We spent an afternoon with Jacob the Jeweler, the man behind the world’s wildest jewels and watches

Courtney VerrillThe Astronomia Clarity watch is a mechanical wonder — and it’s worth $600,000.

For the biggest, boldest bling, A-listers and billionaires have turned to one man for the last 30 years. And for the most complicated watches in the game? Still the same man.

His name is Jacob Arabo, although you may have heard him referred to as “Jacob the Jeweler” in rap songs by Kanye West or 50 Cent. His clientele is a who’s-who of the international elite and Hollywood stars, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Jay Z and Beyoncé. The story of his rise through the luxury jewelry industry is, like his designs, larger than life.

Business Insider spent an afternoon with Arabo to learn just how this entrepreneurial Soviet émigré scaled the heights of the over-the-top jewelry and watchmaking business. It’s the story of a bold outsider becoming the ultimate insider — and it’s filled with diamonds.