♪♪
Narrator:
WHEN PROFESSIONAL BOXERS
WIN A TITLE,
THEY'RE CROWNED THE CHAMP
AND REWARDED WITH A BELT
TO BE WORN AROUND THE WAIST.
EACH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
COMMISSIONS A BELT
THAT'S CUSTOM-DESIGNED
TO ITS SPECIFICATIONS
AND PROMINENTLY FEATURES
THE ORGANIZATION'S LOGO
IN THE BELT'S CENTRAL MEDALLION.
[ TRANQUIL HIP HOP PLAYS ]
THESE BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS
ARE ENTIRELY HANDCRAFTED.
THE LATERALS, THE SIDE PIECES
FLANKING THE ORNATE CENTERPLATE,
ARE SOMETIMES ENGRAVED
WITH THE FIGHTER'S PORTRAIT.
WHEN A BOXING ASSOCIATION
COMMISSIONS A NEW DESIGN,
THE COMPANY'S ARTISANS PREPARE
A SKETCH FOR EACH PIECE.
FOLLOWING THE SKETCH,
THEY SCULPT A CLAY MODEL.
FROM THAT,
THEY CAST A PLASTER MODEL;
THEN, A METAL MODEL,
REFINING THE SCULPTURE
AT EACH STEP.
ARTISANS USE
THE FINAL METAL MODEL
TO PRODUCE A RUBBER MOLD,
WHICH IS USED TO CAST
THE PIECE IN WHITE METAL.
♪♪
THE EXTRACTED CASTINGS
ARE QUITE ROUGH,
SO THE WORKSHOP'S CRAFTSMEN
USE FILES, CHISELS,
AND AUTOMATED TOOLS
TO REFINE THE SHAPE.
♪♪
SOME OF THE DEVICES
AND TECHNIQUES
ARE ROUTINELY USED BY JEWELERS,
WHILE OTHERS WERE DESIGNED
SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PURPOSE.
♪♪
ONCE THE INTRICATE DETAILS
ARE COMPLETED,
THE TEAM FILES DOWN ROUGH SPOTS
ALONG THE PERIMETER.
♪♪
THE BELTS FEATURE
A THREE-DIMENSIONAL
SCULPTURE OF AN EAGLE
FUSED TO THE CENTERPLATE.
♪♪
AN ARTISAN HEATS THE WINGS
WITH AN OPEN FLAME,
TO MAKE THEM PLIABLE.
♪♪
THEN, HE BENDS THEM TO RENDER
THE EAGLE MORE LIFELIKE.
♪♪
EVERY PIECE MUST BE
METICULOUSLY HAND-POLISHED
ON A BUFFING WHEEL.
THIS PREPARES THE METAL TO BE
PLATED WITH GOLD OR RHODIUM.
♪♪
THE PIECE IS ELECTROPLATED
WITH COPPER, THEN NICKEL,
THEN 18-KARAT GOLD.
THE NICKEL CARRIES THE SHINE
THROUGH TO THE SURFACE.
AFTER A THOROUGH BUFFING
ON THE SURFACE,
THE PIECES ARE EMBELLISHED WITH
CRYSTALS INTO MOLDED CAVITIES.
♪♪
SOMETIMES THE
CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER
MAY ORDER PRECIOUS STONES,
SUCH AS DIAMONDS AND RUBIES,
TO REPLACE THE CRYSTALS,
DEPENDING ON THEIR PREFERENCE.
♪♪
A TEAM OF ENAMELERS
PAINTS THE FINISHED PIECES
WITH JEWELRY-GRADE ENAMEL.
THIS REQUIRES A STEADY HAND
AND CLOSE ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
♪♪
ONCE THE PIECE IS PAINTED,
IT'S PUT INTO AN OVEN
TO BAKE THE ENAMEL.
♪♪
♪♪
THE BELT STRAP IS MADE
OF HIGH-GRADE BONDED LEATHER.
A CRAFTSMAN TRACES A BELT
TEMPLATE IN THE LEATHER,
THEN CUTS IT OUT WITH A KNIFE.
THEN, THEY ADHERE THE STRAP
TO LEATHER OR HIGH-GRADE VINYL.
THE DESIGNER SEWS
THE STRAP'S LINING SEPARATELY,
STITCHING BLACK SPANDEX
OVER A FAUX-FUR BACKING
AND ATTACHING
THE AUTHENTICITY LABEL,
WHICH BEARS
THE BELT'S SERIAL NUMBER.
THIS DISTINGUISHES IT
FROM CHEAPLY MADE COPIES.
THE CRAFTSMAN ATTACHES
LEATHER HIGH-GRADE VINYL PIPING
TO THE STRAP PERIMETER.
HE PLACES A BRAND STICKER
ON THE BACK,
NEXT TO AN INSCRIBED TRIBUTE
TO THE ORIGINATOR
OF THE MODERN BOXING BELT.
THEY ADHERE THE LINING.
♪♪
THEN, AFTER SMOOTHING OUT
THE LAYERS OF THE BELT
WITH A HAMMER,
THE DESIGNER STITCHES
THE LINING TO THE STRAP.
SOME BELTS HAVE BUCKLES;
OTHERS, HOOK-AND-LOOP FASTENERS,
WHICH ARE STITCHED TO THE STRAP
AT THE SAME TIME AS THE LINING.
♪♪
ONCE THE BELT IS FINISHED,
THE CENTERPLATE AND LATERALS
ARE ATTACHED.
IT'S ESSENTIAL TO WEAR GLOVES
WHILE DOING THIS,
TO PROTECT THE PRISTINE SURFACE.
♪♪
THE FINAL STEP IS TO PLACE
AN ENGRAVABLE BRASS PLATE
INTO EACH LATERAL.
THEN, THE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT
IS DELIVERED
IN A HAND-CRAFTED,
PROTECTIVE CASE,
FOR A KNOCKOUT PRESENTATION.
