Hi Guys.
Another chapter in my team ring "quest".
Purchased one of Tony's rings through Shapeways.
Very impressive, to say the least.
I've taken a few pictures of it and a couple other rings I have from other sources for comparison.
Tony's ring is very well made. I opted for the polished brass version, which very much has the look of actual gold. One of the main things that sets this ring apart from the others is the overall size. It looks to be very close in size to what appears in the series, particularly the early seasons. Most of the others I've seen look undersized by comparison. I've taken a few pictures of a couple different rings side by side so you can see the difference right away.
The quality and workmanship is amazing in Tony's ring, especially considering the wax model is done on a 3D printer, then that is used for the final casting, which I'm guessing is hand polished. The black plastic insert that serves as the background for the cross, is also 3D printed, and gives the look of the original very nicely. It had a few very tiny "burrs" on it that had to be cleaned off, but other than that, it is a perfect press fit piece that once in place in the face of the ring, isn't going anywhere! The design and drafting on this thing is very well done.
If anybody is looking for a very close to accurate representation of the ring used in the series, (at least the early seasons), Tony's ring is much more reasonably priced, available, and probably the best bang for the buck of any I've seen/purchased myself from anybody.
I can only imagine what it would be like were it cast in actual gold, if you wanted to spend the money.
So, with all that having been said, here are a few pics to ponder.
This is Tony's ring, with the insert installed.
Another of Tony's ring on hand for sense of size.
Here's one of the 14K gold ring I had made locally.
Keep in mind, this one cost more than 10 times what Tony's did!
Another of the same ring.
As you can see, Tony's ring is actually a little larger than the gold one, and I think closer to the actual size of the originals.
Next is a picture of the two rings side by side. Tony's on the left, 14K gold on the right.
You can see the outer most ridge on the face of Tony's ring mimics the original better.
Another of the two together. This time, 14K gold on the left, Tony's on the right.
I have more pictures of several other different rings for comparison, but this post is about Tony's ring and I wanted to show how it compares to the one I had made locally.
I also have comparison pics of Tony's ring and Rockin Robbie's, Jerry Our Other Store, and the SS one that sells for under $25 if anybody is interested in seeing them.
Why this "obsession" with the team ring, you might ask....can't really explain it other than to say, it's something that I enjoy and having it/them makes me smile. I'd guess that if I took all the money spent on all the rings, I might have a good start toward funding an Oahu vacation, and I may still get to do that, but I like the rings. If anybody is interested in having a good representation of the ring used in the early seasons, get one of Tony's. It looks very authentic, is well made and goes for less than $85 (polished brass like the one pictured) including the black insert and shipping.
I wear the gold one more than any other, just because of the way my skin reacts to the different metals. Robbie's ring (around $200) will leave a green ring on my finger because the epoxy coating on the back wore away. I don't care for the silver that much, but do wear one of them on occasion. The brass leaves much less green and takes longer to show up, but it does, especially if I've been sweating at all. Note that it's not near the same degree as the alloy that Robbie's ring is made from, but the gold is best for me in regards to not leaving any signs of having been worn. Don't know if this is an individual thing, or if the brass will do that on anybody's skin. Also note that Tony's ring is available in several different metals.
Anyway, that's my "review" intended to let anybody interested that in my opinion, dollar for dollar, Tony's team ring is your best bet.
One more pic of Tony's ring.
Whether you want it to wear, or just for display, my recommendation is for one of Tony's rings!