Ep 12. Chainz Bond

In this episode, rapper 2 Chainz explores the world of ultra-exclusive jewelry and luxury watches. He visits two high-end jewelers who create one-of-a-kind pieces for clients who can afford to spend millions on personal adornments.

The first jeweler Chainz visits is Jacob & Co., a company known for its intricate diamond watches. Chainz meets with Jacob & Co. founder Jacob Arabo and is blown away by the dazzling timepieces on display. Among the pieces on offer are a diamond-encrusted skull watch worth over $1 million and a timepiece featuring a miniature spinning globe made entirely out of diamonds.

Next, Chainz stops by the Beverly Hills store of the luxury jewelry brand Boucheron. He meets with CEO Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, who shows him some of the company's most exquisite pieces. Chainz is particularly taken with a necklace featuring a 78-carat emerald, which he estimates is worth around $10 million. He also tries on a diamond-encrusted snake bracelet, which he describes as "heavy as hell" but worth every penny of its $175,000 price tag.

Chainz also learns about the history of Boucheron, which was founded in 1858 and became known for its avant-garde designs. The company has created jewelry for a number of famous clients, including Queen Elizabeth II, the Shah of Iran, and Marlene Dietrich.

The episode also features a segment in which Chainz meets with the founders of a startup called OURA, which makes high-tech rings that track users' sleep patterns and other health metrics. The OURA rings are made of titanium and feature sensors that measure things like heart rate variability and body temperature. Chainz is impressed by the technology and tries on one of the rings himself.

Finally, Chainz visits a custom jewelry designer named Johnny Dang, who specializes in creating flashy pieces for rappers and other musicians. Johnny shows Chainz some of his most outrageous designs, including a diamond-encrusted grenade pendant and a $100,000 watch with a spinning globe on the face. Chainz also gets a tour of Johnny's workshop and sees how the jewelry is made, from sketching out designs to setting the gems.

Throughout the episode, Chainz marvels at the audacity of the prices some people are willing to pay for jewelry and watches. He's clearly impressed by the craftsmanship and artistry involved in creating these pieces, but also seems aware of the excess that drives the market. As he notes at one point, "It's not about the price tag. It's about what it represents."