History
The premium offering in the Flores Yo-Yo Company lineup, the Original Tournament Jewel was produced circa 1929 and featured four faux diamond jewels embedded in each side of the yo-yo — eight total — as a prestige decoration. Pedro Flores is credited with inventing the jeweled yo-yo as a concept, and this model represented the high end of the company’s three-tier pricing range (up to approximately $1.50 in 1929).
Like all Flores models, it employs one-piece hand-lathed wood construction with the defining loop-axle slip string that distinguished Flores yo-yos from earlier fixed-string bandalores. Its larger 2¼-inch (57mm) diameter placed it above the standard and mini variants in both size and perceived prestige.
Museum examples have sold in collector markets for up to $886. The tournament shape, jeweled decoration, and Flores provenance make it among the most sought-after antique yo-yos.
