Takeshi Kitano visits the store! Jacob & Co. Ginza boutique grand opening after relocation

Jacob & Co., a company that creates innovative jewelry and watches with complex mechanisms under the concept of "making the impossible possible," was joined by founders Jacob Arabo and Takeshi Kitano at the grand opening of its newly renovated Ginza boutique. Along with a full look at the new boutique, we share Jacob's passion for watchmaking through a special interview.

Jacob & Co. Ginza boutique to relocate and grand open on Saturday, June 29th

　Jacob & Co., which started as a jewelry brand in 1986, made a full-scale entry into the watch industry with the "Five Time Zone" in 2002. Since then, it has captivated celebrities and watch enthusiasts from all walks of life with its innovative models, both in terms of mechanism and appearance, featuring complex mechanisms and lavishly decorated with gemstones.

　In Japan, the first boutique opened in Ginza 8-chome in 2022. Finally, on June 29, 2024, the long-awaited relocation to 6-chome marked the grand opening. The sales floor area has been expanded to approximately 200 square meters, nearly double the previous size. A VIP room is also available within the store. Customers can now relax in the spacious store and choose watches to their heart's content.

Owner Jacob Arabo personally guided Takeshi Kitano around the restaurant

　The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by founder and chairman Jacob Arabo and film director, actor, and comedian Takeshi Kitano. Kitano is a fan of Jacob & Co. watches and owns several of them. He also appeared at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival wearing the Epic SF24 Tourbillon Baguette with a blue dial.

　After the ribbon cutting, Jacob personally guided Kitano around the store, where Kitano was captivated by the brilliance of the Billionaire III Rainbow, whose exterior is set with natural sapphires in over 30 different shades.

　Jacob then demonstrated the "Casino Tourbillon," which allows users to play roulette on the dial. Kitano responded, "It's not just beautiful and impressive, it's also fun. It's unique even among watchmakers. I'd like to suggest a new way to play with it next time."

　Jacob's answer was, of course, "Yes!" We look forward to seeing more exciting collaboration models between the two companies in the future.

Valuable Jacob & Co. watches all gathered at the Ginza store!

　On the grand opening day, new products for 2024 were unveiled early, and the store also featured a wide variety of items, including Jacob & Co.'s signature super complication "Astronomia," the "Bugatti Chiron" created in partnership with the car company Bugatti, and the "Opera Godfather," which features a music box with the melody from the movie "The Godfather." Of course, the store also has a full lineup of jewelry.

　The Astronomia, which debuted in 2014, was a model that challenged new ways of expressing mechanical watches, featuring an inset dial, tourbillon carriage, orbital seconds, a yellow sapphire moon at the end of four arms, and even a titanium globe that rotates once every 24 hours. Ten years later, its mechanism and design have continued to evolve.

The interior of the Ginza boutique after relocation

　The white-based interior design was created by Jacob himself. The display of around 100 crimson roses was also impressive. The ceiling was covered with LED cables designed with unique geometric lines, just like the flagship store in New York. Visitors could also watch the unique mechanism in action on an LED monitor mounted on the wall.

Access to Jacob Ginza Boutique

　The new Jacob Ginza is conveniently located just a five-minute walk from Ginza Station. It is located just behind Namiki-dori, a street so densely packed with luxury watch brands that it could almost be called "Watch Street."

Store details

Address: Maruki Building 1F, 6-7-9 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Inquiries: 03-6281-4777
Homepage/https://jacobandco.jp/
Business hours: 11:00-20:00

Special Interview with Jacob Arabo

　We had the opportunity to conduct a special interview with Jacob Arabo during his visit to Japan, where we delved into the origins of his innovative and unique creations.

　Born in the former Soviet Union, Jacob immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 13. He began his career as a jewelry assembler and founded Jacob & Co. as a jewelry brand in 1986.

"I try to remember the inspirations that have inspired me and always come up with the next idea. My ideas come from art, architecture, and so on. I have many ideas for condensing everyday objects into watches. I'm always thinking about movements that have never been made before in mechanical watches, and things that people will find very interesting when they see them, so sometimes a new idea will suddenly pop into my head when I wake up in the morning."

　The ideas for Jacob & Co.'s unique complications all come from Mr. Jacob himself.

"All of my ideas come from me. I start by sketching them, then I edit them on the computer to perfect them. I've been sketching designs by hand since I was 16. I then share my ideas with Swiss watchmakers, who then conduct research and development, trial and error to see if the mechanism works. It usually takes two to three years from coming up with an idea to actually turning it into a wristwatch."

　Jacob's passion for watches began with a watch he received as a gift from his father when he was 13 years old.

"When I was 13, my father gave me a watch with a dual time zone display and a gold-plated world map on the dial. This watch sparked my love for watchmaking. I later created a watch called 'The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone' based on that design.

　This dual-time zone watch is the only one I've had since I was 13. But I'm so happy that a watch born from my small memories is reaching everyone. It really makes me feel like I've reached a huge milestone."

　Could you tell us about your plans for future models?

"We create special editions every time we open a new boutique in a country, and we already have a new design for Japan. As for the models that will follow, there's still a lot I can't say about them, as I don't want other watchmakers to hear about them. I always try to surprise people, so please look forward to them."

　Finally, when asked what model he would recommend to Japanese watch enthusiasts, he replied, "Everything we make." His answer was filled with unwavering confidence.

"Everyone has different tastes, so instead of mass-producing one model, we create high-quality products and sell them to people who like them. I also feel that there are two types of watch enthusiasts in Japan: conservative people and people who want a watch that makes a statement. I think these are two completely different types. But we can propose a watch that suits each person."

Models currently on display at the Jacob Ginza boutique

　Jacob & Co.'s annual production volume is not particularly large. As a result, there are many rare pieces that are rarely seen. Here are two models that you can see for yourself if you visit the Ginza boutique now.

The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone

　First up is The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone. This model is based on the watch that Jacob Arabo mentioned in an interview and was given to him by his father on his 13th birthday. The center of the dial, which is shaped like a world map, has two vertical time displays and a single central compass that functions as a small seconds hand. What's amazing is that you can operate both time displays with a single crown.

Epic X Skeleton

　The other, the "Epic X Skeleton," is a watch characterized by its X-shaped case. The movement is skeletonized. The two iconic bridges visible from the dial are also hollowed out, allowing you to carefully view the movement of the internal mechanisms, such as the barrel and gear train. The time is displayed with hour and minute hands.

　The watch pictured here is a black-themed model with a titanium case. There are a wide variety of variations, including watches with white and yellow themes, and even watches with rose gold cases.