to $10 million.
• Ferrari F50, yellow – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $7 million to $12 million.
• Ferrari Enzo, red – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $4 million to $6 million.
• Ferrari Enzo, yellow – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $5 million to $8 million.
• Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, red – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $7 million to $11 million.
• Ferrari LaFerrari, yellow – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $5 million to $8 million.
• Ferrari F12 "DSKL" TDF – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $1.5 million to $2.5 million.
• Ferrari Daytona SP3 Tailor Made – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $4 million to $6 million.
• Ferrari SF90 XX Aperta Tailor Made – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $2 million to $3 million.
• Ferrari 812 Competizione Aperta Tailor Made – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $2 million to $3 million.
• Ferrari 296 Speciale – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $600,000 to $1 million.
• Ferrari 296 GTB – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $300,000 to $450,000.
• Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $500,000 to $800,000.
• Ferrari F2002 Michael Schumacher Formula One car – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: $3 million to $10 million.
• Monza Design Dino Evo 3.6 / Ferrari Dino 246 GTS – Price paid: Not publicly disclosed. Estimated value: more than $1 million based on the reported cost of the restomod project.

Taken together, the collection is anchored by Lee's famous red-and-yellow "Big Five" Ferraris: the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari. The 2026 purchase of the one-of-one white 250 GTO pushed the garage into an even higher tier, adding one of the most historically significant and valuable Ferraris in private hands.

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

Monza Design

Lee has also turned his automotive obsession into a business through Monza Design. The idea grew out of his one-of-a-kind Ferrari Dino restomod, the Monza 3.6 Evo. The project began with a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS and evolved into a highly customized modernized build with a 3.6-liter V8 engine based on Ferrari F40 architecture, upgraded suspension, flared bodywork, and modern performance components.

The car reportedly cost more than $1 million to build and became one of Lee's most discussed automotive projects. Its goal was not to create a simple restoration, but to imagine what a more powerful, modernized Dino could be while preserving the spirit of the original design.

After the attention generated by the Monza 3.6 Evo, Lee launched Monza Design as a luxury automotive lifestyle and design brand. The company focuses on collector-focused car projects and automotive products tied to Lee's taste, network, and Ferrari-centered public identity.

Media and Public Profile

David Lee has embraced social media more aggressively than many collectors in his wealth category. Under the name "Ferrari Collector David Lee," he has built a large online following by sharing his cars, events, garage tours, purchases, rallies, and behind-the-scenes moments with fans.

That visibility has made him a somewhat unusual figure in the private collector world. Many ultra-wealthy car collectors keep their garages hidden, but Lee has deliberately made his collection public. He has appeared on "Jay Leno's Garage," created automotive video content, and hosted events such as Cars & Chronos at his Southern California jewelry showrooms.

Lee has said that part of the fun of owning cars is sharing them. He is known for actually driving his cars rather than treating them purely as garage-bound assets. That attitude has helped him build a large fan base among younger car enthusiasts who may never buy a Ferrari but follow his collection online.

Philanthropy and Civic Work

David and Katherine Lee have also been active philanthropists. In 2024, they made a $1 million lead gift to support the David and Katherine Lee Home, a transitional housing facility for homeless families in Pasadena operated by Door of Hope. The shelter was created to serve families facing homelessness and provide a path toward long-term stability.

Lee has also been active in education and entrepreneurship. He has served on the USC Marshall School of Business Board of Leaders and has mentored students through USC programs. He co-founded Titan Education, an initiative focused on entrepreneurship and leadership, and has served as chair of the CEO Club, a private network of Chinese-American business leaders.

His public-service work has included appointments to state-level civic bodies. In the early 2000s, he served on California's Small Business Reform Task Force under Governor Gray Davis. In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed him to the California Volunteers Commission, which promotes service and civic engagement across the state.

Personal Life

David Lee is married to Katherine Lee. Katherine runs Brilliant Realty, the real estate division connected to the Hing Wa Lee Group's property interests. The couple lives in Southern California and has worked together across real estate, philanthropy, and family business ventures.

Outside of watches, jewelry, cars, and real estate, Lee collects rare watches, vintage guitars, fine wine, and motorcycles. His wine collection has included thousands of bottles, and his guitar collection has included autographed instruments from major rock musicians. He is also a golfer and participates in vintage racing and car events.

Lee has spoken publicly about his Christian faith and has described faith, family, business discipline, philanthropy, and mentorship as central parts of his life.

Real Estate

In January 1999, David and Katherine Lee paid $800,000 for a home in San Marino, California. They sold that 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. The property reflects Lee's broader pattern of buying high-quality Southern California real estate while building wealth through both personal homes and commercial holdings.

Lee's more important real estate footprint, however, is commercial. Through the Hing Wa Lee Group and related companies, he has built or controlled valuable retail and commercial properties tied to his jewelry business. Those holdings include Hing Wa Lee Plaza in Walnut, the San Gabriel flagship property, and other real estate assets connected to his retail, investment, and development activities.

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