A few days ago, an NBA Championship ring belonging to the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant, was sold at an auction held by Goldin Auctions. The 2000 NBA Championship ring holds extra meaning, not only because it was Bryant's first championship win with the Los Angeles Lakers, but because this particular iteration of the Championship ring was issued to fit his mother, Pam Bryant.
The 14-carat gold ring, like most Championship rings, is all kinds of bling-ed out flashy. There are 40 diamonds in total on that one ring alone, including a set of five larger round ones that are lined up on either side of the ring. The face of the ring itself features the Lakers' typeface and its team colour of purple done in enamel. Personalised details include Bryant's name in capital letters atop the NBA logo, and his jersey number at the time: 8.
With the NBA Championship ring holding such significance in Bryant's career as well as personal life (the ring also comes with a Letter of Authenticity signed by Pam Bryant), it's no wonder that after 20 bids, the ring went for approximately a whopping SGD293,000. Goldin Auctions has also stated that 5 percent of the winning bid will go to the MambaOnThree Fund that was set up to help the families of victims of the same crash that took the lives of Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
It's been reported that this particular ring will be one of two NBA Championship rings that will ever go on auction; the other being one that was given to Bryant's father. While you may want to try your luck on bidding for the second ring when the auction goes live, here are some other flashy rings (albeit less significant in more ways than one) to spend SGD293,000.
Panthère de Cartier ring in white gold, emeralds, onyx and diamonds by Cartier (SGD108,000 each)
It doesn't get much flashier than a panther-shaped ring in 18-carat white gold that's set with 545 brilliant cut-diamonds and topped off with emeralds and onyx. You may not have Bryant's skills but at least your finger is drenched in diamonds.
H d'Ancre ring in white gold and diamonds by Hermès (SGD20,400 each)
Those Hermès bracelets are too mainstream now. It's time to upgrade with a ring that's fashioned with the instantly recognisable H d'Ancre motif and littered with 181 diamonds. It's a modest size as compared to Bryant's ring but there's no mistaking all that bling for anything other than luxury.
B Blossom signet ring in yellow gold, white gold and pavé diamonds by Louis Vuitton (SGD17,200 each)
A Virgil Abloh-designed Louis Vuitton fit calls for extra luxurious accents in the form of the iconic Louis Vuitton Monogram flower. Shiny, sparkly and unabashedly bold, it's a brave take on a traditional signet ring.
Laurence Graff Signature Triple Spinning ring in rose gold, white gold, yellow gold and diamonds by Graff (SGD12,000 each)
Perfect for the constant fidgets, the different gold bands on this Graff ring are able to rotate freely—an adult version of those dreaded fidget spinners that were big a couple of years ago. This one though is one that's an actual investment lined with two rows of diamonds.
B.zero 1 Rock ring in yellow gold and pavé diamonds by Bulgari (SGD10,050 each)
Bulgari's B.zero1 rings are an instant classic. The latest iteration, the B.zero1 Rock, includes a touch of punk edge with a studded core that adds dimension to an already impressive ring design.
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