Sports

How Tiffany — Yes, That Tiffany — Crafts the Vince Lombardi Trophy Each Year

Tiffany & Co. produced the trophy for the first time in 1967 based on a sketch on the back of a napkin

Did you know that Tiffany makes the Vince Lombardi Trophy? We didn't either.

During a 1966 meeting with then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, former Tiffany & Co. vice president Oscar Riedener sketched out a design on a napkin for a trophy meant to be awarded to the winner of the inaugural Super Bowl in 1967. After defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Green Bay Packers took home the trophy based on Riedener’s design, and three years later the trophy was named for legendary Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi. To this day, Tiffany & Co.’s Hollowware Department handcrafts the Lombardi Trophy for the NFL. Here’s how they do it …

Tiffany’s experienced artisans bring the trophy to life during 72 hours of labor spread out over the course of approximately four months.

From silversmithing and chasing to hand engraving and polishing, Tiffany’s craftspeople use both time-honored techniques and cutting-edge innovations to make the Lombardi Trophy.

In addition to producing the Lombardi Trophy, Tiffany’s hollowware workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island, churns out more than 60 other trophies each year.

In addition to producing the George S. Halas Trophy for the NFC champion and the Lamar Hunt Trophy for the top team in the AFC, Tiffany & Co. also makes the Pete Rozelle Super Bowl MVP Trophy.

Tiffany & Co. created its first football trophy in 1959, the MacArthur Bowl, honoring General Douglas MacArthur. Still presented today, the trophy is awarded to the year’s best college football team.