Jacob co

Jacob & Co establishes UK distribution with Rox becoming its first retail partner

Jeweller and watchmaker to the stars is building a highly exclusive network of retailers for its eclectic and avant garde timepieces.

Rox is offering Jacob & Company watches at its Glasgow flagship following the brand establishing distribution in the UK for the first time in a decade.

Jacob & Co UK was created earlier this year by Laurence Brannigan, Paul Buchannan and Richard Saffer, who have decades of experience in the watch industry between them through their companies Creative Universe Agency, PBS Luxury Brands and Ebauche.

A fourth, silent partner, has also provided investment to ensure the distribution business is well-capitalised and owns sufficient stock.

Jacob & Co UK was established in June and its first retailer, Rox, had its watches on sale for the first time last week.

Jacob & Co’s first live promotion will be at this weekend’s Pulse Rally, an event for supercar owners who will tour the highlands and lowlands of Scotland from today (Thursday) until Sunday.

The watchmaker is an official sponsor of the rally and its VIP dinner.

Associating with high net worth car lovers is clearly a mission for Jacob & Co in the UK, as the brand has also become the official timekeeper of the Bugatti Owners’ Club; an extension of the brand’s global partnership with the car maker.

Mr Brannigan tells WATCHPRO that watches will be be presented at a number of Bugatti events, starting with the Prescott Speed Hill Climb, a spectacular gathering for contemporary and classic Bugatti car owners in the Cotswolds.

Jacob & Co will also feature in every edition of Bugantics, a bi-monthly magazine for Bugatti Owners Club members.

Watches created by Jacob & Co founder Jacob Arabo are designed to be noticed, particularly its six- or seven-figure masterpieces in the Astronomia, Twin Turbo and Bugatti collections.

Take the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon, for example, which has models retailing for more than £500,000.

The watch is is driven by the JCAM37 manual movement with a 60-hour power reserve.

It powers the time-keeping functions and the flying tourbillon along with a 16-cylinder, V-shaped engine animation.

Bugatti is arguably the brand’s primary partnership, but there are others including with artist Alec Monopoly. which worked with the watchmaker on a limited edtion Astronomia.

The Astronomia Alec Monopoly contains miniature pop characters and images that are staples of Monopoly’s artwork within the iconic Astronomia watch form, with its four-arm vertical movement and exclusive complications including a hand-lacquered globe of the earth rotating every 60 seconds; and a double-axis tourbillon with the first rotation in 60 seconds and the second rotation in five minutes.

Only nine of the watches are being made, with a retail price of $600,000.

For mere mortals, there are Jacob & Co watches such as the Palatial and the sportier Epic X and Epic X Chrono collections with prices starting at a more palatable £7,000.

The brand is more than just about the product, according to Mr Brannigan. “It is about creating a money-can’t-buy experience for every client,” he suggests.

“We are like a concierge service. If somebody wants to visit the company in Geneva, we will arrange a private jet to take them there.”

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