by Christine Mansour, Operations Manager, Web3 Pro
Jacob & Co. was the first luxury watch brand to launch a successful NFT. CEO Benjamin Arabov is eager to participate in the digital and physical convergence of NFTs and IRL (in real life) timepieces, as evident in their launch of Astronomia Metaverso.
Initial Offering: Digital Time
Jacob & Co. entered the digital space in 2021 by releasing the NFT accompaniment to its SF24 Tourbillon timepiece. During a 24-hour auction on the ArtGrails NFT platform, the NFT captured a high bid price of $100,000.
The physical version of the digital twin is a travel watch with a split-flap world time-zone display that lists the time in 24 cities around the globe. In the digital version, the split-flap displays 10 different cryptocurrencies. A split-flap display resembles the departure and arrival boards at an airport, which were prevalent prior to the advent of digital displays. It’s a highly imaginative nostalgia cue. aimed at collectors, and it transfers perfectly from physical to digital assets.
The SF24 NFT marked the brand’s entry into the high-end luxury digital assets (HELDAs) category, one that Arabov believed was a viable market. He was proved to be right.
Upping the Game with Astronomia Metaverso
The Astronomia Metaverso collection features eight unique watches paired with NFTs, each boasting its own special powers. This drop is accompanied by a story, which Arabov refers to as “crypto comic culture.” The story follows the brand’s scientists as they accidentally tear a hole in the fabric of space, opening a wormhole into the digital metaverse, which is a clone of our galaxy. Physical watches from our world get sucked into the wormhole and transformed into asteroids, which then crash into the planets in the new galaxy. When the scientists land on the metaverse planets, they discover that the asteroids have once again morphed, this time into unique, planet-inspired NFT timepieces. In line with the story, the physical watches and accompanying digital artwork draw inspiration from the planets of our (and the metaverse) solar system.
This collection is personally designed by Jacob Arabo, the founder of the company, in partnership with UNXD, an NFT marketplace for luxury and culture. It follows the brand’s bespoke approach to watchmaking and is the first-ever combination of a NFT and physical watch. The planets are separated, pairing the five closest to the sun with a physical version of the watch, while leaving those paired with the three furthest planets only digital. The collection includes 50 pieces of each of the eight unique designs.
As in all branded NFT initiatives, customers become members of an exclusive online community, one that often includes nearly priceless benefits. Those who buy into the Astronomia Metaverso collection will enjoy exclusive access to physical, digital, and experiential events. These experiences include a private tour of the company’s production facility and dinner with Jacob Arabo, the founder. Members will be invited to participate in the designing of a custom line of NFT-inspired watches slated to be launched in 2023.
This innovative NFT brand campaign is one of many brand initiatives now in Web3. To capture today’s opportunity in NFT campaign marketing, partner with Web3 marketing leaders who are already delivering revolutionary new value for their customers and shareholders.
