Crafted in 14-karat white and yellow gold and hand-set with 679 diamonds and sapphires, the 2022 World Series ring celebrates the Houston Astros' memorable season and ultimate triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies with artful storytelling details.
Coaches and players received their rings on the field at Minute Maid Park during a special ceremony prior to the team’s home opener on Friday.
Each ring features 591 round diamonds, 11 baguette-cut diamonds, 22 emerald-cut diamonds, 9 custom-cut orange sapphires, 2 round orange sapphires, 1 star-shaped orange sapphire, 42 round blue sapphires and 1 star-shaped blue sapphire. The total weight of all the gemstones is approximately 15.30 carats.
The Astros introduced their "Level Up" slogan at the beginning of the 2022 season. Having lost to the Atlanta Braves in the 2021 Fall Classic, the Houston squad was ready to take it to the next level. On social media, the team wrote, "This year, we're aiming for the pinnacle. We're ready to #LevelUp."
And with 117 combined regular and postseason wins, they certainly delivered on that promise.
“Jostens is proud to once again be celebrating this team with a one-of-a-kind ring that tells the story of their season," noted Chris Poitras, general manager and senior vice president of Jostens Professional Sports Division. "This ring is filled with details that bring the Astros championship journey to life and Jostens is honored to be the trusted partner of the 2022 World Series Champions.”
The ring's top features the iconic Astros “H” logo created from custom-cut orange sapphires and 11 baguette diamonds. These 11 diamonds honor the Astros rich championship history, combining the five AL West Division titles, four AL Pennants and two World Series victories during the team's current golden era.
The yellow gold border of the star is set with 71 round diamonds, symbolic of the 71 strikeouts by Astros pitchers during the World Series – a new MLB record. Surrounding the logo are an additional 117 diamonds, representing the Astros 117 total wins during the season.
Jostens noted that the ring of 42 round blue sapphires that encircles the logo is historically significant on a few levels. In 1980, the Astros experienced a heartbreaking loss in the NLCS to the Phillies and it took them 42 years to avenge that loss.
In addition, the sapphires mark the 42 postseason games that it took Dusty Baker Jr. to win his first World Series as a major league manager. And finally, 42 is the iconic number worn by baseball legend Jackie Robinson. The year 2022 represented the 75th anniversary of Robinson’s historic MLB debut 1947. His number has been retired throughout Major League Baseball.
Framing the top and bottom of the logo are the words “WORLD CHAMPIONS” in raised gold lettering. Exactly 22 emerald-cut diamonds are set on the sides of the ring top, a nod to the 22 runs the Astros scored over the six games of the World Series. The ring top is completed with 60 round diamonds that wrap the circumference. The 2022 season was the 60th year in Astros franchise history and these diamonds celebrate that milestone.
The left side of the ring features the player’s last name in raised white gold lettering above the player's jersey number. Each jersey number is outlined in contrasting yellow gold and set with white diamonds. A meticulously detailed image of Minute Maid Park can be seen in the background to the left of the jersey number. Two orange sapphires set upon the Minute Maid Park image honor the two no-hitters thrown by the Astros in 2022, including the team's historic World Series no-hitter in Game 4.
Of note, the Astros also set a record on June 15, 2022, by delivering two immaculate innings within one game. (An immaculate inning occurs when a pitcher strikes out all three batters faced with a total of nine pitches.)
The right side of the ring displays the championship year, 2022, created in yellow gold and set with 29 diamonds. The Commissioner’s Trophy is also rendered in yellow gold and accented with a singular diamond in the top, representing the team's first World Series won on its home field in Houston.
An additional six diamonds are set along the trophy’s base, a nod to the Astros' six straight ALCS (American League Championship Series) appearances. Two sapphire stars, one orange and one blue, anchor either side of the trophy and represent the two World Series wins in Astros' history.
The interior of the ring is highlighted by the Astros' wordmark logo positioned above their opponents' logos and series results from the postseason run. Each player’s signature provides a touch of personalization and can be found on the inside palm of their ring. The team’s 2022 slogan in the past tense, “LEVELED UP” (as in "mission accomplished") appears along the outside palm of the ring.
Credits: Images courtesy of Jostens.