Q&AGenerational Legacy: Jacob & Co Heir Benjamin Arabo On The Brand And His Mission

What were the thoughts that went behind deciding on what the ‘World is Yours’ dual-time-zone watch would look like?

The design came from the Wakmann that Jacob’s father gave him when he was a teenager. Jacob kept the watch for 45 years. And about two years ago, he felt it was the right time to recreate a design based on such a special moment when he was younger. We took the dual time zone design and the continents form the watch, and we gave it our own Jacob style. We domed the glass, domed the dial. We added a seconds indicator in the centre of the dial, and so on.

Could you talk about this watch more from a personal perspective as well, considering how it’s been all in the family?

With the development of this timepiece, it put a lot of pressure on me to continue the legacy which my grandfather practically started when he gave Jacob the watch. And for us it’s like Jacob’s father gifted him the Wakmann watch,

"Jacob’s father gifted him the Wakmann watch, Jacob is gifting me this watch—The World is Yours—to carry on the legacy and take it forward for future generations," states Benjamin Arabov (left, along with Jacob Arabo and Nison Arabov)

This is the Wakmann watch that inspired the new Jacob & Co 'The World is Yours' dual-time-zone watch

Jacob is gifting me this watch—The World is Yours—to carry on the legacy and take it forward for future generations. And I hope in 20 to 30 years, we design something that is inspired by this, so I can pass it on to my kids to continue the legacy from there.

Jacob & Co. The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone

₹59,00,000

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What were the thoughts behind creating this watch as the first in a new collection, considering that collections such as the Astronomia, Epic X and Brilliant are so established and all have their own strong personality?

The crazy thing about Jacob is that when the design is finalised, it’s a negative and positive. When something is finished. He doesn’t take a moment to appreciate all the hard work that went into creating something like it. He does appreciate it, but he always thinks of what is going to come next. That’s how his mind is. He’s able to create stuff so into the future, because he’s always thinking of what’s next. So when this watch was ready, his mind was already thinking of what all could be done with this template—such as adding a tourbillon in the centre instead of the seconds sub-dial, maybe dome the glass a little more to fit it in. It’s things like this.

Was there any discussion of putting a Jacob-cut diamond in there?

(Laughs) No, just the tourbillon!

What are the greatest lessons you’ve learnt from your father, as you’ve worked together on Jacob & Co?

I would say: never take no for an answer, and an idea is just an idea unless it’s executed with the highest degree of passion, love, and care.

What are the things about the brand itself that inspire you? About the past, the origins, and the brand as it was before you joined the company?

I think since he started the brand about 40 years ago, he’s always had a mind-set of creating his own path, not following any set road. Since I’ve joined the company three years ago, I’ve been slowly integrating that mind-set, so I can continue what he started. It is a stressful road. It’s a lot easier to follow a path. But he’s started it, and there’s been an evolution since then.

It began with the jewellery, back in the 90s, and then he came out with one of the most successful fashion watches in the world—the Five Time Zone. Over the past 10 years now, he’s entered and achieved a lot with high-complication watches, and doing things that had never been done before.

This contemporary Palatial Five Time Zone is a descendant of the fashion watch that Bejamin Arabo mentions above

₹5,10,000

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It has five quartz movements powering the four time zone displays on corners of the dial, in addition to the main central timekeeping

₹5,10,000

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At 45mm, the generous proportions help accommodate the multiple mechanisms inside

₹5,10,000

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What was your perception of the brand before you joined the company, and how has that evolved over the time you’ve been with the company?

My perception has been the same, but what I’ve known since the beginning is that this company has so much potential. And with the progress that I’ve seen first-hand, I still think that we’re at only 20 percent of our potential. We have a long way to go. We’re going at a very fast pace. And now it’s my job to ensure that we continue at that pace, and reach our full potential—the potential that my father deserves to see.

Let’s talk a little about the celebrities—from Cristiano Ronaldo to Rihanna. How have associations come about and how are these relationships forged?

The relationships are forged by Jacob personally. After they’ve been established, there have been other celebrities who have expressed interest in the brand and want to do business with us. I think the celebrities have a certain likeness to our brand because we are different and creative. A lot of artists and celebrities are also the same. So we see eye to eye. That’s why I think celebrities are so keen to work with us. We do unusual things, and those artists themselves are doing things that haven’t been done before. That’s why they are successful.

Apart from this new ‘The World is Yours’ watch, which one from the brand are you particularly passionate about?

Right now this is my new favourite. I don’t want to take it off. But aside from this, the Bugatti Chiron is something I’ve always admired. It’s a technical beauty. And it is one of the most impressive timepieces I’ve seen. I may be biased, but this is something that even others outside the company also say.

"The Bugatti Chiron is something I’ve always admired. It’s a technical beauty. And it is one of the most impressive timepieces I’ve seen. I may be biased, but this is something that even others outside the company also say"

What are your thoughts about entering the Indian market recently?

We are very excited to enter the Indian market with our retailers Ethos, and to open a store in Mumbai. There is a lot of interest in and demand for what we do. The Indian culture I believe respects and loves our brand. And to have a presence in India is just a dream come true, for myself and for Jacob. And since we’ve started working with Ethos, the partnership has been going really well. We look forward to continuing this partnership, into making India one of our strongest regions.

This is a more recent India edition from Jacob & Co, featuring engravings of the India Gate, Taj Mahal, Gateway of India, and the Qutub Minar

₹58,00,000

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The Epic X India was launched in rose gold, which is an 11-piece limited edition

₹58,00,000

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Prior to the gold version, it was released in titanium, which was also limited to 11 pieces

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As an American brand of Swiss-made watches, how do you achieve a balance of being both American and Swiss?

It’s very tiring (laughs). The balance is achieved by travelling to Switzerland often. We visit our production, research and development offices here. And it’s something that we need to do. It’s a unique setup. Most watch brand CEOs and business owners live around Geneva. But we’re blessed to have a great team, who help us execute our vision with the highest quality.