GQ: How much does it mean to you that the Knicks commissioned you to make their championship rings?
Jason Arasheben: I spent a part of my childhood in New York. I went to Knicks games as a child. I visited New York every winter to see my family. My favorite player was Anthony Mason when I was a kid, a legendary New York Knick. And I knew that I had a chance. And then I know they submitted designs to a lot of the players to get player feedback. And ultimately we got the nod and it was a great day.
When did you first realize you had a chance?
It’s my protocol to reach out immediately following the championship. And three weeks after the season was over, the Knicks called.
What was the creative process like?
Well, the creative process varies from team to team. This particular process, they wanted us to send in our three designs and then obviously the business behind it all and what we bring to the table. So we submitted designs, and I’m sure countless other jewelers sent designs. Those designs were shared with ownership, the executive staff and players alike to gather everyone’s feedback. And when they reached back out to me. The consensus was, “We liked your design. We liked what you’ve done in the past and we decided to go with you.”
What was player collaboration like? Were there any minor changes based on their feedback?
The team is the one that distributed it to the players. Even though I did have some players on the team that were personal clients—Jeremy Sochan was a client, Mitchell Robinson was a client. We’ve done jewelry for Josh Hart. So we have over 250 NBA players as personal clients of the brand outside of championship rings. So that gives us a distinct advantage. But as far as the championship ring design itself, the Knicks shared it with some of the key players—I don’t know exactly which ones—and got some of their feedback. And I guess it came back that they liked ours the best.
But designing a championship ring is very different from designing a custom piece for a professional athlete. When you design a custom piece, it’s something that’s unique to that person. When you’re designing a championship ring, you have to be able to design a ring and create an aesthetic that is appealing to not only the players, but to ownership, executive staff, and the fans of New York. And it’s got to tell a story beyond just being pretty. It’s got to tell the story of the season, the road to the championship, and capture the energy of the city of New York.
