WSOP Bracelet Timeline: Every Design From 1970 to 2026

The WSOP bracelet is the most recognized trophy in poker — but it hasn't always looked the way it does today. From the inaugural silver cup handed to Johnny Moss in 1970 to a nearly half-kilogram Main Event bracelet given to Michael Mizrachi for his Main Event win, this timeline covers every major design era, the craftspeople behind each piece, and more.

What the WSOP Bracelet Actually Represents

For poker players, a WSOP bracelet carries the same weight as a Super Bowl ring does for a football player. It's the crowning achievement of most players’ careers, and a permanent reminder of your accomplishment. No other prize in the game comes close to matching its symbolic value.

Arguably the greatest proponent of the WSOP bracelet is Phil Hellmuth. The all-time leading bracelet winner, Hellmuth places a lot of significance on each of his wins, saying, "To me, the bracelets have always been a really huge deal… This is how they measure greatness." However, not everyone shares his belief of the bracelet’s importance, seeing them more as an addition to their prize money than a symbolic representation of their win.

Some of the modern bracelet designs vindicate this belief; for example, the 2024 Main Event bracelet (pictured below) won by Jonathan Tamayo, was appraised at up to $500,000, which is more than the first-place prize for many smaller WSOP events.

The 2024 WSOP Main Event bracelet was a thing of beauty.

Before the Bracelet: The WSOP's First Trophy (1970–1975)

The WSOP bracelet did not exist at the start of the World Series of Poker. It would take six years for the iconic bracelet to be introduced, as the WSOP grew from a select few of the country’s greatest players to a worldwide phenomenon.

The World Series went through several designs before finally settling on the gold bracelet:

1970: The first WSOP was held at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas. There was no formal tournament; instead, the players played a cash game and voted on the winner, with Johnny Moss named as the champion. His prize was a silver cup, not a bracelet.
1971: Benny Binion introduced a freezeout tournament format, giving the WSOP its first competitive structure. Moss won again, this time in a proper tournament, taking home another Silver Cup.
1972: The $10,000 Main Event buy-in was established, replacing the $5,000 buy in of the first two events. This figure has remained unchanged for over 50 years and is one of the defining features of the event to this day.
1975: Winners received silver plates rather than bracelets.
1976: Bracelets were introduced for the first time.

All pre-1976 WSOP championships are retroactively counted as bracelet wins for record-keeping purposes, which is why Johnny Moss and other early champions appear on all-time bracelet lists.

The Birth of the Gold Bracelet

Benny Binion introduced the WSOP bracelet in 1976, replacing the silver cups and plates that had been used in previous years. The man behind the original design was Mordechai Yerushalmi, a Las Vegas jeweler known as the “King of Bling,” who went on to create pieces for celebrities like Elvis Presley, Evel Knievel, and Mike Tyson.

The early bracelets were simple, as Yerushalmi's design drew on a gold nugget aesthetic; raw and textured in a way that reflected the era's craftsmanship. Becky Behnen, Benny Binion's daughter, described the original bracelet band as looking "like gold nuggets kind of hammered flat."

They weren’t the high-value pieces we’re used to seeing today; in the 1970s and 1980s, a WSOP bracelet was worth roughly $500. However, this is at a time when gold was around around $125 an ounce; assuming 4 ounces of gold per bracelet, those bracelets would be worth more than $18,000 today!

In the early days of the WSOP, players were focused on the prize money, not the hardware. Even Doyle Brunson didn’t really care for the trophies, saying, "I didn't even go pick two of them up because they didn't have any real significance before… I gave the rest of them away to family members."

1989 WSOP Main Event bracelet was won by Phil Hellmuth, who denied Johnny Chan three in a row.

The Caesars Era and Design Evolution

In the early 2000s, Caesars Entertainment (then operating as Harrah’s), acquired the WSOP and set about modernizing every aspect of the brand, including the bracelet design. The Yerushalmi-era gold nugget design had served the Series for nearly 30 years, but Caesars wanted to move in a different direction. For the Main Event specifically, they felt that the tournament deserved a special bracelet that matched the growing commercial scale and prestige of the WSOP.

Gold and Diamond International

Gold and Diamond International took over bracelet production in 2005, and the Main Event bracelet won by Joe Hachem that year was significantly more “blinged out,” featuring platinum and diamonds alongside the classic gold, and represented a significant departure from the simple bands of the Yerushalmi era. Corum watches were also included in winner packages, reinforcing the shift toward luxury-level prizes.

Frederick Goldman Takes Over

Frederick Goldman stepped in as bracelet producer in 2006, and the Main Event bracelet won by Jamie Gold that year became one of the most detailed and documented designs in WSOP history. The piece combined white and yellow gold with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and black diamonds; the colored gemstones were used to represent the four card suits. This detail would become a recurring theme in WSOP bracelet design going forward.

