The Most Famous Jacob and Co Watches

You probably don’t own a watch from this brand. But if you did, these are the Jacob and Co watches you’d be wearing.

Extravagant, gemstone-embellished watches are generally not a man’s thing, but Jacob & Co breaks the mold. The manufacturer makes unapologetically bold statement pieces that enthusiasts and celebrities love wearing.  

These niche watches get everyone talking!

Madonna, Pharrell Williams, 50 Cent, Rihanna, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Drake, and Jay-Z all wear them. 

Despite a relatively young demographic, these watches aren’t all that new. The New York-based watchmaker has been creating off-the-beaten-track timepieces since 2002, when Jacob Arabo released the Five Time Zone watch.

It could track time zones simultaneously in Paris, New Zealand, Tokyo, LA, and local time.

It all started when Arabo’s family traveled to the US during the 1980s for a better life. Jewelry design became their specialty. 

Later, Arabo’s large jewels and colorful palette soon became the rage in timepieces. Arabo established the Jacob & Co name, along with the Quenttin watch, and success quickly followed.

Complete with a tourbillon, it promised the world’s longest power reserve.  

Then came the Astronomia watch collection — the brand’s most successful to date. It catapulted to stardom in 2010 and led to several lucrative partnerships.  

Over the years, Jacob and Co has released a special Godfather edition, thanks to its partnership with Paramount Pictures. Also, the Bugatti Twin Turbo watch with the famous car manufacturer. A Scarface watch and Fast and Furious watch also proved popular. 

These became a possibility thanks to its respective partnerships with Universal Studios and Warner Bros.  

The Appeal of Jacob and Co Watches  

Jacob & Co. makes some of the most ridiculous timepieces and some of the most desirable. Many sell for millions. Yep, Jacob & Co is among some of the world’s most expensive watch brands.  

They’re not the kind of timepieces you’d chuck on for a quiet night in. They’re the kind of watches worn by yacht owners. Still, even those who can’t afford them find them intriguing, and it’s easy to see why.  

These outrageous, elaborately crafted watches comprise high complications and bring visual, audible, and physical experiences to the wrist. That’s what makes them some of the priciest watches in the world.

Some of the brand’s wildest and craziest innovations include carousel movements and poetic portrayals of rotating celestial bodies.  

Other examples include hand-painted imperial dragon dials, sports car-inspired tonneau watches, and roulette watches.

While Jacob and Company watches are an acquired taste, you can’t deny their meticulous complexity and the brand’s outrageous audacity. The company certainly exudes opulence and luxury.  

Some of the world’s most famous fashion gurus drape these masterpieces across their wrists. They epitomize horological exuberance and fearlessness both mechanically and aesthetically.  

Let’s look at some popular wristwatches developed by Jacob & Co.  

The Jacob and Co Roulette Watch  

Not so long ago, I covered the Jacob and Co Roulette watches. Both appeal to a niche demographic—those who love the game.  

These watches are true collectors’ pieces, capturing the heyday of the gambling scene we associate with Monte Carlos and Las Vegas.

Both versions, the Astronomia Casino and the Casino Roulette emulate a real wrist-sized casino. They each feature a spinning wheel and a ceramic white ball.

The Astronomia Roulette watch comprises an 18k rose gold cage. Inside is a rotating roulette carousel with 37 pockets and a green “0.”

The watch features a double-axis tourbillon and celestial-inspired features like a 1-carat diamond moon and lacquered rotating Earth.  

The Jacob & Co Casino Roulette is a slightly more understated version. Crafted from the same rose gold material, it displays the roulette wheel on a black onyx dial.  

Activating the designated pusher spins the wheel rapidly, sending the white ceramic ball tumbling around the dial. Eventually, it will fall into one of the allocated pockets, revealing whether the wearer hedged his bet right.  

The Jacob and Co Bugatti Watch  

Since the watchmaker began partnering with the company, several Bugatti watches have come to fruition. Each one aims to recreate the visceral beauty and feel of the Bugatti’s 16-cylinder engine.  

The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon echoes the flowing lines of the Chiron, duplicating the engine with a sapphire top. Like the engine itself, the Jacob and Co watch comes to life with pumping piston pushers.  

