LUXURY TIMEPIECE RETAILER JACOB & CO. IS JOINING FORCES WITH AN ABU DHABI-BASED DEVELOPMENT TITAN ON A LAVISH LIFESTYLE CONCEPT IN THE HEART OF THE EMIRATES RIVIERA
BY AMANDA McCOY
In 2022, the New York-born ultra-luxury watchmaker Jacob & Co. made a stirring announcement. It wasn’t another diamond-sheathed timepiece in its seven-figure Billionaire Collection, nor a Bugattibranded tourbillon for deep-pocketed hypercar enthusiasts, but the upcoming development of the world’s first residential hypertower: Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co. Residences, a 103-story behemoth in Dubai’s Business Bay. As the dizzying development eyes a 2026 completion (the 1,857-foot-tall superstructure is now the world’s tallest residential tower, a full 300 feet higher than the former title holder, New York’s Central Park Tower), Jacob & Co. made another internet-breaking announcement this May: Jacob & Co. Beachfront Living by Ohana, a $1.3 billion undertaking in Al Jurf, a glamorous master-planned community along the Sahel Al Emarat Coast. Famed as the Emirates Riviera, Al Jurf is marked by lush old-growth gardens, picturesque beaches, and the shade of turquoise water that warrants a “no filter” tag on Instagram. With its prime position at the halfway point between the UAE’s major hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the exclusive enclave is the quintessential getaway spot for the globe’s high-rolling glitterati with a taste for glamour and gravitas.
In real estate circles, an Ohanacommissioned address boasts the same prestige as a Jacob & Co. tourbillon. The Abu Dhabi-based private developer has built its name on waterfront showpieces of mouth-gaping proportions: think futuristic facades with cutaway rooflines, and flowing contours that resemble a sculpture in motion. The firm also teamed with Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab on a residential collection in Abu Dhabi, but the Jacob & Co. endeavor will be Ohana’s largest and most ambitious undertaking to date.
Jacob & Co. Beachfront Living will feature a collection of 457 residences – sea-facing apartments, villas, penthouses, and mansions plus a suite of swanky social and wellness amenities with world-first finishings. If you’ve ever dreamed of sipping a rare single malt under the glow of a 32-foot Jacob & Co. dial, your wish might soon be granted.
Positioned on Al Jurf ’s protected coastline, all residences boast sweeping sea views through floor-to-ceiling glass. Facades feature Ohana’s signature curves, twisting and sloping as if shaped by the sea with subtle nods to Jacob & Co.’s initials. One- to three-bedroom apartments reach up to 2,600 square feet, while standalone villas tucked into the tropical foliage are available in three- to six-bedroom configurations and feature expansive terraces with private pools. Penthouses offer 180-degree panorama, but if that doesn’t cut it, Sky Mansions serve 360-degrees vistas from their landscaped rooftop terraces.
Interiors are draped in a soft, pastoral palette, blending creamy whites, sandy beiges, and gentle pastels that echo the shoreline, with occasional splashes of imperial hues like gold and royal blue. Full-height glass walls are anchored by marble textured floors, while furnishings and fixtures are rendered in organic shapes to complement the freeform facades. Plush, long-pile rugs and gas fireplaces bring warmth, while dramatic pendant lights and grand marble staircases dial up the dazzle. Soaring double-height ceilings and floating second-floor walkways work in tandem to bring the sun-soaked paradise inside, blurring the lines between indoors and out to stunning effects.
At the development’s heart is the Jacob & Co. Social Club, a first-of-its-kind branded luxury retreat that houses a seafront cigar lounge, connected business center with private suites, and a resident lounge that, in addition to a rotating watch and art gallery, features the aforementioned 32-foot J&C timepiece chandelier the largest of its kind on the planet. The Beach Club takes full advantage of its coastal setting, satiating a full scope of appetites across four themed beachfront restaurants, along with a cabanastudded private beach and marina. A large central sundeck is finished with a freeform pool that hugs a swim-up cocktail haunt, and there are several lounge chairs and sunken alcoves to curl up with a Bellini and a book. When the ocean calls, the resort’s private marina features plenty of yacht berths for instant access to the sea.
Additional goodies include a full-service wellness center with a sauna, steam room, and meditation nooks, plus a kids play area, outdoor cinema, specialized fitness studio, rooftop basketball court, and a garden courtyard brimming with leafy botanicals, tropical palms, and vivid flora. The philosophy here is to live in harmony with the surrounding nature preserve, realized through tree
preservation and replanting initiatives. Residents will share an ecosystem with a rapidly growing Al Jurf community that’s focused on intention and well-being there’s even a SHA Wellness Clinic, the Spanish holistic healing concept founded by colon cancer survivor Alfredo Bataller Parietti in 2008, launching nearby in 2026. Completion is slated for 2028, with one-bedroom units starting at a surprisingly digestible $817,000. The flagship Sky Mansions begin at $21,000,000.
Jacob & Co.
Beachfront Living by Ohana