The Martyl Rifkin Reinsdorf Archive:
The Championship Rings
Martyl Reinsdorf: the artist
Tiresly producing boxes and boxes of coloring books is only part of the story that is Martyl Reinsdorf. She also is a very accomplished jeweler, whose work as gotten into some rather big hands. MLB.com reporter Scott Merkin notes "Martyl Reinsdorf now has designed rings for six of the last seven major championships won by Chicago sports teams. She came up with the ideas for the first three Chicago Bulls' NBA titles, at the urging of her husband, but then declined the honor for the fourth championship. She returned for the final two titles, and took on the White Sox task after some admitted coaxing from her husband."
From MLB.com
4/06/06 4:12 PM ET MLB.COM
White Sox ring design a family affair
Martyl Reinsdorf lends expertise to special jewelry By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
The White Sox plan to give out 432 World Series rings and 163 pendants in total. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
MLB Headlines
But Martyl Reinsdorf, the wife of White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, certainly knows a thing or two about designing jewelry. Despite working primarily in the field of Cloisonné enamel jewelry for 25 years, her specific design for the White Sox received rave reviews after the rings were presented.
"It's really nice," said White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia. "You can wear it. Some rings are just too big."
"Of course, it's a World Series ring so it would have to look real bad to look bad," added White Sox left fielder Scott Podsednik, with a smile. "But this ring is gorgeous, really very nice."
Martyl Reinsdorf now has designed rings for six of the last seven major championships won by Chicago sports teams. She came up with the ideas for the first three Chicago Bulls' NBA titles, at the urging of her husband, but then declined the honor for the fourth championship. She returned for the final two titles, and took on the White Sox task after some admitted coaxing from her husband.
These rings are produced in a joint effort with Josten's, the only company that actually took Martyl seriously when her husband first got her involved with the Bulls' hardware.
"I remember coming into that first meeting, and there were several companies who treated me like the little wife who doesn't know what she's doing," said Martyl, who will celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary with Jerry this year. "Other companies were rude and condescending. I didn't like their attitude.
"Josten's was willing to look at the design, and I developed a rapport with the head designer," added Martyl, whose original jewelry sold from $300 to $10,000 during her 25-year-career. "We started way back with the first Bulls ring, but it got easier and easier after that first ring."
There is no long and winding story concerning the process to design the White sox World Series championship ring. Martyl joked that she had "25 years to think of the ring," her husband's ownership tenure with the South Side franchise.
Creative limitations also existed because of the White Sox logo.
"To tell you the truth, there's not a lot to do with the S-O-X [logo]," Martyl said with a laugh. "Any jeweler asked would rather work with a Bull or something like that.
"And the only thing worse or less appealing than 'Sox' is a sock. I had told [her husband] for years the logo didn't lend itself to a really interesting ring."
Instead, the White Sox logo lent itself to a stunning ring that can be worn on an everyday basis. Prior to Tuesday's pregame ceremonies, Jeff Idelson, the Baseball Hall of Fame's vice president of communications and education, put on a White Sox clubhouse championship ring showcase from the last 10 seasons.
"I remember coming into that first meeting, and there were several companies who treated me like the little wife who doesn't know what she's doing,"-- Martyl Reinsdorf
Florida's ring easily was the biggest, but it looked like something that should be put on display instead of put on an individual's finger. There were 432 rings commissioned for the White Sox players and associates of the organization, not to mention 163 pendants for wives or significant others. Martyl even paid special attention to the chains for the pendants, which basically were the tops of the rings, ensuring they also were infinitely wearable.
Each ring was made of 14-karat yellow gold, with a 14-karat white gold insert. Every ring contains 95 brilliant diamonds of various sizes, equaling over two karats, and each ring required a separate mold for each player's name. The name and title of the individual went on one side of the ring, along with the White Sox 99-63 record, while the other side featured an engraving reading, "World Champions, 2005, 11-1," representing the 2005 team's playoff record.
