In American sports, lifting the trophy isn’t enough—you need to wear your victory. That’s where championship rings come in. What started as a simple tradition in 1922, when the New York Giants received the first World Series rings, has evolved into a full-blown spectacle in the NBA, NFL, and Major League Baseball. These rings aren’t just accessories; they’re massive, jewel-encrusted monuments to victory, designed to tell the story of a season, a team, and the road to glory.
Take the Super Bowl rings, for example. Every year, they get more extravagant—hundreds of diamonds, intricate engravings, even moving parts. The Golden State Warriors’ championship ring? It had a removable top that transformed into a pendant. The Boston Celtics’ latest design? Packed with Easter eggs, stats, and enough diamonds to make a rapper jealous. These rings scream legacy.
And yet, cricket—one of the most emotionally charged and historically rich sports in the world—never had one. Until now. When Dream11 decided to introduce India’s first-ever Champions Ring, they turned to a man who understands both heritage and high jewellery: Harsh Sagar. A fourth-generation jeweller, Sagar’s world is one of rare gemstones, vintage craftsmanship, and bespoke designs for collectors. His journey spans gemology training in California, diamond trading across Israel, Belgium, and South Africa, and a lifelong obsession with blending tradition and innovation.
For him, this wasn’t just another jewellery commission. It was a chance to redefine how India celebrates cricketing greatness. The result? A stunning 18k gold ring, set with 330 diamonds, featuring a rotating Ashoka Chakra—a nod to India’s unstoppable momentum. The rings are personalised with each player’s jersey number, their tournament victories, and even a hidden, horseshoe-shaped mechanism to ensure a perfect fit.
In this exclusive conversation, Harsh Sagar takes us inside the making of the Champions Ring—from the inspiration behind its design to the engineering challenges of creating something bold enough to honour a world-class team, yet refined enough to be worn with pride. Excerpts:
Tell us about your beginnings in jewellery.
I started my journey in jewelry when I was 16 or 17 years old. My brother was already in the business, and I remember trying to be all cool, putting on a shirt and tie, and heading to the office. My dad was there—he did a small ritual, put a tikka on my forehead, lit a diya, and just said, “That’s it. From tomorrow, you come to work.”
So that was the beginning. Now, almost 25 years later, I specialise primarily in vintage and estate jewelry. Over time, I’ve somehow picked up the tag of being a diamond merchant, but honestly, that’s only a small part of what I do. My work has always been about designing jewelry, trading in rare vintage pieces, and creating a limited number of high-quality pieces each year. My design language is heavily influenced by European jewelry, with touches of Indian and Oriental aesthetics. I’ve always worked closely with collectors and connoisseurs, and quality has been my absolute priority.
To give you some background, I did my gemology studies at GIA in Carlsbad, California, in 2008. Then, in 2012, I interned with one of the largest rough diamond distributors in the world, working for two years in Israel before moving to Belgium and South Africa. Eventually, I returned to Mumbai, where I was offered a role heading their India operations—I was the youngest and only Indian in that company. But by 2015, I decided to pivot back to my roots—to the kind of design and craftsmanship I had always been passionate about.
How did the idea for the Champions Ring come about?
I was approached by the Dream11 team, and they had a very specific vision. They’re deeply involved in sport and wanted to introduce something new and meaningful to Indian cricket. Championship rings aren’t new—NBA, NFL, and Major League Baseball have had them for decades. But cricket? There was no precedent, especially in India.
Their brief was clear: Create something extraordinary—a luxury keepsake that wasn’t just another trophy or medal but something deeply personal and wearable for the players. The challenge was size and scale. In American sports, NBA players are huge—six and a half, seven feet tall—so their championship rings are almost three times the size of what we could realistically create. Our cricketers are average-sized Indians, and the ring had to be bold yet wearable and elegant, not oversized or impractical. The typical NBA championship ring can weigh 180 grams, whereas ours had to be a third of that, yet still feel substantial. We spent months figuring this out—how to keep it functional, beautiful, and wearable while incorporating all the details and stats that Dream11 wanted.
Did you look at specific American championship rings when designing this one?
Not really. We were inspired by the concept, but I made sure we didn’t get influenced by existing designs. The danger with looking at too many references is that you stop seeing the project objectively and start following what’s already been done.
That said, we did research how these rings are typically made. The materials used in American championship rings were quite different. We found that many of them used lower karat gold and lesser-quality stones than what we would typically use in Indian jewelry. That wasn’t an option for us. The idea was to create something that was authentically Indian—a blend of heritage, cricketing legacy, and high jewelry craftsmanship.
One of the biggest challenges was creating the rotating Ashoka Chakra. The Chakra symbolizes India’s momentum and dominance on the world stage, so we wanted it to be a moving, dynamic element rather than just an engraving. It took months of engineering to get it right. It’s not a fidget spinner, but it’s almost like a gyroscope—it moves fluidly with the player’s natural wrist motion, similar to how a rotor in an automatic watch spins. This tiny detail was one of the most complex elements of the ring.
The ring includes a lot of personal elements for the players. Can you walk me through some of them?
Every ring is customised for its wearer. Each player’s jersey number is engraved, with stars above it representing past World Cup wins. For example, Rohit Sharma’s ring has two stars, marking his two World Cup victories. The player’s full name is engraved—both first and last names—so the ring can be worn in either orientation. One of the biggest challenges was engraving the entire scorecard of India’s eight tournament wins on one side of the ring. From the first match against Ireland to the final against South Africa, every result is there. To ensure perfect fit and comfort, we incorporated a horseshoe-shaped gold spring insert that allows slight expansion and contraction. This accounts for finger swelling due to flights, workouts, or general temperature changes.
Even the inside of the ring has meaning—we engraved Team India’s tournament stats inside the band, including the total number of runs, wickets, and catches.
What materials went into making the ring?
Harsh Sagar: We used solid 18k yellow gold, ensuring that the alloy was nickel-free to prevent skin irritation. This is something a lot of people overlook—if nickel is present, it can cause discoloration and allergic reactions. Each ring is set with 330 natural diamonds, all graded EF color, VVS-VS clarity. I personally hand-selected every single diamond, reviewing thousands of stones to ensure uniformity in cut, color, and clarity. For the engraved details, we used a high-tech ceramic-reinforced composite enamel—the same material used in surgical and dental applications. Unlike traditional enamel, this won’t scratch or crack easily, ensuring longevity.
Can you share an estimated value for the ring?
The exact valuation remains undisclosed, but these rings are priceless in significance. Beyond the intrinsic value of 60 grams of 18k gold and 330 diamonds, these rings represent a historic first. To put it in perspective, a Virat Kohli match-worn jersey recently sold at auction for a massive sum—imagine what a one-of-a-kind championship ring would be worth in the years to come. Cricket is the biggest emotion in Indian sports, and this ring will only appreciate in value over time.
Do you see this becoming a trend in Indian sports?
Absolutely. This could set a precedent for future World Cups, IPL seasons, and franchise leagues. For me, seeing the players receive these rings on stage was one of the most emotional moments of my career. I hope this is just the beginning of a new tradition in Indian sports.
