Jacob & Co Watch Opera Vantara Green Camo is a one-of-a-kind custom luxury timepiece created for Anant Ambani, reportedly valued at approximately $1.5 million. This bespoke watch combines high-complication horology with detailed gemstone artistry and wildlife-inspired symbolism, making it one of the most talked-about custom watches in recent years.
The New York-based luxury watchmaker revealed this bespoke timepiece in January 2026, drawing attention from collectors and industry observers for its unique design narrative and technical execution. At a time when custom luxury watches continue gaining traction among high-net-worth individuals, this creation represents the intersection of personal passion and horological artistry.
About Jacob & Co: New York's Bold Watchmaker
Founded in 1986 by Jacob Arabo, a jewelry designer who immigrated from Uzbekistan to the United States, Jacob & Co started as a diamond jewelry workshop in New York City's diamond district. The brand officially entered watchmaking in 2002 with the Five Time Zone model, which became an instant hit among celebrities and collectors.
What sets Jacob & Co apart in the luxury watch landscape is their willingness to push boundaries. The brand gained recognition for creating timepieces that blur the line between horology and kinetic sculpture. Their Astronomia collection, featuring triple-axis tourbillons and miniature solar system displays, redefined what's possible in wristwatch engineering.
In the US market, Jacob & Co occupies a unique position. While Swiss brands dominate traditional luxury watchmaking, this American manufacturer has carved out a niche by targeting clients who want statement pieces rather than understated elegance. Their watches regularly appear on the wrists of athletes, musicians, and business figures who appreciate bold design.
The brand's reputation rests on several pillars: exceptional gem-setting capabilities inherited from Arabo's jewelry background, mechanical complexity that rivals Swiss manufactures, and a willingness to create truly custom pieces that tell specific stories.
Jacob & Co Watch Vantara Design and Wildlife Symbolism
The Opera Vantara Green Camo watch takes its inspiration from Vantara, a wildlife rescue and conservation initiative in Gujarat, India. According to public reports, the facility houses over 150,000 animals from more than 2,000 species across a 3,000-acre complex.
At the center of the dial sits a meticulously hand-painted figurine of Anant Ambani wearing a blue floral shirt. Surrounding this central element are finely sculpted representations of a lion and Bengal tiger, both species that Vantara works to protect and rehabilitate.
The case and dial feature what Jacob & Co describes as a green camouflage gemstone motif, created entirely from precious stones. This isn't printed or enameled decoration - it's constructed from individually set demantoid garnets, tsavorites, green sapphires, and white diamonds.
According to media reports, the watch contains 397 gemstones with a combined weight of 21.98 carats. The base material is white gold, paired with an alligator leather strap. The dial also features an elephant and the word "Vantara" etched in gold.
What makes this piece notable isn't just the materials or gem count. It's the narrative integration. The watch doesn't simply reference wildlife conservation abstractly - it incorporates specific animals and visual language directly connected to the Vantara facility.
Jacob and Co Vantara Watch Price: Why Custom Pieces Reach $1.5 Million
Multiple sources place the Opera Vantara Green Camo's value at approximately $1.5 million (roughly ₹12-13.7 crore depending on exchange rates at the time of reporting).
For context, that figure sits in the upper tier of luxury watchmaking but below Jacob & Co's most expensive creations. The brand's Billionaire series, featuring cases and bracelets completely covered in diamonds, can reach $3-5 million or higher depending on specifications.
So what justifies a seven-figure price tag for a wristwatch?
First, development time. Creating a truly custom piece like this reportedly takes months. Every element - from the hand-painted figurine to the gemstone selection and setting - requires individual attention from specialized craftspeople.
Second, the technical execution. Setting nearly 400 gems to create a camouflage pattern while maintaining structural integrity and wearability is genuinely difficult. Each stone must be individually cut, matched for color consistency, and secured.
Third, exclusivity. This is a one-of-one piece. There will never be another exactly like it. In luxury markets, absolute uniqueness commands significant premiums.
Fourth, the narrative weight. This watch isn't just expensive materials assembled skillfully. It represents a specific vision, connecting personal values to wearable art. That symbolic dimension matters to certain buyers.
Why Custom Luxury Watches Command Premium Pricing
The custom luxury watch segment operates on different economics than standard production, even for limited editions.
When brands like Rolex or Patek Philippe create limited editions, they're still working within established production systems. Components may be unique, but the manufacturing infrastructure and expertise already exist.
True custom pieces require building from scratch. Designers must conceptualize entirely new dial layouts, case structures, and gem-setting patterns. Artisans must execute techniques that may not have existing templates or tools.
Time investment scales differently too. A standard luxury watch, even a complicated one, follows documented assembly procedures. A custom piece involves trial and error, prototyping, and refinement cycles.
There's also opportunity cost. When Jacob & Co's master gem-setters spend months on a single watch, they're not working on other pieces. When in-house movement specialists engineer custom display mechanisms, that expertise isn't available for other projects.
