Jason Arasheben, expert jeweler, shows off his crazy jewelry collection

Jason Arasheben, CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, is the jeweler to some of the world's biggest stars. Recently, Jason sat down with GQ to showcase some of the pieces he has created for celebrities like Drake, Michael Jackson, and many others. Jason exhibits some of the jewelry from his collection, starting with Drake’s iced-out Patek Philippe featuring rare, natural pink diamonds. Jason also shows off his 30-carat, $5 million diamond that will soon be set into a pink ring. Jason has created numerous championship rings, including the back-to-back Warriors rings.

Our collection of hip hop jewelry and bling jewelry is available on our shop emirice.com!

Jewelry style through a jeweler's eyes: what defines it

What distinguishes a jeweler’s perspective from that of a casual wearer is the angle of approach. Where one sees a finished piece, the workshop sees a sequence of decisions: the choice of metal, how the links are formed, how each stone is held, and the clasp that will have to withstand years of wear.

The pieces shown in this video belong to very different families—set watches, rings, championship rings—but they all obey the same requirement: a custom piece is not judged by its surface, it is judged by what holds it together. This is the logic we apply here, without inventing anything regarding the creations themselves.

High-end custom jewelry is, in fact, recognizable by very concrete signs: regularity of the links, absence of play in the clasp, alignment of stones in a single line of light, and a clean polish even in areas that are not visible. It is these details, invisible in a photo, that separate a fine piece from one that is merely shiny.

How to achieve this look

The "jeweler’s piece" look relies less on quantity than on consistency. A single well-proportioned chain, worn with the right clasp and the right length, produces more effect than three mismatched pieces. The starting point is always the width.

On a man, a 12mm chain reads well from a distance without overwhelming the build; a 16 to 18mm piece becomes a statement item, reserved for simple outfits. Conversely, a 3mm rope chain can be worn daily, under a shirt, and often serves as a base for a pendant.

• One dominant piece per silhouette. If the chain is wide, the watch and rings should remain understated.
• Length consistent with width. The wider a link, the more length it requires to drape correctly: 55 to 60 cm minimum for anything over 12 mm.
• A clasp that matches the piece. A heavy chain on a light clasp is a recipe for a break.
• Test how it lays flat. A good Cuban chain lies flat on the chest, without twisting or flipping on its side.
• Only one dominant metal per outfit, with perhaps a discreet touch of a second.

Anatomy of a chain: link, solder, lobster claw or box clasp

A chain is three things: a repeating link shape, a junction that closes each link, and a closing system. The rest—the plating, the setting, the finish—is layered on top. Understanding these three elements allows you to judge a piece without being a jeweler.

First, the link. Its cross-section (round, flat, twisted) determines how light is reflected, and its width-to-thickness ratio determines how it lays flat. A Cuban link is flattened and slightly domed: that is why it forms a continuous band on the chest instead of rolling over itself.

Next, the solder. Each link is a ring that is closed, and this junction is the mechanical weak point of the entire chain. On a well-executed piece, the solder is invisible to the naked eye and cannot be felt with the finger. A roughness or a slight depression signals rushed finishing—and often a link that will be the first to open.

Finally, the clasp, too often chosen last when it carries all the weight. The table below compares the most common systems.

Element	Purpose	What to check	Signs of quality craftsmanship
Link	Defines the design and lay of the chain	Regularity from link to link	No link more open or thinner than its neighbors
Solder	Closes each link	Run your finger along the entire length	Smooth surface, no excess metal, no dips
Lobster claw	Quick, universal closure	Crisp spring action, size proportional to the link	Closing latch returns cleanly, no lateral play
Box clasp	Integrates into the link design	Distinct click upon insertion, no play	The clasp visually disappears into the chain
Safety (figure-eight, latch)	Second lock on heavy pieces	Present whenever the piece is wide	Can be operated with one hand without force
Bail	Holds the pendant	Sufficient clearance for the intended link	Interior polished so as not to scratch the chain

One final useful tip: a chain should be judged in motion, not lying on a table. When worn, a good piece follows the body, returns to flat on its own, and makes no rattling metal noise. The four steps below summarize the checks to perform.

Emir ICE pieces in this spirit

Four chains that illustrate these construction differences well: a baguette-set Cuban link, a prong link where the stones are held by claws, a gucci link with a more graphic design, and a thin rope chain for daily wear.

Three mistakes to avoid

• Judging a chain by a front-facing photo. It is the profile and how it lays flat that reveal the quality of the link.
• Neglecting the clasp. It is the only moving part of the assembly, and therefore the one that wears out; on a wide chain, a second lock is not a luxury.
• Confusing shine with finish. A piece can be very bright and poorly finished: the polish of hidden areas says more than the sparkle of the face.

For further reading

Before choosing your first piece, take the time to read our complete guide to American rapper jewelry: chains, pendants, grillz, watches, and glasses are all reviewed, with the width, length, and metal benchmarks that recur throughout the rest of the blog.

To dig into the technique: everything about Cuban link chains details the most iconic link, which metal to choose for custom-made jewelry tackles the subject from the workshop's side, and the pros and cons of invisible setting explain what the setting changes regarding light. In this same blog, Johnny Dang, expert jeweler, shows another approach to the craft.

As for the catalog, the Cuban link chains collection gathers the wide links, and diamond chain brings together the set models across all link types.

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