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Jacob & Co. Ghost Watch Hands-On

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 07:01:54 +0000

For me the most interesting watch I saw from Jacob & Co. this year was this Ghost G5 timepiece. The Ghost is a brand new collection for 2011 designed by Jacques Fournier (Horology Design Ltd.) in cooperation with Yvan Arpa who is now a figure at Jacob & Co. The Ghost will comes in a few forms and is called the G5 and GT5 as well (Ghost 5 time zones). The Ghost has a new five-sided case that is strange at first but ends up looking rather nice on the wrist. I like this watch a lot more than I might expect if you just described it to me on paper.

This 47mm wide case shows up on two other new for 2011 Jacob & Co. timepieces called the Grand and the Global. All the new "G" watches have quartz movements. The Grand and the Global have analog faces while the Ghost has a slick new type of digital LCD screen that I haven't experienced before.

Jacob & Co. offers the Ghost in a number of styles and decoration. For example, this model is in a PVD steel case with a baguette diamond decorated bezel. There are other diamond bezels available, as well as polished steel cases. Looks like gold might also be available as this prototype has some gold around the pushers. While it is almost heresy to think about a Jacob & Co. watch sans-diamonds, there is a carbon fiber bezel as well that looks pretty cool and sporty. Be sure to realize that the diamond bezel version models are super pricey.

The big size of the watch isn't actually too bad. The 47mm wide case is rather comfortable and the unorthodox design draws attention in the right way. The brand really designed something that is both blingy and techie at the same time - which is something exceedingly hard to do much of the time.

OK, so what is the deal with the movement? It has six screens, but the center one is just the Jacob & Co logo. Five of those screens are multi-functional screens that can show a range of information. That means you can see the time, calendar, chronograph, and other functions. I am not sure everything it does and to be honest you need to consult with the manual to figure it all out. To save battery life the screens are blank unless activated - due to the intense backlighting. The trade off is a range of color options. According to Jacob & Co. the screens are able to show 32 different colors. Not just that, but you can have the watch just keep changing colors - even while the screens are turned on. It is really rather quite disco if I may say.

The Ghost is fun, that pretty much sums it up. People are gonna complain about the strange shape and the screens that go from pink to purple to green to red. Jacob's Jacob probably just sits back and smiles. He thrives off the high-end, high-risk, and highly original. The Ghost is really a timepiece that brand can call their own - and I swear I do want to wear one.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Jacob & Co. Cyclone Tourbillon Watch Hands-On

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:08:11 +0000

Boy, what do I even say about this one? Jacob & Co.'s new ultra high-end, non diamond-studded watch for 2011 is this Cyclone Tourbillon. The watch has a large escapement which is actually on the front-mounted automatic rotor. Having things on the rotor is sort of a trend this year as Cartier did something similar with their Astroregulateur watch and Blancpain has a power reserve indicator on a rotor this year on a new L-evolution piece. Though the Cyclone is the first watch ever to have an actual tourbillon spinning on a spinning rotor.

The movement was created by some ex BNB guys who are now at La Fabrique du Temps. It has a sort of techie design with a textured, though relatively flat dial (as the rotor needs to spin around). You have the time, a subsidiary seconds dial, and a power reserve indicator. the dial and window is rather strangely shapes because in each position you turn the watch, the rotor will fall into a different position, and the dial is meant to frame a different element on it. I guess that is interesting, and the time isn't too hard to read.

Last night I was watching an episode of Pawn Stars, and when I saw this watch I amusingly wondered to myself what those guys would make of it if someone brought it in. Now that would make for a fun segment. Trying to have an appraiser dissect the watch and see what makes it tick to figure out "what is this?" I mean if you aren't in the watch world and someone handed you this, a "WTF?" would not be out of line. Jacob & Co. went to great lengths to make sure the design was unique and caught attention. The type of attention it catches is really up to the beholder right?

