Ice, Ice Baby: A Look At Jacob & Co.’s Most Dazzling Timepieces

I’ve been wracking my brain trying to put to words the impact Jacob & Co. has had on the world of Haute Horology. Because there is truly no one quite like Jacob Arabo in the business. Arabo came to New York from Russia at age 14. He started out as a jeweler’s apprentice to help support his family at 16. While making jewels for other brands, he sold his own creations as a side hustle before hanging out his own shingle in New York in 1986.
 

His designs soon caught the eye of singer Faith Evans, who turned her husband, the Notorious B.I.G., on to Arabo’s work. Soon he became immortalized in hip hop lyrics as “Jacob the Jeweler.” But it wasn’t just celebrities that were drawn to Jacob & Co. — collectors have also taken note of his extravagant timepieces because Arabo specializes in highly complicated timepieces with iconoclastic designs made with precious materials such as rare stones.
 

A self-made man, Arabo approaches watchmaking the same way he did selecting the finest gems: with great technical dexterity and a certain regard for decadence. Some might say it’s over the top, but at the same time, there is something quite dazzling about Jacob & Co.’s works. The following five timepieces are perfect expressions of this iconoclastic manufacture.
 

In a business move that was equally as disruptive as Jacob & Co.’s lavish timepieces, in March the manufacture announced a long-term partnership with the car makers Bugatti on a series of exclusive co-branded products. According to the press release, the partnership wants to push "the limits of what seems mechanically possible." 
 

The news signalled an end to Bugatti’s long-standing partnership with Parmigiani Fleurier, which also produced some outstanding timepieces. But with the Twin Turbo Furious: The Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition, Jacob & Co. once again seeks to up the ante technologically. This watch is driven by two triple-axis tourbillons (to ensure precision timing). Other extras under the hood include a column-wheel chronograph and a decimal repeater that chimes at 10-minute intervals.
 

The look is a little flashier as well. It’s turquoise blue outer ring is a tribute to Bugatti’s 110-year anniversary blue Chiron. It also features the Bugatti logo on the center of the dial between the chronograph counters. The power reserve indicator at 6 o'clock is called a “fuel” indication.
 

2019 has been a big year for partnerships for Jacob & Co. In January, the brand inked a deal with soccer legend Lionel Messi — the nine-time champion of the Spanish soccer league, four-time winner of the European Champions’ League, five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or as the best player in the world, five-time winner of the Golden Boot as the top goal scorer in Europe, and gold medal-winning Olympian.
 

To recognize Messi’s outstanding accomplishments, Jacob & Co collaborated with the Football god on a series of equally epic timepieces. The Epic x Chrono “Messi” style comes in a 47mm, polished grade 5 titanium, titanium and rose gold or titanium and white gold, diamond-studded case, with anti-reflective sapphire glass, a ceramic chronograph bezel and buttons, and rubber horns, and crowns.
 

If I first heard about Jacob the Jeweler through Jay-Z’s ''Money Ain't a Thing,” it wasn’t until Baselworld 2015 when I was truly blown away by the Billionaire.

This one-of-a-kind was created by Arabo created in affiliation with Flavio Briatore and his Billionaire Lifestyle SARL company. The press at the time described it as “a dazzling representation of the courageous and rebellious Jacob & Co. spirit.”
 

This hand-finished, exclusive Jacob & Co. Skeleton Manual Winding Tourbillon Caliber JCAM09 is enough to take one’s breath away. But the real glory is the 18 K white gold 58 X 47.5mm case and bracelet set with 260 carats of emerald cut diamonds. Each stone is significant with some individual rocks measuring 3 carats. And they are all individually bead set to maximize brilliance.
 

In 2018, former pro boxer Floyd Mayweather bought this ultra-blinged out watch for a reported $18 million. I felt privileged and very nervous to be in the same room as this timepiece at Basel. It’s nice to think that for a moment, I was part of Jacob & Co’s unbelievable history.

(Photography by Liam O'Donnell & Pierre Vogel)