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Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will have plenty to smile about when they see their championship rings.
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Lakers' new rings get full Hollywood bling treatment

By Adena Andrews, NBA.com
Posted Oct 27 2009 10:21PM

It wasn't enough that the Los Angeles Lakers notched their 15th championship last season in their 30th NBA Finals appearance, more appearances than any other NBA franchise. They had to go and rub it in with what can only be described as the most fabulous of NBA championship rings yet.

The Lakers went true Hollywood style and contracted a jeweler to the stars (and some of their players) to bling out their 2008-09 championship rings. Lakers fans better have their shades ready during the ring presentation on Tuesday night because this ring is sure to blind.


The Lakers' new championship rings boast 15 diamonds to commemorate L.A.'s 15 NBA championships.
Special to NBA.com

Some key facts on the the Lakers' championship ice:

Laker gold -- Most rings are 14-karat gold but the Lakers' high-profile jeweler, Jason of Beverly Hills, created a special batch of 15-karat Laker gold to commemorate their 15th NBA championship. The ring is made of both white and yellow gold and was built from seven different parts that had to be assembled. Most rings are built as one unit.

Bling that'll blind -- The ring is comprised of 15 diamonds weighing in at 2.85 carats.

Home court advantage -- The Lakers' rings mirror the shape of the exterior of their home arena, the Staples Center. When viewed from the side, you can see the "roof" and "sides" of the Lakers' home court.

Personalization -- In the past every player has had their name and number on the side of their ring. The Lakers went a step above that and laser engraved the image of each player's face on his ring.

Lock-down defense -- Each ring boasts a hand-selected, diamond-engraved "L". The "L" is placed in a different position on each player's ring and is only viewable with a high-powered microscope. This helps authenticate each players piece. For further security and authentification, every ring has a serial number which is stored in a database that only the Lakers themselves and the jeweler can access.

Hollywood packaging, too -- Each ring will be presented in an oversized box roughly the size of a watch box. When opened, each box has two built-in LED spotlights that shine on the ring. Even the ring itself gets royal treatment: it is mounted on a rotating mechanical platform.


Each player will receive a ring that features a laser engraving of their face on the side of the ring.
Special to NBA.com
The Lakers' own 'Iceman'

The company responsible for this freak of nature championship ring is Jason of Beverly Hills. Thirteen years ago, the company was just the dream of a struggling UCLA student, Jason Arasheben. He's now become the established jeweler of choice for over 200 NBA players and world-renowned celebrities seeking one-of-a-kind diamond pieces.

Arasheben's company has never created a championship ring for an NBA team before, but with clients such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Andrew Bynum and Carmelo Anthony, he has become well-versed in the tastes of NBA players.

That established relationship with players, as well as some unmatched technology, helped Jason of Beverly Hills develop a ring that players could adore and have exemplify their personal style.

Jason of Beverly Hills was specifically selected out of numerous companies, some of whom have manufactured NBA championship rings before, to bring the bling to the Lakers' championship ring.

"We knew we were the new breed and we knew that the Lakers took a huge chance with us when we haven't had a track record in this type of championship ring business," Arasheben said. ''So we knew we had to exceed expectations and that's exactly what we did."

"We are bringing a little more flair and a little more of LA's lifestyle to this piece which has never been seen before.

"What is really unique about this particular ring is that it's not just a regular ring, it actually has tons of hidden meanings within the ring that give the ring a story. A story unlike any other ring has ever had."

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