The market for these pieces is also fundamentally different. Buyers aren't comparing prices across multiple options. They're making binary decisions: does this specific creation justify its asking price based on personal value, not market comparisons.
Jacob & Co Watch Price Range in the USA
Jacob & Co's catalog spans an unusually wide price range for a luxury watchmaker.
Entry-level pieces like certain Five Time Zone models start around $12,000-$20,000. These feature multiple time zone displays in distinctive cases, often with diamond accents, but rely on quartz movements.
Mid-range collections like Epic X, featuring skeletonized cases and mechanical movements, typically fall between $20,000-$100,000 depending on materials and complications.
High-complication pieces like the Twin Turbo or basic Astronomia models generally range from $200,000-$500,000. These showcase the brand's engineering capabilities with dual tourbillons or rotating complication platforms.
Heavily jeweled versions, particularly in the Astronomia and Billionaire collections, can exceed $1 million. The specific price depends on gem quality, carat weight, and mechanical complexity.
In the US market, Jacob & Co watches are available through authorized retailers in major cities and some high-end watch boutiques. According to industry sources, the brand maintains tight control over distribution to preserve exclusivity.
Collectors report that certain Jacob & Co models, particularly limited editions and innovative complications, can hold value reasonably well in secondary markets. However, like most ultra-high-end watches, these pieces should be viewed as personal purchases rather than financial investments.
US Luxury Watch Market and Demand for Custom Timepieces
The United States represents one of the world's largest markets for luxury timepieces, with significant growth projected over the coming years.
According to market research published in 2024-2025, the US luxury watch market is expected to reach approximately $19 billion by 2032, growing from roughly $4.75 billion in 2024. This represents a compound annual growth rate of around 6.8%.
What's driving this growth? Several factors converge.
Rising affluence among specific demographics plays a role. High-net-worth individuals in the US continue accumulating wealth, and luxury watches represent a visible way to display success and refined taste.
Changing perceptions matter too. Younger affluent consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, increasingly view luxury watches as both status symbols and alternative investment assets. Federal Reserve data shows combined wealth among millennials and older Gen Z reached $14.2 trillion in early 2024, up from $4.5 trillion four years prior.
Celebrity and influencer culture amplifies interest. When public figures wear distinctive timepieces, it creates aspirational desire among their followers. Jacob & Co has particularly benefited from this dynamic, with their watches frequently appearing on athletes and entertainers.
The custom watch segment specifically is growing within this broader market. As more buyers seek unique pieces that reflect personal identity rather than mass-produced luxury, brands that can execute true customization gain competitive advantage.
Industry data also shows increasing interest in watches with complications - not just time display, but additional functions like moon phases, perpetual calendars, or complex striking mechanisms. Jacob & Co's focus on mechanical complexity aligns with this trend.
Why Custom Jacob & Co Watches Cost So Much
The Vantara watch fits within a broader pattern: ultra-wealthy individuals commissioning completely unique timepieces that reflect their personal stories, interests, or values.
This isn't entirely new. Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and other Swiss houses have created special pieces for royalty and industrialists for generations. What's changed is the scale and visibility.
Social media and digital publishing mean these creations now get documented and discussed globally. A custom watch that might have remained private decades ago becomes content that reaches millions.
The nature of customization has evolved too. Historical custom pieces often meant selecting from existing complications or specifying materials. Modern custom watches increasingly involve entirely original design concepts, like wildlife conservation motifs executed in gemstones.
Brands benefit from this visibility. A single high-profile custom piece generates more media attention than traditional advertising campaigns. It demonstrates capabilities and attracts other potential clients seeking similar exclusivity.
For buyers, these pieces serve multiple purposes. They're wearable art, conversation starters, and tangible representations of personal achievement or values. The fact that they're watches - functional objects - somehow makes them more acceptable than purely decorative luxury items.
The market dynamics are interesting. Because each piece is unique, traditional price discovery doesn't really apply. Value gets determined through negotiation between client vision and brand capabilities, not market comparisons.
Conclusion
The Jacob & Co Opera Vantara Green Camo represents a specific moment in modern luxury watchmaking where technical mastery, artistic execution, and personal narrative converge in a single wrist-worn object.
Whether viewed as an expression of wildlife conservation values, a demonstration of gem-setting expertise, or simply an extraordinary example of bespoke craftsmanship, this timepiece illustrates how contemporary luxury watches have evolved beyond mere timekeeping into vehicles for storytelling and identity expression.
As the luxury watch market continues expanding in the United States and globally, pieces like this set benchmarks for what's possible when clients with vision partner with makers possessing both technical skill and creative ambition.
At Glazed Diamonds, we closely follow developments in high-end watchmaking to help readers understand the craftsmanship, pricing, and trends shaping today’s luxury timepiece market.
