What Bling Will the Seahawks Bring?

Joe Theismann's Super Bowl and Conference Rings. Photo is in the public domain. by Angela Magnotti Andrews During the Seahawks Victory Parade and Celebration held today in downtown Seattle, Fox News reported that as the players arrived at CenturyLink Field they were fitted for their Super Bowl Champion rings. Since 1967, the NFL has provided Super Bowl rings for both teams that play in America's most popular sporting event. According to OnPoint, the NFL currently provides 150 rings to the winning team with a price cap of $5,000 per ring. The team is free to exceed this price point, but they must cover the overage from their own budget. As with any major event, winning the Super Bowl is a team effort, and those who work behind the scenes far outnumber those we see on the field. Managers, scouts, financial supporters, and more make it possible for our guys to get out on the field and do their jobs without worrying about anything except what they are there to do: Play their best football! According to Fox Sports, being the best of the best, earning the opportunity to play a role in the biggest game of the year, is not about prestige and it's not about the money. They claim, "...it's about the ring" {3}. While the NFL provides the funding for these individualized trophies, they leave the design process completely up to the team. Working closely with their chosen designer, they strive to create a ring that captures not only the essence of the team, but also one that "...tells the story of the team, their great win, and the special season" {4}. Chris Poitras, director of sports marketing and development at Jostens, told the Gemological Institute of America that these customized rings can take up to several months to manufacture. They are intricate in their execution, typically featuring the logo and colors of the team, as well as diamonds and gemstones often arranged symbolically to reflect the season's highlights {4}. Each ring is inscribed with the wearer's name, and they often include special inscriptions with hidden meanings. I would wager a guess that the Seahawks' Super Bowl ring will include some tribute to the 12th man. This reporter has been unable to ascertain which firm has been hired by the Seahawks to design their Super Bowl ring. The team is free to choose, and while the majority of Super Bowl winners have gone with Jostens, others have chosen their competitor Balfour, and at least six teams worked with Tiffany & Co.

Bibliography

1. Duncan, Jeff. "New Orleans Saints, general manager Mickey Loomis forced to make tough calls handing out Super Bowl rings," The Times-Picayune, June 20, 2010. http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/06/new_orleans_saints_general_man_7.html.
2. OnPoint. "Super Bowl Rings." Accessed February 5, 2014. http://www.onpointevents.com/super-bowl-rings_384.htm.
3. Pereira, Mike. "Super Bowl Represents the Pinnacle for Referees," MSN Fox Sports, January 29, 2014. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/pereira-super-bowl-represents-the-pinnacle-for-referees-012914.
4. "Super Bowl Bling Rings," GIA 4Cs Blog, January 16, 2014. http://4csblog.gia.edu/2014/super-bowl-rings.
5. Wikipedia. "Super Bowl ring." Accessed February 5, 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_ring.
6. Young, Christal. "The making of a Super Bowl ring," myFOXchicago, January 27, 2014. http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/24557936/the-making-of-a-super-bowl-ring.
7. Zaldivar, Gabe. "Super Bowl Rings: Breaking Down Coolest Championship Rings of the Past 47 Years," Bleacher Report, January 28, 2014. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1935844-super-bowl-rings-breaking-down-coolest-championship-rings-of-the-past-47-years.