How Jacob & Co Keeps Upping The Ante In High Horology

The pendulum has been swinging back the other way. Over the last few years, watch collectors have been less interested in bombastic, attention-grabbing timepieces, instead favouring smaller, more subtle, more wearable executions. Where does that leave a company like Jacob & Co? The New York-based jeweller, which has a watchmaking division in Switzerland, built its reputation around outlandish, ambitiously themed and complicated timepieces: tourbillons, automatons, fully bejewelled cases, and more.

It leaves them in a rather good spot, actually. Earlier this year, a comprehensive report by Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult named Jacob & Co as the fastest-growing Swiss watch brand in 2025, with revenue of over US$180 million representing a 14 per cent year-on-year growth. Unit sales increased by 24 per cent over the same period, up to 3,975 units.

Benjamin Arabov has been CEO of Jacob & Co since 2021, joining the company that his father founded after his own successful business ventures. He points out that unit sales grew nearly twice as fast as revenue. “That was not an accident. Over the past few years, we’ve listened closely to collectors and retail partners. They loved the creativity and engineering of Jacob & Co, but they wanted more options they could wear every day. That led us to introduce more pieces in smaller diameters and expand collections suited to a broader range of lifestyles, while staying true to our DNA,” he explains.

Even as Jacob & Co has proven to be adaptable, its headline timepieces—the ones dominating its Instagram feed—are still in its traditional, maximalist mould. And they are not just bedazzled renditions of old concepts, either. Consider the highlights of the first half of this year alone, each of which brings something new to the table in terms of watchmaking or jewellery.

In January, the brand unveiled God of Time, which sports the fastest tourbillon in the world, with one revolution taking a mere four seconds. This was made possible through two sets of two stacked barrels and extreme weight reduction of the mostly titanium tourbillon carriage. It even has a 60-hour power reserve.

In March, it was the Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel Cut. On a platform of two flying tourbillons, Jacob & Co debuted the Angel Cut—a new, patented diamond cut, designed to enhance the optical spectacle of each gem while preserving as much material as possible. The watch is completely covered with Angel Cut diamonds, 298 in all.

And in April, the Godfather II was launched, a sequel to the original Godfather watch that Jacob & Co introduced in 2019. Like its predecessor, Godfather II is a musical timepiece that uses the licensed score from the iconic movies, but has a markedly different aesthetic, with a rectangular instead of round case. It also has a world-first mechanism—a melody selector at 10 o’clock switches between two pieces from the films’ score, both encoded in a single barrel system with a shifting cylinder.

Jacob Arabo founded Jacob & Co in 1986 and remains its chairman. He no longer manages every detail of the company—especially since Benjamin is now at the helm—but he is still closely involved and driving its creative vision. “It’s about setting the direction, challenging people to think bigger, and protecting the creative spirit that defines Jacob & Co. It’s still about imagining what everyone else says is impossible and finding a way to make it real,” he explains. “These three pieces show exactly what Jacob & Co is capable of today. Each pushes watchmaking in a different direction: God of Time challenges what is possible with the tourbillon; the Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel Cut brings together high watchmaking and high jewellery at the highest level; and the Godfather II pushes the musical timepiece into new territory.

“I am most proud that we are not defined by one complication or one style of watchmaking. We continue to challenge ourselves in different ways, and we have built the technical capabilities to turn even our most ambitious ideas into reality. And I still believe we can go much further.”

“(My father) had the courage to trust his instincts when everyone else was playing it safe, and 40 years later, he still has that same hunger. He’s always thinking about the next idea, the next creation, the next challenge. My role is to build the business around that creativity and ensure those bold ideas reach more collectors worldwide without ever losing the spirit that made Jacob & Co what it is,” says Benjamin.

Last year, Jacob & Co opened more than 30 points of sale worldwide, solidifying the brand’s global reach. It extends to the Southeast Asian region, where it is represented by Sincere Fine Watches. “Jacob is a true visionary with tremendous creative energy, and that comes through in everything the brand does,” explains Kate Lim, regional managing director of Sincere Watch Limited. “The collectors we see gravitating towards Jacob & Co are often looking for something genuinely different from what they already have…their watches appeal to collectors who appreciate creativity and originality, but also want real watchmaking substance.”

“Many are deeply knowledgeable about complications and craftsmanship, but what I enjoy most is that there is still a strong emotional connection to the watch,” Jacob adds of his Southeast Asian clientele. “They want something that excites them and reflects their personality. I think that mindset aligns naturally with Jacob & Co because we have always created for people who are not afraid to stand apart.”

• Rose gold case, 44.5mm diameter, 18.25mm thickness
• Blue aventurine dial with hand-engraved rose gold sculpt
• Hours, minutes, four-second tourbillon
• RM1.6 million, limited edition of 60 pieces

“‘Inspired by the Impossible’ is our slogan. Within Jacob & Co, ‘impossible’ is never accepted as an answer. When my watchmakers tell me something cannot be done, that is usually where the project begins. We’ve spent years pushing the tourbillon in every direction imaginable, from single-axis to four axes. Once you’ve mastered a complication like that, you stop asking what it is and start asking what else it can become. That’s how God of Time was born. We didn’t set out to build the fastest tourbillon. We set out to redefine what a tourbillon could be. The four-second tourbillon is simply the result of that mindset.”

Jacob Arabo

• White gold case, 54mm height, 41mm width, 13.2mm thickness
• Case, dial, hands, and clasp set with 298 white diamonds (approximately 79 carats) with patented Angel Cut
• Hours, minutes, dual flying tourbillon
• RM 15.3 million, limited edition of 18 pieces

“You don’t introduce something you’ve named after your wife on a small stage. This year marks 37 years of marriage between my wife Angela and I. The Angel Cut has 37 facets, one for every year we’ve shared. The greatest creations combine innovation with emotion, and that’s exactly what this timepiece represents.

“The Billionaire has always been a passion project of mine. It brings together the two worlds that define Jacob & Co: exceptional jewellery and exceptional watchmaking. It’s the perfect canvas because there’s nowhere to hide. The watch is entirely set with diamonds. We have created Billionaire watches with different diamond cuts since 2015, so when this piece is placed beside them, you immediately see what the Angel Cut brings. I wanted people to experience that difference for themselves.”

Jacob Arabo

• Rose gold case, 44mm height, 42mm width, 17mm thickness
• Black lacquered dial with print and applique
• Hours, minutes, flying tourbillon, integrated music box with two melodies, melody selector, individual power reserve indicators for movement and music box
• RM1.9 million, limited edition of 74 pieces

“I never wanted the Godfather II to be another version of the first watch. If we were going to create a second chapter, it had to bring something new. The original Opera Godfather had a very strong identity, so with the Godfather II, I wanted to approach the story from a different perspective, both aesthetically and mechanically. The new design gives the watch its own character, while the double-melody musical complication takes the concept further. For me, it had to feel immediately connected to The Godfather, but also clearly represent the next chapter.”

Jacob Arabo

The Godfather II is exclusively available from Sincere Haute Horlogerie at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.