Even if you played no role whatsoever in helping the Houston Astros win it all, you can still own a 2017 Astros World Series ring.
Well, sort of.
Jostens, the ring manufacturer, teamed with the Astros to create a slightly less blingy model that fans and collectors can own. Only 112 rings were created, one of which will be raffled off to benefit the Astros Foundation. Each World Championship Fan Ring will retail at the symbolic price of $11,112. The Astros won 11 postseason games en route to being crowned World Series Champions, which, when added to the Astros 101 regular season wins, totals 112 wins for the 2017 World Championship season.
And if you’re really not into diamonds and such (or can’t afford one of the others), there are replica rings available online for MUCH less.
The higher-end players rings were handed out during a ceremony at Minute Maid Park prior to Tuesday night’s game. In total, the Astros are distributing a whopping 1,332 rings to Astros players, coaches, clubhouse and training staff, baseball and business front office members, medical staff, part-time associates, Hall of Famers, owners and broadcasters. It wouldn’t be shocking to see at least a few of those hit the auction block over the next few years.
“We are incredibly proud of this ring and what it represents for our players, the whole Astros organization and our fans,” said Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane. “It was important for us to design a ring that reflected just how historic last season truly was. We wanted to make sure that every member of the Astros organization – from the players, to the front office staff, to our part-time associates – got a ring, because they all contributed to winning Houston’s first World Championship.”
There’s no shortage of gems—or symbolism in the ring’s design.
Story Behind the 2017 Astros World Series Rings
According to Jostens and the Astros, the top of the ring illustrates how, “when the right pieces come together at the right time, history can be made.” Creating the “H” in the Astros logo are 11 custom-cut baguettes, which represent the team’s 11 postseason wins. The top of the ring is adorned with 101 diamonds, representing the number of regular season victories won by the Astros in 2017. When connected with the 11 custom-cut baguettes, the total diamond count reaches 112, the final number of wins the team achieved to win the World Series. Completing the top of the ring are 56 round diamonds, which encircle the logo and represent the 56 seasons of Astros franchise history leading up to 2017.
The name side of the 2017 World Series ring represents the contributions of each player. The recipient’s name and Astros wordmark frame the Houston skyline. The left field wall lifts up the city of Houston, a sentiment expressed by many fans when describing what this championship has meant to them and the community. The player’s number is encrusted in diamonds, symbolizing the value of each individual’s efforts.
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— Lance McCullers Jr. (@LMcCullers43) April 4, 2018
“Houston Strong” is inset in yellow gold. Featured within it is the “H” logo, which , according to the team, symbolizes how the franchise and the city came together to make each other stronger. A single solitaire diamond sits atop the Commissioner’s Trophy, representing the first World Series victory in franchise history and for the State of Texas. The Commissioner’s Trophy, crafted in yellow gold, rises from the center of Minute Maid Park. The Roman numeral LVI completes the side of the ring, paying tribute to 56 seasons of Astros franchise history that ultimately resulted in the World Series title.
The open sides of the Championship Ring tell the story in stones. Atop the ring’s edge, 10 diamonds and one blue sapphire represent the 11 times the team has made it to the postseason in franchise history. Two princess-cut sapphires, one orange and the other blue, are set in golden home plates at the top and bottom edge of the ring top. They represent Houston’s unique achievement of being both American and National League Champions, a feat never accomplished by any other Major League team. Six round diamonds are set in yellow gold on the bottom edge of the ring top. These diamonds represent the six years Crane has owned the team. The singular orange sapphire not only represents the Astros National League Pennant, but also Jim Crane’s first World Series Championship.
The inside of the ring showcases the results of each playoff series in the Astros playoff journey. The arbor of the ring features the organization’s 2017 rallying cry, “Earned History.” According to the Astros and Jostens, It is placed so that, when shaking another hand, “the recipient can see clearly that the Astros earned their World Series title and place in history.”
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