TIFFANY & CO. presents the trophy to WBC champion Samurai Japan | In the hands of MVP Shohei Ohtani

TIFFANY

Japan won the World Baseball Classic (WBC)  3-2 victory over the United States. This was the third time in the history of the WBC that Japan had achieved such a feat of excellence. At the tournament’s awards ceremony, the newly designed Tiffany & Co. championship trophy was presented to the winning Japanese team, Samurai Japan.

The brand has been handcrafting the World Baseball Classic (WBC) championship trophy at its own Tiffany hollowware workshop using time-honored techniques to handcraft the most revered symbols of athletic achievement since 2005. 

Ahead of this year’s game at Miami’s LoanDepot Park, the brand gave the grail a new 24-karat gold overlay to emphasize the ball in the center. The trophy is 24 inches tall,  weights 28 pounds, and comes with a Tiffany Bue case. Tiffany artisans reportedly spent about five months on the design, using modern silversmithing techniques as well as classic techniques such as soldering, stoning, polishing, and etching to create this trophy.

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A close-up look at the 24-karat gold overlay at the center of the award. Image: Tiffany & Co.

According to the brand, Tiffany’s chief designer Edward C. Moore created the design for the Medal of Valor, featuring the interlocking “N” and “Y” insignia in 1877. Later its design inspired the iconic logo of the New York Yankees.

In 1888, the brand created the first world championship baseball trophy, the Hall Championship Cup.

Currently, Tiffany & Co. is also responsible for crafting trophies for other Major League Baseball(MLB) events including the All-Star Home Run Derby and The Commissioner’s Trophy, which is awarded annually to the winner of the MLB World Series Champion. 

At the awards ceremony, the two-way star Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels) was awarded as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the WBC. He raised the trophy high and shared the joy of winning with his teammates.

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Image: Getty Images