Quickies February 3, 2013

Super Bowl Rings on the Brain!

I heard a story the other day, about the time that Robert Kraft (the New England Patriot’s owner) met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and somehow or another Kraft wound up unintentionally giving Putin the Super Bowl Ring he was wearing! Evidently Kraft had removed his Super Bowl Ring to better show it to Putin, and the Russian president took his handing it over to mean that Kraft was giving it to him.

Kraft evidently decided on the spot that letting Putin keep his ring (one of three that the Patriots have won) was the right thing to do, but I can only imagine how freaked out he must have felt on some level. Never mind the sentimental attachment or the achievement owning a Super Bowl ring represents, some Super Bowl rings have sold for as much as $230,000! That was a heck of a gift!

If It’s Hip It’s Here has put together a fabulous guide chock-full of NFL Championship Ring information, complete with pictures of every Super Bowl ring.

Did you know that …

• The winning team gets to pick who designs the ring? Past designers have included Tiffany & Co., Balfour, Herff Jones, and Diamond Cutters International, but Jostens has made the most — 30 of the past 46!

• The NFL picks up the tab for a set amount on each ring (up to 150 rings per team)? But if the ring goes past that arbitrary amount (last known to be $5K, but probably more than that now), the team owners have to pay the difference? Considering how blinged out some of these rings are, I have no doubt that they go past the allowed amount more often than not.

Good stuff, right?

If you could own any Super Bowl Ring, which would it be? Take a look at all of them before you decide!

via If It’s Hip It’s Here

Tags: Offbeat and Off Topic, Sports and Fitness

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About Judie Lipsett Stanford

View all posts by Judie Lipsett Stanford

I have had a fascination with all types of gadgets and gizmos since I was a child, beginning with the toy robot that my grandmother gave my brother - which I promptly "relieved him of" in 1973. I have long been captivated by devices that did anything interesting or served a unique purpose - however silly. I can't tell you how everything works – but I am known world-wide for using a product until I have a full understanding of what it does, what its limitations are, and if it excels in any given area...or not.

TMEhrlich

I can say winning a ring at any level is an amazing experience. It is the ultimate feeling of success in all that you worked so hard to do. I currently prefer my own ring over the others! This one was designed by Balfour.
- http://www.geardiary.com/ Judie Stanford
  
  Beautiful!! So can you imagine handing it over to someone to look at — and them thinking that you meant to give it to them?
  - TMEhrlich
    
    I only take mine off for people to look at if I know them well. I am kind of protective of it. Of course I don’t have 3!
    - http://www.geardiary.com/ Judie Stanford
      
      I couldn’t help but wonder if teams order an extra ring or two — just in case something weird (like this) happens. =P
      - TMEhrlich
        
        All of the rings are personalized, so probably not. Balfour told us ours is handled just like SuperBowl champions. Everyone who is eligible for a ring is entered into a database. If something happens a replacement can be ordered. We have one player need one. They cannot change anything from original design.
        
        Also, when the companies come to discuss the rings they bring cases of all of the super bowl, world series, national championships etc that they have designed to look at. They claim those samples or designs are not available to handle and look at unless you are a champion looking to get a ring designed. It was cool to hold a Peyton Manning Super Bowl ring. I was not allowed to take a pic of it.
        
        http://www.geardiary.com/ Judie Stanford
        
        Very cool “insider” info! =)
http://www.geardiary.com/ Michael Anderson

I have no interest in any ring for someone else, any more than I would like a plaque for someone else hanging on my wall. When you look at Coach’s ring below, we can be proud of him, but the victory is personal. No one else would want any of the professional accolades I have gotten, as they are not worth anything else but the occasional gold, silver, and gems that make them up … but to me (as with coach) they are priceless.

As for the gift issue … that is just bizarre – but these heads of state are so often given things that I bet it didn’t even occur to him!