The total amount of 14-karat gold in the rings and pendants came to 55 pounds, while the total number of diamonds set checked in at 56,000. As for that White Sox logo crest, which once was thought to be tough to work with, it jumps out brilliantly from the black onyx base stone.
Speaking to the media in the back of the press box during Tuesday's game, the White Sox chairman admitted this newest ring would have been his favorite simply because it represents his passion for baseball. But he added rave reviews for his wife's design.
"I think it's the best one she's done," Reinsdorf said. "I think of all the rings she did, and I loved the Bulls rings, this is the best one.
"It suits my taste. It seems very classy with all the diamonds and the way the 'SOX' jumps out at you."
Aside from her work with championship rings, Martyl Reinsdorf no longer is in the jewelry business. She has moved on to an amazing charitable endeavor that began by simply making drawings for her eight grandchildren to color when they visited. Under the name of 'Grandma Martyl,' she now gives out 30,000-35,000 coloring books and activity books, with markers and special themed prizes depending on the subject, to hospitals, orphanages and shelters across the world. These gifts have been presented to young children, as well as children in their late teens.
Books have been sent to Hawaii, Guatemala and Israel, not to mention 2,000 coloring page packets per month sent to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. There also were 80 to 100 coloring books and 4,000-5,000 coloring page packets sent to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
In her spare time, Martyl is an expert baker, speaking on a recent phone call of how she plans to contribute to her granddaughter's bat mitzvah this summer. It's of little wonder that she didn't have the time to make the trip from Arizona to Chicago for the three-day baseball celebration.
"No, there's no way. It's beautiful here," said Martyl with a laugh of staying in Arizona, adding she didn't attend any of the Bulls' ring ceremonies either. "I'm not a very good spectator. I just can't sit there for nine innings."
Designing rings for her husband's team is not the only task taken on by Martyl Reinsdorf in the last two years. The Cedar Rapids Rough Riders, where her son Michael serves as the CEO, won the USHL hockey title in 2005, and Martyl was called on for her ring design expertise.
The budget, in this instance, was a bit lower than the budget for the Bulls or the White Sox, with the rings running about $200 apiece. But the players were ecstatic to see what they had received at the time of the presentation.
Tuesday's ceremony produced the same exact response for members of the White Sox organization.
"These rings are just unbelievable," said White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
"I'm very pleased," Martyl added. "I think they came out perfect."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
White Sox ring design a family affair
Martyl Reinsdorf lends expertise to special jewelry By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
The White Sox plan to give out 432 World Series rings and 163 pendants in total. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
MLB Headlines
- White Sox ring ceremony:Watch
But Martyl Reinsdorf, the wife of White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, certainly knows a thing or two about designing jewelry. Despite working primarily in the field of Cloisonné enamel jewelry for 25 years, her specific design for the White Sox received rave reviews after the rings were presented.
"It's really nice," said White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia. "You can wear it. Some rings are just too big."
"Of course, it's a World Series ring so it would have to look real bad to look bad," added White Sox left fielder Scott Podsednik, with a smile. "But this ring is gorgeous, really very nice."
Martyl Reinsdorf now has designed rings for six of the last seven major championships won by Chicago sports teams. She came up with the ideas for the first three Chicago Bulls' NBA titles, at the urging of her husband, but then declined the honor for the fourth championship. She returned for the final two titles, and took on the White Sox task after some admitted coaxing from her husband.
These rings are produced in a joint effort with Josten's, the only company that actually took Martyl seriously when her husband first got her involved with the Bulls' hardware.
"I remember coming into that first meeting, and there were several companies who treated me like the little wife who doesn't know what she's doing," said Martyl, who will celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary with Jerry this year. "Other companies were rude and condescending. I didn't like their attitude.
"Josten's was willing to look at the design, and I developed a rapport with the head designer," added Martyl, whose original jewelry sold from $300 to $10,000 during her 25-year-career. "We started way back with the first Bulls ring, but it got easier and easier after that first ring."
