This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Coffee (talk | contribs) at 13:20, 23 December 2019 (→Early life: press release was not archived (except various 503 errors) and link is now dead... assuming Yakrov mention was listed there, but as cannot confirm it is thus removed as unsourced claim on a BLP WP:BLPREMOVE). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 13:20, 23 December 2019 by Coffee (talk | contribs) (→Early life: press release was not archived (except various 503 errors) and link is now dead... assuming Yakrov mention was listed there, but as cannot confirm it is thus removed as unsourced claim on a BLP WP:BLPREMOVE)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Jacob Arabo (born 1964) is a Bukharian-American jeweler and founder of Jacob & Company.
Early life
Jacob Arabo was born to a Bukharian Jewish family in Uzbekistan. As a youngster he had an interest in his family's jewelry and time pieces. At age 16, he discontinued his formal education before completing high school and enrolled in a six-month jewelry-making course, which he graduated four months later. By the time he was 17 years old he was designing his own pieces in his own jewelry factory near New York City's diamond district.
Career
Initially selling his pieces from a kiosk in the Kaplan Jewelry Exchange (in the heart of New York City's jewelry district), by the age of 21, Arabo had officially started his own company, called Diamond Quasar, and began designing his own Jacob & Co. branded jewelry.
Although he started out offering moderately priced, traditional jewelry, Arabo's design sense soon caught the eyes of celebrities, singers, and artists in the hip-hop and rap music world. In the early 1990s his clientele and business grew, and Arabo became known as "Jacob the Jeweler," the moniker first appearing in rap songs by Jay-Z, Nas and other rappers.
In 2005 he relocated to a "mine-inspired" storefront on East 57th Street. The townhouse space is adorned with Arabo's signature five-time-zone watches.
Conviction
In June 2006, Arabo was arrested on charges of money laundering and conspiracy in connection with the Detroit-based Black Mafia Family, as well as for not declaring large cash purchases to the IRS. In October 2007, after admitting to lying to investigators, Arabo and his attorney, Ben Brafman, entered a plea in which the more serious charges of money-laundering were dropped. In June 2008, Arabo was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, fined $50,000, and ordered to forfeit $2 million to the U.S. government. Arabo was released from jail in April 2010.
Awards
Jacob & Co.'s watch, "The World is Yours", was a 2006 Travel + Leisure Design Award winner.
In popular culture
Arabo was featured in the game Def Jam Fight For NY, in which the players' hip-hop characters compete to earn cash with which they can buy jewelry from Jacob the Jeweler.
Arabo is well known in the entertainment industry for his unique jewelry designs and is mentioned in several hip-hop songs as "Jacob the Jeweler" or just "Jacob";
- "I went to Jacob an hour after I got my advance / I just wanted to shine." - "Touch the Sky" by Kanye West.
- "I took you outta Jacob's in clusters / Busters, they wanted to rush us / Love the way you sparkle when the sun touch ya." - "Girl's Best Friend" by Jay-Z.
- "Take her to the diamond district, introduce her to Jacob / Tell her if she like me she should keep me icey." - "Get in My Car" by 50 Cent.
Jacob the jeweler, baubles, Lauraine Schwartz, oughta do It's big balling baby, when I'm courting you - Beyonce ft Jay Z Upgrade U
"Big was the first one that had it / Now Jacob the Jeweler benefit from my habits." - "First Chain" by Big Sean.
Personal life
Arabo married his wife, Angela — who is also Bukharian Jewish — when he was 24. The couple lives in Forest Hills, Queens, in a brick Colonial house they bought for $1.17 million in 1999.
References
- ^ Nancy Jo Sales (November 2006). "Is Hip-Hop's Jeweler on the Rocks?". Vanity Fair.
- ^ Staff, Jpsace. "Jspace Sits Down with Jacob Arabo from Jacob & Co". Jpsace.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- "GURU: Jacob Arabo; Quarry of Choice for Rappers' Rocks". August 15, 1999. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
- "One on One: A Sparkling Success, Jacob Arabo". Haute Living Magazine. November 2, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
- "Jacob Arabo: Person Details". CrunchBase. AOL Inc. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- Ahern, Kaitlin. "Jacob Arabo - The Style Interview". nyluxury.com. Davler Media Group LLC. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- "Jacob & Co". New York Magazine. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
- Gil Kaufman (June 24, 2008). "Jacob 'The Jeweler' Arabov, Diamond Merchant To Countless Rappers, Sentenced To Two And A Half Years In Prison". MTV.com. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- Levent Ozler. "Travel + Leisure Magazine Names Winners of Second Annual Design Awards". Dexigner. Retrieved February 16, 2006.
- ^ "Jacob The Jeweler And Where He Came From". Love & Pieces. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
- Big Sean (Ft. Kid Cudi & Nas) – First Chain, retrieved 2017-06-30