While the Swiss have dominated watchmaking for well over a hundred years, American companies such as Jacob & Co have demonstrated that they too can manufacture high end timepieces, most notably this 40mm Steel Pave Diamond Bezel Watch.

Origins

By watchmaking and jewelry standards, Jacob & Co is a new company, having only been founded in 1986. However, founder Jacob Arabo quickly made a name for himself, establishing an NYC boutique that showcased high end timepieces and jewelry. He was the graduate of a jewelry creation course and after opening his boutique he begin making designs for various jewelry labels along with private clientele.

During the 1990s Arabo setup a kiosk in the NYC Diamond District, where his creations would catch the attention of hip hop star Christopher Wallace, better known as the Notorious B.I.G. Wallace was so impressed with Arabo’s work that he gave him the nickname “Jacob the Jeweler” while introducing him to fellow entertainment stars. He would go on to make and sell jewelry for famous musicians such as 50 Cent, Jay Z, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Madonna, Elton Jon, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna, just to name a few.

His spectacular successes in jewelry lead to an expansion into watchmaking. As previously stated, this was an area where the Swiss dominated but he shook up the industry through the introduction of a quartz collection named the Five Time Zone which merged multiple time zoned technology with bold colors. His watches became just as successful as his jewels, being worn by the likes of Derek Jeter, Bono, Angela Basset and model Naomi Campbell.

Design Highlights

The only words that can be used to describe Jacob & Co timepieces are intricate, wild and crazy. For instance, at Baselworld 2018 his company introduced the Twin Turbo Furious, which was a sensational watch showcasing a staggering number of complications with a repeater that is decimal minute and  a double higher speed tripled axis tourbillion. It also used a chronograph with the mono-pusher which was used to reference and indicate the time.  This watch was widely regarded as the event’s most complex, and shocked attendees especially the Europeans who were used to stealing the show.

Jacob Arabo is a big believer in showmanship and this is evident in all his merchandise. Because of his diverse background and close association with hip hop artists, he has developed a watchmaking vision that is unlike anyone else. Both the technical and aesthetic aspect of his watches is truly unique.

Features

This Jacob & Co 40mm watch features a case made from stainless steel with a five time zoned dial that uses mother of pearl which is pastel colored. It has 2.1 carats worth of diamonds which are pave set, with a diamond bezel and fifty two individual diamonds which total 3.12 carats. It attaches to the wrist via a polyurethane strap which is yellow in color with a buckle that is deployable. It is pre-owned and displays a classical polished finish with minimal wear.