Time, paradoxically, is both humanity’s most democratic resource and its most jealously guarded luxury — each person receives the same hours, yet only a few know how to transform them into legacy. Jacob Arabo, founder and creative visionary of Jacob & Co., explored the journey from immigrant jeweller to horological pioneer whose Astronomia collections have redefined the boundaries of mechanical artistry.
Lara Palmer: You arrived in the United States as a young immigrant with very limited resources. What internal belief carried you through?
Jacob Arabo: Family was always the foundation. When you come to a new country with nothing, you don’t have capital, you have responsibility. I never thought small. Even when resources were limited, the vision was not. I believed that if you commit fully, with discipline, creativity, and persistence, you can create your own destiny. Today, I’m blessed to be working with my wife Angela, my son Benjamin, our CEO, and my son David, our CCO. What started as ambition has become legacy.
L.P.: Before jewellery, you were passionate about photography. How did the photographer’s eye influence your approach to luxury design?
J.A.: Diamonds are light. Gems are colour. Photography is also about stories, and all our pieces tell a story, especially our timepieces. Bugatti, The Godfather, Casino, Billionaire — all the Jacob & Co. collections are a narrative. It’s what they’re based on. Storytelling for us is not a marketing layer placed on top of a product. It is the foundation. If the story is not authentic, the piece has no soul.
L.P.: What philosophical idea about time or existence inspires the Astronomia collections?
J.A.: It is actually more personal than philosophical. I have always been fascinated by space, rockets, exploration, the stars and the planets. That fascination began in childhood. Astronomia comes from that sense of wonder. As you grow older, it is easy to become practical and forget what first inspired you. The curiosity you have as a child is a gift. If you keep it alive, it continues to guide you.
L.P.: Your brand became deeply intertwined with hip-hop culture. Was this strategic?
J.A.: It was never a strategy. You cannot plan for culture to walk through your door. People came because they were looking for creativity, for something different. Faith, Biggie, Pharrell, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes — we connected naturally. What happened between Jacob & Co. and hip-hop was organic. It was based on mutual respect and shared ambition.
L.P.: Many heritage watchmakers rely on tradition. You chose spectacle and audacity.
J.A.: Those norms actually give us an advantage because we operate outside them. Jacob & Co. is defined by invention. Our motto, Inspired by the Impossible, is not a slogan. It is a standard. When we introduced Astronomia Tourbillon, I wanted the movement to rotate much faster than was technically possible. We began with one rotation every twenty minutes. Then ten. Then five. Eventually, with Astronomia Revolution, we achieved one full rotation in sixty seconds. What seemed unrealistic became reality through persistence.