Pharrell and Madonna are fans.
Jeweller to the stars with an affluent clientele, Jacob Arabo is relatively new the scene but he has already made an impressive mark on the industry with his lavish creations and unique watches.
One of his most talked about pieces is the $18 million watch the he made for Floyd Mayweather, but he is also respected among the niche group of shoppers who can appreciate his extravagant design method.
Dubai isn’t short of such watch and jewellery enthusiasts which makes it the perfect place to open his brand new boutique, located in the Dubai Mall fashion avenue. Below, Jacob talks us through exactly what luxury means to him.
Tell us why you decided to open a store in Dubai?
Dubai is the centre of the world today, I don’t even know what to compare with, London or New York. Think it’s even better because it’s a friendly city to travel to, its comfortable, its safe, people love to come here and spend money and enjoy the beautiful weather.
In the world of digital media, how important is the store experience?
We will never stop opening stores. Luxury goods, people like to see and try and feel it. It has to be experienced.
Talk us through the pieces you’ve created specifically for the store opening.
We have some one-of-the-kind pieces that we are showing in this boutique for the first time, but in the future we will design pieces for the store.
How has the jewellery and watch industry evolved since you launched the brand?
I hope I’m an addition to all the beauties that the watch industry has to offer. I just try to do something different.
What is you USP?
Uniqueness of it and design, it’s all about design and something that makes it a completely different experience.
What is the best risk you have ever taken?
I don’t look at anything as a risk. It’s an opportunity.
What is the most extravagant creation you’ve worked on?
There’s been a few. My latest extravagant piece of jewellery is one of the kind diamond necklace I made for Pharrell Williams. It took a few months to make, but we designed it together and to me it’s very extravagant.
You have an impressive client list. Who else would you love to see wear your pieces?
I never think who I want to work with, is whoever wants to work with me. It’s very simple, I don’t spend time thinking about this, I spend time designing and producing.
You work in a world of luxury, but what does luxury mean to you?
Luxury is… you taste it, you touch it, you smell it, that’s luxury. It’s what you can buy with your money to make you happy. It’s quality and design. The watch I’m wearing today is luxury. It’s the first in the world made like this because in the watch industry, a movement that stands alone in the air, 3D, has never been made before. When I start making this movement, every watchmaker told me its impossible to do but I didn’t think that and went ahead and did it. This movement (Astronomia) is very special and when I look at it I feel good.
Do you have a favourite place in Dubai?
I like the restaurants, the hotels like the Four Seasons Jumeirah. So many nice things here.
How do you see the brand evolving in the next 5 years?
I want to just continue doing what I’m doing. I would like to have the awareness, I would like for people to have that choice, to wear or buy something from Jacob & Co.
Now that’s some serious bling.
Image: Supplied