The case is large and done in 18k white gold and 18k rose gold. It is 48mm wide and 67mm tall. I suppose you could refer to it as a square, or maybe rectangle. I don't think the study of geometry has a name for this/these shapes. There is something very "deconstructionist" about the design. It isÂ almost abstract, but still functional, and has a lot of design elements that are purely artistic. Note that the piece I checked out was a prototype - so the final version will be much better finished and polished.

On the case the lugs move a bit to fit over your wrist better - though you aren't wearing a watch like this for comfort. No, you are most likely going to wear this $300,000 plus watch to impress your loyal subjects who will readily kiss it and tell you that it totally amazes them while perfectly complimenting your personality. This is that kind of watch.

The movement in the Cyclone Tourbillon is the Jacob & Co. Caliber LFT 108. 45 hours of power reserve and the rotor with the tourbillon on it is shaped a bit like an anchor. What is interesting is that just seeing still images of the watch tells you very little if anything about it. So I am glad I got to offer you the video as well. On the back of the watch is another view of the movement. You can see "JACOB" spelled out on the movement plate to remind you whose watch this is. At any moment Jacob can ask you for it back, and you have to give it to him. I do appreciate the design of the movement. It reminds me of all that imagery they used to place around late 1990's techno music that I so enjoyed (and still do). If you had to ask me one thing I would change on the watch, it would probably be the dial opening. I appreciate the experimental design that looks like something clawed its way out, but I think something more symmetrical might also be nice. Price is going to be a bit north of $350,000 and I am pretty sure it will be part of a limited edition.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Jacob & Co. Lord Of The Bling Dances His Way Into Jail; No, Not For Selling Fugly Watches

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:25:14 +0000

Tragedy ensues in many communities as watch maker and jeweler Jacob & Co. founder Jacob Arabov will be sent to prison for 30 months. The crime was essentially laundering drug money and lying to law enforcement while providing false documents. Arabov's organized crime client "The Black Mafia Family" (this is what they are called and I am not sure if it is a literal statement, but I feel bad for their lack of creativity if it is) seemed to entrust "Jacob the Jeweler" with lots of drug money. Naturally, you'd give illicit money to the jeweler to entrust right? He'll just put your money into high yield precious gems. Arabov did anyone would do, defer to a big client when 100s of millions of dollars are at stake. I honestly feel bad for the guy, stuck between a rock (diamond) and a hard place (more diamonds). He probably felt like he didn't have much of a choice.

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It is no secret that bling happy hip hop stars often lack what I personally would describe as good taste. A few years ago, their newest craze was the almost now ubiquitous (in some circles) Jacob & Co. line of watches jam packed with diamonds and kids colors. Recently however, the gaudy watch company has put emphasis in to horological complications with such watches like the Quentin with its many day power reserve and tourbillon. But these watches do maintain to their heritage, of being jewel encrusted watches for those who really don't care what time it is.

Jacob Arabov probably just got too caught up in the world of his clientèle. So much that he likely felt a bit immune. Can't blame the guy though. As a poor immigrant from Uzbekistan, the guy learned how to survive on the street, which usually didn't involve cooperating with the police. Regardless, the crimes were committed without enough satisfactory defense, and Arabov took a plea bargain.

In case you are dying to know, the court agreed to stay his sentence for a while in order to allow him to prepare for his company to be run without his presence for period of his prison time. So you'll be able to get all your colorful, geometric shaped, diamond crowded watches with out much disruption.

See Jacob & Co. watches on eBay here.

See Jacob & Co. watches on Amazon here.

9ct Jacob Co 47mm Five Time Zone Diamond Mens Watch

US $4,610.00

JACOB CO 47mm BLACK WHITE WORLD IS YOURS

US $13,500.00

JACOB CO 47mm JC 53 DIAMOND WATCH

US $10,999.99

JACOB CO 47mm JC 14 FULL DIAMOND CASE 9ct

US $6,999.99

JACOB CO JC 34 FULL DIAMOND WATCH 26 cts

US $19,599.99

JACOB CO 47mm SKULL DIAMOND WATCH

US $10,999.99

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.