Chicago, IL, July 14, 2009 – When executive producer Ralph Cohen scooped up the charred hair Michael Jackson lost in the filming of the now-infamous Pepsi commercial, he had no idea that he was saving an important piece of history.

Now, this closest connection to Jackson himself is being preserved by John Reznikoff and LifeGem. Reznikoff is one of America’s most highly respected collectors, and LifeGem is the world’s first purveyor of diamond memorials created from the carbon in a lock of hair.

Cohen, executive producer for the Pepsi commercial, was among the first to reach Jackson when he was set on fire.

As seen on the now famous video, Cohen threw his jacket over Jackson’s head to help extinguish the flames. As Jackson was being rushed off the set and to the hospital, Cohen instinctively, picked up the charred lock of hair and put it in his pocket– where it remained undisturbed for 25 years until Jackson’s death last month.


“The provenance and authenticity of this lock of hair is impeccable, including the highly publicized video showing the original owner of the hair using his Armani jacket to extinguish Jackson’s hair, said John Reznikoff. “This jacket was included with the purchase of the hair.”


A portion will remain in Reznikoff’s collection. Another portion is being used by LifeGem to create a small number of certified, high quality diamonds as a tribute to Jackson's life.

Back in 2007 LifeGem & Reznikoff collaborated to successfully create diamonds from Beethoven’s hair.

“We specialize in creating diamonds from locks of hair.  Our plan is to give people an opportunity to own a diamond made from Michael Jackson’s DNA,” said Dean VandenBiesen founder of LifeGem. “We are currently evaluating Jackson's hair sample to determine how many diamonds can be created. This will be a limited collection and we anticipate great interest.”

Reznikoff has assembled the most extensive collection of hair from history’s most famous figures, including Lincoln, Kennedy, Einstein and Marilyn Monroe.

What is a LifeGem^®?
The LifeGem^® is a certified, high-quality diamond created from the
carbon of your loved one as a memorial to their unique life, or as a symbol of your personal and precious bond with another.

LifeGem diamonds are molecularly identical to natural diamonds found at any high-end jeweler.  To qualify as diamonds, they must have the exact same brilliance, fire, and hardness (the hardest substance known) as diamonds from the earth, and of course, they do! 

LifeGem diamonds are created individually from your specific carbon source in our patented process.

Whether you've lost a loved one or simply want to celebrate your love, the LifeGem diamond provides a way to embrace your loved one’s memory day by day.  The LifeGem^® is the most unique and timeless tribute available for creating a testimony to their unique life.