Key Takeaways
- Jason Arasheben says Michael Jackson was the only celebrity who ever left him starstruck after the jeweler designed diamond pieces based on the Jackson family crest.
- A personal tour of Neverland Ranch showed Arasheben how Jackson recreated ordinary experiences—like visiting a movie theater—for himself and his children because his fame made public outings impossible.
- The encounter changed Arasheben’s view of Jackson’s wealth and fame, revealing “a part of that life” he did not envy before Jason of Beverly Hills became a major designer of celebrity jewelry and championship rings.
Jason Arasheben has designed jewelry for some of the most famous people in sports and entertainment. But the founder of Jason of Beverly Hills says Michael Jackson was the rare client who left him starstruck—and a visit to Neverland Ranch ultimately gave him a different perspective on the price of that fame.
Arasheben discussed working with Jackson during an appearance on Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson’s The Pull Up With Scoop B, recalling a commission to create diamond pieces based on the Jackson family crest.
“That was a dream come true because I have literally never been starstruck… but one time,” Arasheben said. “I got a chance to go to Neverland Ranch, and Michael gave me a tour of Neverland Ranch himself. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”
Arasheben remembered Jackson as “so kind, so nice,” but the jewelry itself was only part of what made the encounter memorable. Walking through Neverland gave the designer an unusually close look at the infrastructure Jackson had built around a life in which ordinary public experiences had become nearly impossible.
One example was Jackson’s private movie theater.
“Michael Jackson cannot go to a movie theater,” Arasheben said. “How is he going to have that experience with his children? He cannot. So what do you do? He builds a movie theater on his land so he could experience the same type of thing that all of us here take for granted.”
For Arasheben, who would go on to work with celebrities including Drake and Rihanna and become one of sports’ most prominent championship-ring designers, the experience complicated the usual perception of Jackson’s extraordinary wealth.
“Yes, we all look up to Michael Jackson and envy his wealth and fame, but there is also a part of that life that I do not envy,” he said. “It took me having that experience to really understand that.”
Arasheben’s recollection arrives during another period of intense interest in Jackson’s career. The Michael biopic, starring Jaafar Jackson and directed by Antoine Fuqua, crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office this year, becoming Lionsgate’s highest-grossing release. A sequel is already being developed, with production targeted for late 2026 or early 2027.
The film has also helped fuel a substantial resurgence in the catalog. Jackson recently occupied the top three positions on Billboard’s R&B Streaming Songs chart with “Billie Jean,” “Chicago,” and “Beat It,” while albums including Thriller, Bad, and Off the Wall have returned to prominence.
Arasheben’s own business has expanded considerably since his encounter with Jackson. Jason of Beverly Hills has produced championship rings for franchises including the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, with Arasheben increasingly incorporating mechanical and interchangeable elements into his designs.
