Some people say, “No matter where you go, remember where you came from.” Whether they remember it or not, some surely ignite intrigue, especially after tasting the sweetness of success. Take, for instance, the founder of Jacob & Co., who got his first big break in the late 1980s. The now 59-year-old began as a jewelry designer in New York, creating custom pieces for a variety of clients. Neither the products nor the clients were subtle, leading to a major breakthrough.
He soared even higher when he started designing jewelry for hip-hop artists, captivating them with bold, extravagant designs that caught the attention of industry icons like Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z, who became hooked on his multi-million-dollar creations. He later transitioned from jewelry to watches, releasing the signature “Five Time Zone” watch in the early 2000s, allowing wearers to track multiple time zones.
This move cemented his reputation as a luxury watch designer and turned Jacob & Co. into a globally recognized luxury brand with a presence in nearly 100 stores worldwide. Now, we delve into the key moments that changed the course of this iconic watch designer’s life.
It all started with his family
Being the youngest brother of four sisters introduces one to the finer things in life, like fashion and jewelry, at an early age. Born in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union, Arabo was the only male in his Bukharian Jewish family and helped his sisters repair their jewelry.
The love for watches was always in him
His interest in watches began at the age of 13 when his father gifted him a world time watch. That sparked a passion, and he took a part-time job assisting a watchmaker. Arabo recalls how he “loved all the tiny parts and gears” and was “enthralled by his [father’s] ability to breathe life into a movement, to assemble it, and then have it actually tell time.” At 14, he emigrated with his father to NYC, settling in Forest Hills, Queens, where he attended Forest Hills High School.
Financial hurdles and unquenchable passion-
Due to family difficulties, Arabo discontinued his formal education at 16, before completing high school. He then enrolled in a six-month jewelry-making course, which was followed by work at a traditional jewelry manufacturer in New York City’s Diamond District on 47th Street. At night, he crafted his own jewelry from his family’s house.
“The first piece of jewelry I made was when I saw a bunch of leftover gold tubing left as scrap. I took this and made it into a bracelet, and we sold so many of them. I was still a teenager but I soon realized that to really support my family, I had to stop being a workman and start being a jeweler myself.”
He did make good money which gave him the confidence to become a business owner, “I started making real money, like $2,000 a week within nine months. After that, I went to my boss, and said, “Thank you very much for the opportunity. I [have] got to leave because I want to do my own business.”
The next five years
In 1986, at the age of 21, Arabo founded his retail jewelry company, Diamond Quasar, under the Jacob & Co. brand. “I have to create,” says Mr. Arabo. “My dream has always been to invent things that haven’t been done before. For the brand, it’s about making the impossible a reality.”
The rise of Jacob the Jeweler-
It wasn’t until 2007 that the now-established jeweler nicknamed “Jacob the Jeweler” founded Jacob & Co. SA in Geneva, Switzerland. That same year, he introduced his first high-watchmaking timepiece, the Quenttin, which became the first watch to feature a vertical tourbillon and a 31-day power reserve, the longest in the world at that time. Jacob’s vision for true high watchmaking is just under a decade old, and he has delivered greats like Jacob & Co. Astronomia, Twin Turbo Furious, Bugatti Chiron Blue Sapphire Crystal, and many more.
Who’s who sporting Jacob & Co. masterpieces-
The 59-year-old genius watchmaker has catered to Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Beyoncé, Big Sean, Rick Ross, A$AP Ferg, Kanye, Pharrell Williams, Bono, David Beckham, and even Leonardo DiCaprio. In more recent times, legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has frequently been seen wearing custom-designed Jacob & Co. watches. Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather owns the incredible “Billionaire” watch, worth over $18 million. Additionally, the brand has been sported by billionaire families like the Ambanis, from matriarch Nita to watch connoisseur Anant Ambani.
From watches to skyscrapers –
The New York-based, family-owned business has achieved tremendous success in less than four decades, with a total of 94 boutiques and shop-in-shops worldwide. The most recent and largest Jacob & Co. showroom opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2023, followed by India’s first showroom in July, further cementing their presence in Asia. Between these store openings, in June 2023, they announced the Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co. Residences in collaboration with Emirati property developer Binghatti, a 100-story “hypertower” that promises to be a symbol of luxury living.
He has certainly come a long way since the NYC jeweler made his first watch in 2001, as he couldn’t afford to make them before that. Jacob Arabo has been mentioned in over 68 songs, created multi-million dollar timepieces with over 500 parts, and adorned them with the highest quality gemstones. Now, his name will soon be emblazoned on one of the world’s tallest residential towers in Business Bay, Dubai, a structure inspired by Jacob & Co.’s design and horological philosophy. A fitting tribute to a once-in-a-lifetime talent.
