Had his Jewish family remained in Uzbekistan instead of fleeing the repressive Russian regime in 1979 for America, it is likely that Yakov Arabov, now known as Jacob Arabo, would not have achieved the success he enjoyed at an early age. During the 70s and early 80s, Jewish emigration was severely limited in the Soviet Union and anti-Semitism often meant that Jewish people could not advance their careers very far. By the time Uzbekistan became independent from the USSR, Mr. Arabo was 26 years old and well on his way towards fame and fortune in the US.
Image Source: gotham-magazine.com
In fact, Jacob Arabo and his family immigrated to New York City when Jacob was 14. By the time he was 16, he had left high school and enrolled in a six-month, jewelry design school. After receiving encouragement from his instructors, Arabo left the design program to open his tiny kiosk in the heart of the jewelry marketplace in the city. By the time he was 21, Arabo had started his company, Diamond Qusar, and was designing the Jacob & Co. brand of jewelry. At this point, it would be five years until his native Uzbekistan was a free country.
Image Source: hautetime.com
It was not long before his innovative designs and custom pieces caught the eye of music and sports figures. Soon, Hollywood celebrities were coming to him for custom designs. One of the factors that drew these celebrities was that Arabo treated his clients with respect and deference. In addition, he did not steal their designs. If a music star came to him with a design idea, Jacob would create it for the star and not sell it to anyone else. Such ethical behavior was prized by entertainment stars. Also, Jacob Arabo encouraged his clients to trade up previous pieces he had designed for them, another unusual trait of high-end jewelers.
Image Source: hypebeast.com
With production in Switzerland and retail stores around the world, Arabo has achieved success that would have eluded him had his family not escaped Uzbekistan in 1979.