Nearly 33 years ago, after much creative thought and forthright ambition, and moreover, with an entrepreneurial dream, Jacob & Co. was born. Starting off I would like to talk about how this brand was created in 1986 leading up to the present with retail stores in over twenty countries. The luxury brand is primarily devoted to the expertise of the founder a self-made man. And then to his other passion, watchmaking. In 2002, a rst quartz model was launched, the “Five Time Zone” (for those of you whom happen to travel the world), before he went on to tackling the more complex workings of watch mechanics. Ten years later, Jacob & Co. opened its own watchmaking workshop in Geneva. A set up that brings all Jacob Arabo’s creative and technical desires respectively to the forefront. Given the product is out of the ordinary, the brand attracts collectors such as celebrities who subscribe to his sometimes-extravagant aesthetic tastes for an unhindered use of precious stones, bold and big sizes. Make no bones about it – this is for consumers whom like to make an entrance.
You are probably wondering how did it all start. Arriving at 14 years old in the United States, Jacob started working two years later as an apprentice to a jeweler. He already has strong ambitions that he would make a name for himself in this world of luxury and creativity. And rightly so, he opened his rst workshop at 17, supported by a more established partner who provided him with the necessary credibility to seek clients. As a manufacturer for other brands, he began creating his own jewelry collection and canvassed outlets before opening his own store in New York, where his flagship store is located today.Each model is the focal point of all the craftsmen’s attention and know-how at their Geneva workshop.
As a jeweler, Jacob sources singularly rare and exceptional stones each selected with the utmost integrity of origin and the critical care of an artist’s eye. His inventiveness and inspiration merge with the finest jewelry making techniques to give birth to iconic and intricately crafted masterpieces. In 2002, Arabo began to design watches that became symbols of success for both bold face names and serious collectors. As the creative force behind the brand’s ingenious watch collections, Arabo has received a number of design awards and is recognized as the “Master of World Time” – even earning a place in music fame with more than 200 references in pop culture songs to his “over-the-top” timepieces. As luck would have it, I was fortunate enough to go down in history as the first person to enter his store before the big opening night. Incidentally, the event was filled wall to wall with affluent businessmen/women, celebrities, top models, and the fashion worlds cognoscenti. Simply said, a launch to remember Jacob style.
Prior to his store opening, I recently had the privilege of speaking with founder of Jacob & Co, Jacob Arabo about his business strategy to capitalize on within the marketplace, why a person to person reationship is so important when speaking your luxury brand and why he would chose to open a retail store in the heart of NYC when stores around the nation are closing doors!
Talk to us about your start. How did Jacob the Jeweler develop. What was your strategy and void in the market where you sought to capitalize on?
Ever since I was child, I’ve had a strong creative vision. I would see images, and designs in my mind and seek innovative ways to bring them to life. I was first drawn to photography, which allowed me to capture my visions in a tangible form, but later sought to create works of art that were never-before-seen, avant-garde and aesthetically pleasing. Through creating jewelry, I was able not only to bring my visions to life, but also to seek out and incorporate some of the rarest treasures the natural world has to offer while doing so. I started designing jewelry when I was sixteen years old. My family and I had just moved to America from Russia, and I had taken a manufacturing job at a jewelry factory to help support them. While working on the production line, I began collecting the scrap materials and creating my own designs with them. I eventually showed my boss my designs and he agreed to produce them at the factory. They instantly became best-sellers. By the time I was seventeen, I left the factory to start my own company. By 21, I opened my first shop in New York’s diamond district. I have always believed in taking risks, and doing things differently. Most retailers in the diamond district at that time had wedding bands and engagement rings in their display cases. Instead, I put my original designs front and center, which were statement making pieces, set in platinum. No one was really working with platinum at that time, so people thought I was crazy. Nonetheless, they caught the attention of my celebrity clients who were drawn to one-of-a-kind designs. They loved the platinum because it created a shine that could easily be seen from the stage. My celebrity and music industry clients nicknamed me “Jacob the Jeweler” and starting mentioning me in their songs. Through their support, word of my designs spread and the popularity of Jacob & Co. increased around the world. We purchased the Jacob & Co. townhouse, where we launched the first rendition of our New York headquarters in 2004. My strategy has always been to think outside of the box, and to push the boundaries of design. Many of my clients are world travelers, able to buy jewelry and watches from whatever brand they please. They come to Jacob & Co. for design innovation, and for pieces that can’t be found anywhere else within the market.
