Big Lessons From the Lil Baby Watch Debacle
Gabriel Jacobs of Rafaello & Co. shares what he took away from a high-profile mistake.

From Jay-Z and Rick Ross to DJ Khaled and Swizz Beatz, the New York-based company, located in the heart of the Diamond District, is a jeweler to the stars.
However, the company garnered some negative headlines recently when one of its celebrity clientele, Atlanta-based rapper Lil Baby, took to Instagram to call the company out for selling him a fake Patek Philippe watch for $400,000.
After Lil Baby (given name Dominique Armani Jones) shared his new purchase on Instagram, an eagle-eyed watch connoisseur noticed some inconsistencies with the timepiece, posting a side-by-side comparison to show the rapper what a genuine Patek Philippe 40th Anniversary Nautilus should look like.
On Monday, National Jeweler spoke to Gabriel Jacobs, the owner of Rafaello & Co, to learn more about what happened.
The fallout from the sale was any jeweler’s worst nightmare, as direct messages poured in on Instagram accusing the company of being a fraud and selling fakes.
Jacobs said he does the processing of watches and jewelry, meaning he inspects them for authenticity himself.
After the sale, he also showed the watch to a few other dealers in the Diamond District and it turned out to be a very good fake, escaping the notice of those with lifetimes of experience.
“The movement was good,” said Jacobs, while noting that certain pieces were off upon closer inspection.
He takes full responsibility for the mistake and said he intends to have a stricter screening process in place going forward.
“I should’ve had a watch expert on site to do these things,” Jacobs said.
He advised other jewelers selling secondhand goods do the same. They should consult experts to be absolutely sure of a piece’s authenticity so they can avoid the situation he finds himself in now.
The cost to his business’ reputation has been considerable and he said he would’ve never knowingly sold a counterfeit watch.
The relationship between the two was off to a strong start, as seen in the above Instagram post from November 2019.
Jacobs loaned the rapper $3 million in jewels for the recent Met Gala, he said, including chains, a cross, a pinky ring, and a bracelet.
The watch in question was purchased via trade-ins, including jewelry and two watches from another jeweler.
The rapper was refunded in full for the fake Patek and was gifted rings valued at $50,000 to $55,000 that were being designed for him already as a token of the jeweler’s apology.
The jeweler posted a public apology on Instagram, but then took it down after friends advised Jacobs, to avoid going back and forth with the rapper, who made comments indicating he was still upset about the incident, publicly.
“He’s a good kid and he has a good head on his shoulders,” said Jacobs of the 26-year-old musician.
“I want him to accept my apology,” he said, adding that he did his best to do right by his customer once the mistake was realized.
The Latest

The National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.

The 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.

Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.


The virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.

The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

Parent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.

Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

The educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.

The independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.

The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.

However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.

The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.

The family-owned retailer is the new owner of Morrison Smith Jewelers in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.