GaryMrMets
03-05-2004, 09:05 PM
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20040305&content_id=645632&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp
03/05/2004 12:37 PM ET
Marlins unveil championship rings
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
JUPITER, Fla. -- Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has become the Lord of the Rings.
On Friday, the Marlins unveiled arguably the most spectacular championship rings in sports history.
"I wanted to find something that hadn't been done before," Loria said. "I wanted to set a new standard for championship rings. This ring is a glorious piece of sculpture."
To honor the 2003 World Series champions, Loria designed a ring with more than 240 stones, including 228 diamonds, 13 rubies and one rare teal diamond that is in the eye of the Marlins' fish design.
The weight is between 110-115 grams, and along with its immense size is unprecedented attention to detail.
"The design elements used on this have raised the level that is going to be very difficult to match in the future," said Miran Armutlu, whose company Intergold from Calgary manufactured the rings. "Sculpturing of this magnitude have never been done on rings."
An art dealer, Loria became thinking about the ring's design three days after the Marlins defeated the Yankees in Game 6 of the World Series.
A number of the elements and themes from the Marlins' miraculous season are engraved on the rings. Along with each player's name and number, in vivid detail is the World Series design, the MLB logo, and the results of each round of the playoffs.
The World Series trophy graces one side of the 14-carat gold ring, and the face is loaded with diamonds, the word Marlins as scripted on the uniforms and their fish logo.
"I'm actually looking to hire a bodyguard," quipped All-Star third baseman Mike Lowell. "It's lived up to all the hype I had heard before. It's unbelievable. The sketches we had seen before, you thought there was no way you could put so much detail on the ring. I'm not sure it's an everyday ring."
Manager Jack McKeon shared Lowell's initial thought.
"You wear that thing in the subways in New York and you're going to need three or four bodyguards," McKeon said.
Veteran Lenny Harris, who is at the tail end of his career, sees the ring as a reminder of all the hard work that is involved in winning the championship.
"This is a big blessing," Harris said. "I see all the hard work involved. I'm going to wear that ring every single day of my life."
Loria said he personally or a high-ranking team official will deliver rings to the players no longer on the squad.
The Marlins will present the rings to the players on April 10 in a Saturday night game against the Phillies at Pro Player Stadium.
The Marlins had a storybook 2003, pulling off one of the most shocking World Series runs in history. On May 22, they fell to 10 games under .500, but rebounded to finish 91-71 to take the Wild Card. The 91-71 record is also inscribed on the ring.
"Last year was probably the most wondrous time, special time in sports history in South Florida," Loria said. "Anybody fortunate enough to be part of it, hopefully enjoyed it as much as I did.
"I tried in my own quiet way to get the message across that if they did something special for the fans of South Florida and for themselves, that they would probably see the most glorious and spectacular World Series ring they've ever seen. I wanted to create something that wasn't just spectacular, but included cutting edge technology. The promise I made, I think I've been able to keep."
Joe Frisarois a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/2004/03/05/S9TeNQRj.jpg
"I wanted to find something that hadn't been done before," Jeffrey Loria said. (Florida Marlins)
03/05/2004 12:37 PM ET
Marlins unveil championship rings
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
JUPITER, Fla. -- Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has become the Lord of the Rings.
On Friday, the Marlins unveiled arguably the most spectacular championship rings in sports history.
"I wanted to find something that hadn't been done before," Loria said. "I wanted to set a new standard for championship rings. This ring is a glorious piece of sculpture."
To honor the 2003 World Series champions, Loria designed a ring with more than 240 stones, including 228 diamonds, 13 rubies and one rare teal diamond that is in the eye of the Marlins' fish design.
The weight is between 110-115 grams, and along with its immense size is unprecedented attention to detail.
"The design elements used on this have raised the level that is going to be very difficult to match in the future," said Miran Armutlu, whose company Intergold from Calgary manufactured the rings. "Sculpturing of this magnitude have never been done on rings."
An art dealer, Loria became thinking about the ring's design three days after the Marlins defeated the Yankees in Game 6 of the World Series.
A number of the elements and themes from the Marlins' miraculous season are engraved on the rings. Along with each player's name and number, in vivid detail is the World Series design, the MLB logo, and the results of each round of the playoffs.
The World Series trophy graces one side of the 14-carat gold ring, and the face is loaded with diamonds, the word Marlins as scripted on the uniforms and their fish logo.
"I'm actually looking to hire a bodyguard," quipped All-Star third baseman Mike Lowell. "It's lived up to all the hype I had heard before. It's unbelievable. The sketches we had seen before, you thought there was no way you could put so much detail on the ring. I'm not sure it's an everyday ring."
Manager Jack McKeon shared Lowell's initial thought.
"You wear that thing in the subways in New York and you're going to need three or four bodyguards," McKeon said.
Veteran Lenny Harris, who is at the tail end of his career, sees the ring as a reminder of all the hard work that is involved in winning the championship.
"This is a big blessing," Harris said. "I see all the hard work involved. I'm going to wear that ring every single day of my life."
Loria said he personally or a high-ranking team official will deliver rings to the players no longer on the squad.
The Marlins will present the rings to the players on April 10 in a Saturday night game against the Phillies at Pro Player Stadium.
The Marlins had a storybook 2003, pulling off one of the most shocking World Series runs in history. On May 22, they fell to 10 games under .500, but rebounded to finish 91-71 to take the Wild Card. The 91-71 record is also inscribed on the ring.
"Last year was probably the most wondrous time, special time in sports history in South Florida," Loria said. "Anybody fortunate enough to be part of it, hopefully enjoyed it as much as I did.
"I tried in my own quiet way to get the message across that if they did something special for the fans of South Florida and for themselves, that they would probably see the most glorious and spectacular World Series ring they've ever seen. I wanted to create something that wasn't just spectacular, but included cutting edge technology. The promise I made, I think I've been able to keep."
Joe Frisarois a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/2004/03/05/S9TeNQRj.jpg
"I wanted to find something that hadn't been done before," Jeffrey Loria said. (Florida Marlins)