For hip-hop artists, jewelry is a status symbol for wealth and prestige within the industry as a symbolic gesture to celebrate the journey of their successes. When hip-hop artists call, Alex Arabov's Miami-based jewelry business, VOBARA, answers, creating one-of-a-kind custom pieces artists have worn, including Rick Ross and Soulja Boy.
Alex Arabov is no stranger to the glitz, glamor, and gold of jewelry—growing up, his father and uncle were in the jewelry business until his father passed away when Alex was only eight. VOBARA pays homage to his father's memory and is even located in the shop where Alex's father started his jewelry business in downtown Miami. His uncle, Jacob the Jeweler, is still in the jewelry business, but it was not from his uncle's coattails that Alex found his success; he made it for himself.
Showcase creativity
VOBARA is Alex’s last name spelled backward as a “tribute to my father,” according to Alex. It was this name he used when he was in high school selling Shamballa bracelets as a side hustle, which would prove to be a rewarding venture. The side hustle ended once other jewelry companies began creating and mass producing the same type of bracelet, making it harder for Alex to profit from the side business. After high school, he went to college and received a degree in digital film, graduating as the best director in class. Working in the film industry left him feeling like something was missing, despite being able to purchase a home for himself and his wife. Shooting other people's creativity left him wanting to pursue something that allowed him the opportunity to showcase his own creativity.
Getting started in the jewelry industry was not an easy feat to accomplish. For most, the jewelry industry is one you are grandfathered into—you make it big because you are a part of a long line of successful jewelers with a prominent name. Even with his uncle's success, Alex was not handed an invitation to the industry. He worked his way to the top with excellent skill and a keen eye for detail, still experiencing a lot of rejection along the way.
Putting opponents “to sleep"
Alex officially established his jewelry business VOBARA in 2016 but would wait three years before seeing popularity begin to spike when he began selling pieces to Quincy Combs, P. Diddy's son. The momentum from this in 2019 made Alex challenge himself, and he began posting photos of unique pieces on Instagram every day. Now, Alex designs the custom pendants used as celebrity swag for Quincy and King Combs. The DRACO pendant worn by Soulja Boy in his "Make it Clap" TikTok challenge was designed and created by VOBARA and several notable pieces associated with Rick Ross.
Fast forward to 2022, when boxing has become more popular than ever, thanks to those from different sectors of the entertainment industry joining in. One of those entertainers is Youtuber turned boxing legend Jake Paul.
Paul turned to VOBARA for a custom one-of-a-kind $20,000 ring. The unique piece represents Jake Paul putting his opponents “to sleep,” as he is known for his streak of knocking out competitors in the ring.
Provide high-quality customer care and satisfaction
The majority of VOBARA's sales are completed online and through Instagram. The Miami location Alex uses is an appointment-only showroom that allows him to provide one-on-one attention to clients. However, he is considering a store-front location in the future. The office will remain in downtown Miami, a location he will never give up as it connects him with his father and the roots established for him within the jewelry industry.
VOBARA aims to provide high-quality customer care and satisfaction in all aspects of the business process. Alex looks at every customer as a friend, talking to them as if they are right there in front of him even though most of his customers are only online. Through his friendly take on the business, he provides the level of trust necessary between himself and his customer to create beautiful and unique works and receive payment for his designs. Alex says, "If you call us from the moon, we'll make sure we get you a custom piece and find a way to ship it to you." This is the true testament of his dedication to making sure customers are happy and satisfied in any situation.
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His advice to anyone looking to pursue a goal they are passionate about is not to give up and never take no for an answer. Alex has heard "no" plenty of times starting out and experienced obstacles in his own life that could have deterred him from a path of success. Instead of giving up, Alex chose to overcome and change his life for the better to become one of Miami's prominent hip-hop and urban jewelers. Alex Arabov is proof that it is not our path that defines us. It’s the perseverance to alter where our path is headed—and strive to achieve more so that it changes where we go in life.
