Jacob & Co. is a prominent American luxury watch and jewelry manufacturer that has established a distinct identity through its focus on avant-garde design and high-complication horology. Founded in 1986 by Jacob Arabo, the company is headquartered in New York City and operates its watchmaking division out of Geneva, Switzerland, to integrate traditional Swiss craftsmanship with its signature theatrical aesthetic.
The brand’s founder, Jacob Arabo, emigrated from the former USSR to the United States as a teenager. His career in the industry began in New York’s Diamond District, where he initially gained fame as a jeweler for the hip-hop community and high-profile celebrities. This background in rare gemstones and bold design heavily influences the brand’s horological philosophy, which often merges the worlds of high jewelry and mechanical engineering.
Enthusiasts and collectors are drawn to Jacob & Co. for its “Inspired by the Impossible” approach, which rejects traditional understated design in favor of complex, three-dimensional mechanical displays. The brand is noted for its ability to create timepieces that serve as both precision instruments and kinetic sculptures, often featuring unprecedented complications that prioritize visual drama alongside technical performance.
The brand’s catalog is defined by several key collections that showcase its engineering capabilities: – The Astronomia Collection: This flagship series is recognized for its vertical, rotating movement under a large sapphire crystal dome. The movement features four satellite arms carrying a triple-axis tourbillon, a rotating earth, a spherical diamond, and the time display, all of which orbit the dial in constant motion.
– The Epic X: Representing the brand’s more contemporary and sporty side, the Epic X is characterized by its distinctive X-shaped skeletonized architecture. The design exposes the inner workings of the movement, emphasizing the vertical alignment of the balance wheel and gear train.
– Technical Partnerships: Jacob & Co. is well-known for its collaboration with Bugatti, resulting in the Chiron Tourbillon. This timepiece features a miniature, functional W16 engine block made of sapphire crystal, where the pistons move in synchrony with the watch’s activation.
– High Jewelry Timepieces: Reflecting its roots in jewelry, pieces like the Billionaire and Opera collections incorporate exceptional gem-setting. The Opera series specifically integrates a mechanical music box complication that can play cinematic themes, such as The Godfather, while the movement rotates.
