Seattle Storm unveils championship ring designed by Blue Nile

The reigning WNBA champions, the Seattle Storm, unveiled their championship rings Wednesday. Online jeweler Blue Nile designed the keepsake, named “The Arena.” It commemorates the team’s relationship to its loyal fans and the Storm’s record-setting 2010 season. Team officials and Storm All-Stars Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird as well as new team member veteran Katie Smith attended the ring announcement press conference.

It is the first ring designed for a team by Blue Nile.

“The symbols of elite teams deserve to be created using the highest standards of craftsmanship,” said Seattle Storm President and Chief Executive Officer Karen Bryant. “With that in mind, we selected Blue Nile to create our 2010 championship ring. Our organizations profoundly respect one another due to shared values of hard work, commitment to fans and customers, dedication to excellence, and a love for Seattle.”

The ring’s design resembles the inner bowl of a basketball arena. The team’s description of the ring:

At center court sits the “S” Storm bug logo. To highlight the Storm’s accomplishments throughout the season, the team’s record-tying 28-6 regular-season record is represented on one side of the ring along with the WNBA championship trophy. The other side features the WNBA logo along with the player’s name and number.

Most players from the 2010 squad will receive their rings on June 4, the Storm’s opening day when they play the Phoenix Mercury. Blue Nile is the opening day sponsor and fans will be able to enter a contest to win a ring of their own.