The Modern Bracelet Era

From 2010 onward, WSOP bracelet design continued its trajectory toward high-value luxury pieces. Modern bracelets are more intricately detailed than anything produced in the Caesar's transition era, with increased use of diamonds, precious metals, and event-specific branding built into each design.

Two of America’s most popular jewelers, Steve Soffa and Jason Arasheben, have both been involved in producing WSOP bracelets that reflect the tournament's current status as a global sporting event. Even Jostens, the manufacturer best known for producing championship rings in the NFL and NBA, also produces bracelets and rings for both the WSOP and WSOP Circuit.

The result is a bracelet that no longer resembles the simple gold band Doyle Brunson gave away to family members in the late 1970s. Modern WSOP bracelets are built to be displayed, collected, and appraised.

The 2014 WSOP Main Event bracelet symbolised an era of excess.

The Main Event Bracelet vs. Side Event Bracelets

While significant efforts have been made to modernise the WSOP bracelet design, most of that effort is poured into the Main Event’s bracelet. “Normal” events work from a standardised design, while special tournaments, like the Main Event, have special bracelets commissioned. Below, we’ve highlighted the key differences between the Main Event bracelet and a standard WSOP bracelet:

Feature	Main Event Bracelet	Standard Event Bracelet
Weight	445 grams of 10-karat gold	< 100 grams
Gems	2,253 total (1,948 diamonds, 230 black onyx, 75 rubies)	Limited if any
Special Feature	Removable card protector faceplate	Standard fixed design
Estimated Value	Up to $500,000	$1,000-$2,000

The WSOP has also used bracelet design to mark milestone years. The 2019 Main Event bracelet featured a prominent "50" built into the design, commemorating the tournament's 50th anniversary.

WSOP Bracelet Design by Era — Quick Reference Timeline

The table below summarizes the confirmed design eras, jewelers, and key details across the full WSOP bracelet timeline.

Era / Year Range	Jeweler / Maker	Design Characteristics
1970–1975	N/A (silver cup/plate)	No bracelet awarded
1976–2003	Mordechai Yerushalmi	Gold nugget-style band
2004–2006	Gold & Diamond Int. / Frederick Goldman	Shift to diamonds, luxury builds
2007–2009	Corum	High-end builds + luxury watch tie-ins
2010–2011	OnTilt Designs / Steve Soffa	Onyx + diamond styling
2012–Present	Jason of Beverly Hills / Jostens	Fully custom, gemstone-heavy, large-scale builds

From Gold Nuggets to $500,000 Masterpieces – A Summary of WSOP Bracelet History: What the Timeline Tells Us

From a simple $500 gold band that Doyle Brunson didn't bother picking up to a custom-built, nearly half-kilogram piece of hardware loaded with gold and precious stones, the WSOP bracelet has evolved considerably since it was first introduced in 1976. The advancements in design have brought the World Series bracelet in line with other notable US sports hardware, such as the Super Bowl ring.

While the design has changed significantly since the early days, what hasn't changed is the core meaning. Winning a WSOP bracelet is the dream of millions of poker players around the world, and represents the culmination one has always meant the same thing: you were the best player in the room when it mattered most. The design evolved. The prestige only grew.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the WSOP start giving out bracelets?

Bracelets were first awarded in 1976, introduced by Benny Binion to replace the silver cups and plates used in prior years. All pre-1976 WSOP championships are retroactively counted as bracelet wins for record-keeping purposes.

How much is a WSOP bracelet worth?

Bracelet value varies significantly depending on the event. Standard WSOP bracelets are valued between $1,000 to $2,000 on average, while special bracelets, like the one awarded to the Main Event winner, can reach as high as $500,000.

Are WSOP bracelets made from real gold?

Yes, WSOP bracelets are made with real gold. The karat and quantity have varied across eras and events. The 2025 Main Event bracelet, for example, contained 367 grams of 10-karat gold alongside thousands of diamonds and other gemstones. Earlier designs used simpler gold bands before gemstones became a standard part of bracelet production.

Who has won the most WSOP bracelets?

Phil Hellmuth holds the all-time record with 17 bracelets, and he's widely credited with turning bracelet collection into a competitive pursuit within the poker community. Behind him are Phil Ivey with 11 bracelets, and Erik Seidel, Johnny Chan, and Doyle Brunson with 10 each.

Can you win a WSOP bracelet online?

Yes, online bracelet events are now a permanent part of the WSOP calendar. The online series will be running from May 30 through July 14 alongside the live events, so check out our 2026 WSOP schedule to plan the events you want to play.

Jordan started writing about poker in late 2020 after discovering he could combine his passion for explaining things with his favorite game. He continues to stay on top of the newest poker theory and the latest goings on in the poker world to deliver top-quality content. While poker is his biggest passion, he also closely follows soccer, snooker, and F1.