First the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series. Then the Pittsburgh Steelers won their sixth NFL Super Bowl. The Pittsburgh Penguins just won the NHL Stanley Cup. It’s a great time to be a sports fan in Pennsylvania (we’ll just overlook those always woeful Pittsburgh Pirates). Sports championship rings get a lot of publicity for their over-the-top designs. There are always private and public ring ceremonies, and what athlete doesn’t like to flaunt their victory with a big diamond ring?
The Steelers and Jostens collaborated on perhaps, as a football TV commentator would enthuse, the “greatest ring in NFL history.” To symbolize the team’s six Super Bowl victories, six round diamonds surround the Steelers logo, which sits atop a football-shaped diamond design. Other highlights include six Lombardi trophies carved on one side of the ring, while the other side is personalized with the player’s name and number. The 14k yellow gold ring weighs 104 grams (approximately 3.7 ounces) with 63 round diamonds totaling 3.61 carats.
Speaking of big sports rings, we have to mention that the Philadelphia Phillies celebrated their 2008 World Series championship, too, with rings created by Masters of Design. The 14k white gold ring features 103 diamonds, totaling 3.84 carats. The top is crowned with a ruby inlay and the Phillies’ signature “P.”
We wonder what the next championship ring will look like. What about the one for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers? That could top the Steelers’ ring. As for the rest of the country’s sports fans, there’s always next year. Just my vote, but hopefully the next championship ring will have a diamond studded interlocking “N” and “Y” and feature carats and carats of “pinstripe” white and black diamonds. — Matthew Kramer