The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon Baguette is a more ostentatious and flamboyant design. Its sapphire glass and gem-set case mirrors the muscular bodywork of the car and its horseshoe grille.  

Other Jacob and Co Bugatti watch examples include the Black Titanium model. It’s a twin triple-axis tourbillon with a superior decimal repeater and column-wheel chronograph complication.

As well as its lightweight qualities, the Black Titanium Bugatti watch is also incredibly stealthy. Celebrating the car manufacturer’s 110th anniversary, it features blue and red elements, honoring the French flag. 

One particularly nice feature about the watch is its “Fuel”-labeled power reserve indicator. 

The Jacob and Co Billionaire Watch  

You’ll be familiar with the Billionaire watch if you know a thing or two about Jacob & Co. watches. The first of this series came about due to Jacob Aroba’s passion for precious gemstones and jewelry crafts. 

The Billionaire Ashoka watch — a skeleton tourbillon — marked a first for the brand in design, pricing, and complexity. As its name suggests, the watch celebrates the Ashoka diamond cut invented by William Goldberg.

The Jacob & Co Billionaire watch II boasts 487 emerald-cut diamonds, capturing an intense purity and whiteness. Despite its unwaveringly bold beauty, the movement within is incredibly thin and discreet.  

This watch demonstrates some of the most demanding techniques the company’s underpins at its manufacturing facilities.  

The Billionaire III is even more profound. Its 656 emerald-cut diamonds house a skeleton movement supported by incredibly thin bridges. Moreover, these white gold bridges receive more baguette-cut diamonds on their surface.  

The Jacob and Co Godfather Watch 

Here’s something else you may not know about Jacob watches. The brand gained the rights to the imagery, narrative, and music from one of the world’s most iconic motion pictures, The Godfather. 

How many manufacturers do you know that have done anything quite as impressive?  

This exquisite music-playing timepiece is among the brand’s most collectible. Its 49mn case nods to the film, both musically and symbolically.

This Jacob and Co Godfather watch features the puppeteer strings from the movie poster, a violin, and a piano-shaped crank.  

The watch also tells a sentimental story, recalling the first movie Jacob Arabo watched upon arriving in America. Upon request, the watch’s innovative music box plays the Nino Rota soundtrack, bringing the entire timepiece to life.  

This watch’s movement is the star of the show, much like many a Jacob watch. It’s a triple-axis flying tourbillon, constituting a rare complication to add to your collection. Thanks to two sets of blades and combs, it rotates as the movie’s famous song plays.  

I’m not sure about you, but I can’t think of any brand that can claim such a unique-looking timepiece. 

FAQs 

Here are some FAQs about Jacob & Co, the brand. 

Why is Jacob & Co so popular? 

Jacob and Co. is a New York watchmaker that creates high-complication watches, so it’s pretty unique. These timepieces also captivate with their enthralling designs, often boasting elaborate decoration and flashy movements.

Jacob & Co Watches also hold their value very well in the pre-owned market, making them great investment propositions.  

Does Jacob & Co make good watches? 

Jacob & Co. creates high-quality watches that garner respect for their superior materials and exquisite craftsmanship.  

Is Jacob & Co a luxury brand? 

Jacob & Co. watches are the pinnacle of luxury. Enthusiasts respect the brand for its complex, intricately crafted movements made from premium materials and its bold, futuristic designs.  

The Takeaway 

For many, the dream of owning a Jacob & Co watch is beyond their financial reach. Other enthusiasts, however, can’t abide these timepieces. Many feel they’re gaudy and imposingly garish.  

Whatever you feel, if you ever come close to seeing one in the flesh, take the opportunity to try it on. Jacob and Co Watches aren’t like anything else on the market.  

They deserve a special segment in the luxury watch market — one for lovers of flamboyant, decadent, highly complex instruments.  

For me, Jacob & Co represents a style that fuses horological craftsmanship with the art of jewelry making. They’re a little gimmicky and a far cry from the contemporary classics flooding the market right now.  

If you’re lucky enough to own one, we’d love to see it. Share your watch, and comment below what you love about it!