Jacob & Co. officially reopens New York flagship

On Thursday, April 26, Jacob Arabo, best known to the world as Jacob the Jeweler, officially re-opened his Manhattan flagship store on the corner of 57th Street between Manhattan's Park and Madison Avenue's, better known as "Billionaires Row." Designed by Roman Vnukov of Design Studio Romani, the renovation of the 10,000 square foot Jacob & Co. townhouse reflects the attention to detail, innovation, and quality craftsmanship synonymous with the Jacob & Co. name. Arabo first opened the doors of the New York headquarters in the height of his pop-culture acclaim as “Jacob the Jeweler.”

For Arabo, the return to New York was a longtime coming. "This is my hometown, I love this city. I can't imagine myself anywhere else" he said to FashionUnited. While he's spent the past several years growing his overseas business in markets including Dubai, Paris, London, Moscow, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, each experience was a learning opportunity for him to help bring his business back here. "When you travel the world, you get inspired," he said. "The experiences you get make you stronger and smarter. You develop better taste in life. All those experiences rolled into one helped me develop this lifestyle. I want to give people a lifestyle. I want people to come to my store and have a great time, and if they spend money, they spend money."

As retailers work on making stores more of an experience, Arabo was determined to make his townhouse location not just another place to shop. "I want customers to come here, enjoy champagne and caviar, look at my jewels, look at my designs, and if they decide to buy they buy," he said. "It's a different model from other retailers because we don't pressure and we don't go after sales only. It's really all about relationships and services, and it has to be with a smile on your face."

Internationally renowned for offering some of the world’s most complicated watches and rarest stones to date, the renovation and reopening of the New York boutique marks a celebration of Jacob & Co.’s expansion over the past 35+ years since its inception, as well as its ultra-luxury trajectory since the initial opening of the New York flagship fourteen years ago.

All those years have proven to be a learning experience for the designer and jewelry maker. "There were things I wish I knew fifteen years ago that I know today, but it comes with time and you just make it better and better," he said. Despite being located on the famed Billionaires Row, Arabo also sees his customer today as just people as he puts it. "Some of them spend a lot of money, some don't. Some are big jewelry lovers, some aren't. But I don't choose my clients they choose me," he said.

For the opening of his store boutique, the VIP guest list that consider Jacob & Co. their choice included Debra Messing, Adrien Brody, Elsa Hosk, Eniko Mihalik, Kate Bock, Peter Brant, Jr., Sofia Resing, Ian Mellencamp, Andrew Warren, Danielle Herrington, Jenne Lombardo, Nausheen Shah, Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, Brooks Nader, Barbra-Lee Grant, Simon Spurr, Danielle Bernstein, Emma Waldron, Calu Rivero, Meghan Williams, Sofie Newman, and Jordun Love. CR Fashion Book editor-in-chief and Harper's Bazaar global fashion director Carine Roitfeld was also present as co-host of Arabo's opening party.

Guests got the first-hand experience of the geometric pattern featured on the façade and on the ceiling of the boutique first appeared on the dial of the Astronomia Meteorite watch in 2016. The center showcase, visible upon entry, mirrored the unique shape of the sapphire dome casing featured throughout the record-breaking Astronomia collection as well, and took over two months to perfect.

Other distinct features include the use of Zebrawood that adorns the showcases in the two-floor, 4,000 square foot retail space, as well as surfaces throughout the executive offices. There is also a transparent, tempered glass walkway, exposing original New York City bedrock, that leads to the VIP area on the first floor.

Despite all these year's in the business Arabo says, "I'm only just getting started."

photos: courtesy of BFA