There is no long and winding story concerning the process to design the White sox World Series championship ring. Martyl joked that she had "25 years to think of the ring," her husband's ownership tenure with the South Side franchise.
Creative limitations also existed because of the White Sox logo.
"To tell you the truth, there's not a lot to do with the S-O-X [logo]," Martyl said with a laugh. "Any jeweler asked would rather work with a Bull or something like that.
"And the only thing worse or less appealing than 'Sox' is a sock. I had told [her husband] for years the logo didn't lend itself to a really interesting ring."
Instead, the White Sox logo lent itself to a stunning ring that can be worn on an everyday basis. Prior to Tuesday's pregame ceremonies, Jeff Idelson, the Baseball Hall of Fame's vice president of communications and education, put on a White Sox clubhouse championship ring showcase from the last 10 seasons.
"I remember coming into that first meeting, and there were several companies who treated me like the little wife who doesn't know what she's doing,"-- Martyl Reinsdorf
Florida's ring easily was the biggest, but it looked like something that should be put on display instead of put on an individual's finger. There were 432 rings commissioned for the White Sox players and associates of the organization, not to mention 163 pendants for wives or significant others. Martyl even paid special attention to the chains for the pendants, which basically were the tops of the rings, ensuring they also were infinitely wearable.
Each ring was made of 14-karat yellow gold, with a 14-karat white gold insert. Every ring contains 95 brilliant diamonds of various sizes, equaling over two karats, and each ring required a separate mold for each player's name. The name and title of the individual went on one side of the ring, along with the White Sox 99-63 record, while the other side featured an engraving reading, "World Champions, 2005, 11-1," representing the 2005 team's playoff record.
The total amount of 14-karat gold in the rings and pendants came to 55 pounds, while the total number of diamonds set checked in at 56,000. As for that White Sox logo crest, which once was thought to be tough to work with, it jumps out brilliantly from the black onyx base stone.
Speaking to the media in the back of the press box during Tuesday's game, the White Sox chairman admitted this newest ring would have been his favorite simply because it represents his passion for baseball. But he added rave reviews for his wife's design.
"I think it's the best one she's done," Reinsdorf said. "I think of all the rings she did, and I loved the Bulls rings, this is the best one.
"It suits my taste. It seems very classy with all the diamonds and the way the 'SOX' jumps out at you."
Aside from her work with championship rings, Martyl Reinsdorf no longer is in the jewelry business. She has moved on to an amazing charitable endeavor that began by simply making drawings for her eight grandchildren to color when they visited. Under the name of 'Grandma Martyl,' she now gives out 30,000-35,000 coloring books and activity books, with markers and special themed prizes depending on the subject, to hospitals, orphanages and shelters across the world. These gifts have been presented to young children, as well as children in their late teens.
Books have been sent to Hawaii, Guatemala and Israel, not to mention 2,000 coloring page packets per month sent to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. There also were 80 to 100 coloring books and 4,000-5,000 coloring page packets sent to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
In her spare time, Martyl is an expert baker, speaking on a recent phone call of how she plans to contribute to her granddaughter's bat mitzvah this summer. It's of little wonder that she didn't have the time to make the trip from Arizona to Chicago for the three-day baseball celebration.
"No, there's no way. It's beautiful here," said Martyl with a laugh of staying in Arizona, adding she didn't attend any of the Bulls' ring ceremonies either. "I'm not a very good spectator. I just can't sit there for nine innings."
Designing rings for her husband's team is not the only task taken on by Martyl Reinsdorf in the last two years. The Cedar Rapids Rough Riders, where her son Michael serves as the CEO, won the USHL hockey title in 2005, and Martyl was called on for her ring design expertise.
The budget, in this instance, was a bit lower than the budget for the Bulls or the White Sox, with the rings running about $200 apiece. But the players were ecstatic to see what they had received at the time of the presentation.
Tuesday's ceremony produced the same exact response for members of the White Sox organization.
"These rings are just unbelievable," said White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
"I'm very pleased," Martyl added. "I think they came out perfect."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.