What brand of jewelry do people wear?

Picture Source: highsnobiety

From the beginning of hip-hop, jewelry is an integral part of it. In 1980, rap singer Kurtis Blow released the same-name album "Kurtis Blow". At that time, people doubted whether rap music could achieve both the commercial and artistic dual values. Kurtis Blow used this album to dispel their doubts.

Kurtis Blow Album cover

On the cover of this album, Kurtis Blow wore six gold chains with bare arms, which laid the foundation for hip hop accessories. Afterwards, countless singers performed his styling, and the gold chain became one of the standard for hip-hop professionals.

Long Live the Kane Album cover

Later, legendary rapper Big Daddy Kane's "Long Live the Kane" launched in 1988 also caused a stir. His album cover shape is more lavish than Kurtis Blow, inspired by the extravagant life of the ancient Roman monarch, and created a full set of gold accessories - poplar, crown, and thick chain, making him another pioneer in wearing big gold chains. .

Hip Hop Mix Migos

Thirty years later, three members of the hip-hop team Migos appeared on Met Gala's red carpet night with jewellery that also had hip-hop quality. Although they are dressed in suits and ties, they can still see that they are playing hip hop.

The hip-hop aesthetics have also changed a lot in these years - from obsessive gold to diamonds, but with dirty, dark-rimmed glasses, bold gold chains, rough bracelets, and full-hand rings, none of them are in high-profile fashion. Promote his own hip-hop properties.

Just as each star will have a dedicated hairdresser or stylist, these top hip-hop players will also have a preferred jewelry brand.

JACOB & CO

Jacob Arabo is a young American jewelry watch brand, compared with the traditional German, Swedish jewelry watch brand, it is only 31 years old. Its watch line was not officially established until 2002.

Initially, Jacob & Co was just a small jewelry workshop dedicated to creating jewelry for some private clients.

Biz Markee's left hand is the "Biz" signature ring

Until Biz Markee customized such jewelry to Jacob Arabo - jewellery that must be as striking as a signature and that fans can see from the stands in the distance. Thus, the classic “Biz” signature ring appeared on the cover of his album “Just a Friend”.

Since then, Jacob & Co has begun to attract the attention of the hip-hop community. To this day, it has added a long list of rappers to its client list: Jay Z, Nas, Biggie, Ghostface Killah, Missy, Elliott, and Usher.

Madonna

The female celebrities also like to wear Jacob & Co's colorful and exaggerated jewellery when performing or walking on the red carpet.

Yeezy X Jacob & Co Cooperative Gold Chain

Kim Kardashian wears Yeezy X Jacob & Co Cooperative Gold Chain

In April this year, Yeyezy, a fashion brand founded by Kanye West, partnered with Jacob & Co to launch jewelry. The cooperation section is specially made of gold, with a long chain and a 14th-century Florentine-inspired pattern, showing hip-hop retro style.

Rapper A$AP Ferg Wearing Jacob & Co Five-Way Time Watch and Ben Baller Necklace

Compared to its jewelry, Jacob & Co's watch is relatively low-key, but compared with the old watch, its design and design is very bold. This watch, called "Ghost 5 Timezones", is a classic style of the brand, with a contrasting design and five different time zones in different color blocks. The source of inspiration is artists and celebrities who often go abroad to work across time zones.

Astronomia Tourbillon Watch

However, there are also exaggerated and valuable styles - this so-called "the universe wears on the wrist" Astronomia watch, pricing 1 million Swiss francs (about 6.8 million yuan).

BEN BALLER

If anyone can challenge Jacob & Co's position as the king of hip-hop jewellery, there is probably only Ben Baller.

Ben Baller Founder Ben Yang

The founder's real name was Ben Yang, a Korean born in New York. With his family background, he started his hip jewellery jewellery and was supported by Denzel Washington (American actor, director) and Dr. Dre (music producer). In 2005, he created If & Co, a jewellery company with luxury and quality. It is famous. He himself has also accumulated a lot of good karma in the circle because of his famous jewelry. From singers in the hip hop industry to first-line stars, he has good friends. Therefore, Ben Baller's jewellery is also mostly designed for the star.

Ben Baller customized "Goyard Go Hard" necklace for Tyga.

Ben Baller customized "Flower Boy" for Tyler the Creator

Ben Baller OVO Owl Necklace

Prior to this, his good brother and Canadian rapper Drake (duck) had thrown $120,000 (about 780,000 RMB) for this diamond-studded Rainbow Owl necklace.

Photo of G-DRAGON and Ben Yang

Ben Baller's circle is notorious, and even G-DRAGON is eager to get his custom jewelry. Although the design of the brand of jewelry is not complicated or gorgeous, it can not cover up the arrogance of that street, and the use of color is also more bold. He himself is a hip hop player and he is mainly inspired by rap music. He even took the custom jewellery of hip-hop singers.

Designing gold teeth is not an issue

AVIANNE & CO

21 Savage Custom "Slaughter Gang"

Like Jacob Arabo, Avianne also opened a jewelry workshop in New York. His first star customer was Nicki Minaj. Later, Minaj introduced Avianne to Birdman and Lil Wayne. Today, the brand's customer list includes well-known singers such as Drake, 21 Savage, and The Weekend.

Take off custom models

Migos's love for jewelry is well known. Besides Jacob & Co, Avianne & Co is also one of their favorite brands. Migos' Take off has shown a series of jewellery inspired by “Solar System” and produced by Elliot Avianne on the social network. It is designed ingeniously and with great colors. According to reports, this necklace is worth 500,000 U.S. dollars (about 3.25 million U.S. dollars) and is the most expensive hip-hop jewelry ever produced this year.

Ratatouille Pendant

This “Gourmet Story” pendant with inlaid diamonds is also based on the image of Migos, Quoa.

RAFAELLO & CO

Founders Gabriel Jacobs and Eric Aranbayev

Rafaello & Co, founded by Gabriel Jacobs and partner Eric Aranbayev in Diamond District, New York, is a retail brand of jewellery and watches with private custom services. But its predecessor was actually a jewelry wholesale store—in 1985, Gabriel Jacobs’s grandparents immigrated to Brooklyn from Uzbekistan and they established a jewelry wholesale company on Flatbush Street called Mair's Sons Jewelry.

Although jewelry has always been a family business, Jacobs does not live in a luxurious environment. Jacobs recalled his childhood and said that he had previously been crowded with his family on the floor of the apartment. This is because understanding the difficulties encountered by artists as they walked out of the slums helped him establish a good relationship with many rapper customers who had similar experiences.

Lil Yachty and custom necklaces

For some unreasonable custom requirements, Jacobs said: "Customers are always right, even if they want to set diamonds in the eye, I will find a way to do - although no one has requested so." So despite Rafaello & Co's fame is still far inferior to the first three jewelers, but also because it has become a new star jewelry brand.

Not long ago, Lil Yachty commissioned Gabriel Jacobs to customize a fancy pendant based on his own fisheye selfie.