JD: In your words, why on earth would you open a retail store when stores are closing around the nation? Why is a store and person to person relationship so important.
JA: Today, most retail exchanges are facilitated online. While we do have an e-commerce platform, the caliber of the pieces that our brand offers requires in-person interactions. People don’t spend thousands or millions of dollars on jewelry and watches without being able to see them, feel them, and try them on first. When buying products of this scale, clients want to be educated on the piece and its details—to understand and to be able to explain why it’s so special. The boutique was designed to offer clients the same level of luxury, innovation of design, and personal attention to detail that can be expected from our watches and jewelry. Jacob & Co. is more than just products, it’s a luxury experience and lifestyle and that’s what the new boutique embodies.
JD: Explain to us the current collection and product offerings. What is your comparative advantage in the marketplace?
JA: Jacob & Co. offers a dynamic selection of rare high jewelry, striking fine jewelry, and complicated as well as record-breaking watches. Our high jewelry collection is celebrated for incorporating some some of the world’s rarest colored diamonds, predominantly pinks and blues of the highest possible quality, into our designs. Our fine jewelry collections such as Rare Touch, Infinia, and Titanium Glam, are known for their inventive and playful aesthetics as well as for their ease of wear. We also have a robust timepiece division, headquartered in Geneva Switzerland, which is renowned for its high tech complications and for introducing never-before-seen movements, such as the Astronomia Tourbillon’s triple axis gravitational tourbillon, to the world of watchmaking. Our arena of luxury, rare diamonds and gemstones and complicated timepieces will always have a following. The rarer the items are, the more sought-after they will be by clients and collectors from around the world. That’s our comparative advantage, we are constantly pushing the limits of design and working with the best artisans and craftsman to introduce entirely unique pieces to the marketplace. As long as we continue to do so, clients who seek these rare and extraordinary items will continue to support our brand.
JD: How in any shape and form, has technology aided your company. Both technology in producing and technology with respect to social media and e-commerce.
JA: Advancements in technology have enabled us to be innovative and inventive with our product offerings, especially when it comes to our watches. New tools and devices are constantly being developed to ensure better precision, allowing us to create and implement more complicated movements and more detailed designs. Technology, in a broader sense, has also been instrumental in our brand’s growth marketing and growth. The internet and social media have been highly effective tools for brand awareness. Since our pieces have a striking and artistic aesthetic, predominantly visual platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great platforms for attracting and engaging with new-to-the-brand audiences.
JD: What is your biggest risk, what has been your greatest achievement to date. – where would you like to see your brand in the next 5 years.
JA: Every time we create a new piece, we’re taking a risk. Innovation is at the core of our business, so we are constantly striving to create new pieces that are rarer, or more complicated than anything else on the market. To be honest, we hardly ever succeed at our first try. There’s a continuous trial and error period in bringing never-before-seen pieces to life. We may fail 50 times before we have one success, but that one success makes it all worth it. Some of the record-breaking pieces that have resulted from this trial and error include the Astronomia Triple Axis Gravitational Tourbillon, the record-breaking Billionaire timepiece which incorporates over 260 carats of Emerald cut diamonds, and the new Twin Turbo Furious, which features a twin accelerated triple axis sequential tourbillon, minute repeater and monopusher chronograph. I would say that these items are amongst our greatest achievements to date. In looking to the future, I’d love to continue expanding the Jacob & Co. brand around the world. We already have a presence in the world’s leading cities including: New York London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Dubai, but we hope to find the right retail partners that can help take our brand to even further heights.
