Finish
24K real-gold electroplating is a thin layer of real gold on the surface of the plates. The belt is not solid gold, and the standard finish has no gold layer.
24K real-gold electroplating adds $20.
Gold electroplating explained-
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Made to order
IWGP Heavyweight Championship (Round Plate Design)
$410.00
Choose your build
Each choice shows how it changes the price.
Delivery and returns
- Made to order in our workshop, which has been making belts for over a decade. Most belts are made in 5–6 working days, then delivered by courier in up to 5 working days, anywhere in the world. These are estimates, not guarantees.
- Free worldwide courier shipping (UPS, FedEx or DHL), tracked and insured.
- Import duties prepaid (DDP): nothing to pay on delivery.
- Cancel free of charge within 24 hours of ordering.
- Made to order, so no change-of-mind returns. Arrived damaged, faulty or not as ordered? Email us photos within 14 days of delivery and we repair, replace or refund it. If we ask for the belt back, we pay the return shipping. Returns policy
- Lifetime warranty on plating, hardware and stitching.
A question before you order? Email support@msbelts.com
Independent replica — not affiliated with or licensed by any promotion
IWGP Heavyweight Championship (Round Plate Design)
Total: $410.00
Belt explained
What you are buying
Every belt is a set of metal plates fixed to a leather strap. Here is what each part is, what this belt is made of and how long it takes.
The parts of a belt
Illustration
- 1 Centre plate The large plate in the middle of the belt. It carries the main design.
- 2 Side plates Smaller plates set on each side of the centre plate.
- 3 Name plate A small panel for a name, a league or a year. Some listings offer engraving.
- 4 Strap Cowhide leather, about 50–51 inches (127–130 cm) long. The plates are fixed to it.
- 5 Snap closure Snaps at the back close the belt. Several snap positions let you adjust the fit.
IWGP Heavyweight Championship (Round Plate Design): the real belt
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 12 June 1987, with Antonio Inoki as first champion |
| Design | NJPW calls the earliest IWGP Heavyweight design circular |
| Most reigns | Hiroshi Tanahashi, with eight |
| Commercial replicas | 16 Directions first-generation replica: zinc alloy die-cast parts, 18K gold plating, 213 rhinestones, about 125 by 12 cm and 2.7 kg |
| Closest build here | 24K gold plated / 4 mm, $410: the nearest match to the commercial replica. Select this build |
How we make this belt
| Plates | Zinc alloy, cast in a mould made for this design, then finished by hand. |
|---|---|
| Finish | Standard finish included. 24K real-gold electroplating is available as an upgrade: a thin layer of real gold on the surface of the plates. The belt is not solid gold.Gold electroplating explained |
| Plate thickness | 2 mm as standard. 3, 4 or 5 mm plates are an upgrade, priced per extra millimetre. Thicker plates allow deeper relief in the design and weigh more.Plate thickness explained |
| Strap | Cowhide leather, about 50–51 inches (127–130 cm) long. Snap closure with several snap positions.Belt sizing and fit |
| Made in | Sialkot, Pakistan. Every belt is made to order. |
| Production | About 5–6 working days after you order. An estimate, not a guarantee. |
| Shipping | Free worldwide courier shipping (UPS, FedEx or DHL), with tracking: delivered in up to 5 working days after dispatch, anywhere in the world. An estimate, not a guarantee. |
| Duties and taxes | Import duties are prepaid by us (DDP), so there are no customs charges to pay on delivery. |
| Licensing | Independent replica — not affiliated with or licensed by any promotion |
About this design
The IWGP Heavyweight Championship is the heavyweight title of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, first awarded in 1987, and NJPW describes its earliest design as circular. This listing is a made-to-order replica by MS Belts of a round, jewelled gold plate with six round side plates, cast in zinc alloy. The page opens on the build closest to the commercial replica, and every choice shows its price.
About the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
The title debuted on 12 June 1987 as the prize of that year's IWGP League, and Antonio Inoki was the first champion. It replaced an earlier IWGP Heavyweight Championship that ran from 1983 to 1987, whose first champion was Hulk Hogan. Wikipedia says the earlier belt stayed in use until 1997.
Hiroshi Tanahashi has the most reigns, with eight. When NJPW showed its 2021 belt, it said the upper section recalled the first, circular IWGP Heavyweight design.
Design details
- Centre plate: a large round gold plate with a textured surface and rays at the top. A raised oval carries IWGP in stone-set letters over a world outline, with CHAMPION below and INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING GRAND PRIX around the rim.
- Red, blue, green and clear stones are set across the plate, with a leaf sprig at the top.
- Side plates: six round plates, three each side, with laurel-leaf rims and map outlines in gold and silver tones.
- Strap: black leather.
- Finish: gold with silver-toned map details.
The real belt and commercial replicas
16 Directions, a Japanese toy brand, sells a first-generation IWGP Heavyweight replica with zinc alloy die-cast parts, 18K gold plating and 213 rhinestones, on a split cowhide strap. It is listed at about 125 by 12 cm and 2.7 kg, with a main plate about 20.5 cm across. We found no maker for the real belt, so we matched the round, jewelled look in our photos. Our closest build is 24K gold plated, 4 mm, which is what this page shows first.
How we make it
- Plates: zinc alloy cast in a mould made for the design, then finished by hand.
- Finish: standard, or 24K gold electroplating (+$20), a thin layer of real gold on the surface of the plates. Not solid gold.
- Thickness: 2 mm included, or 3, 4 or 5 mm at +$50 per extra millimetre.
- Strap: cowhide leather, about 50–51 in (127–130 cm), with a snap closure and several snap positions. Other sizes and strap colours can be quoted by email.
- Made to order: see the delivery estimate on this page.
- Free worldwide courier shipping (UPS, FedEx or DHL) with tracking. Import duties are prepaid by us (DDP).
- Lifetime warranty on plating, hardware and stitching.
Questions
Questions about this belt
Is this the first-generation belt?
NJPW describes the earliest IWGP Heavyweight design as circular, and 16 Directions sells a first-generation replica. Our photos show a round plate, but we could not match it to a specific belt.
Which build looks most like the commercial replica?
24K gold plating at 4 mm, in cast zinc alloy like the 16 Directions replica. It is the build this page opens on. The standard finish is a cooler silver-grey.
Can you add my name to the plates?
Yes. Custom name plates and engraving are quoted by email at support@msbelts.com.
Independent replica. MS Belts is not affiliated with, licensed by or endorsed by NJPW or any other promotion. Names are used only to describe the design.
The three choices, in short
Three choices about the plates decide how the belt looks, how it feels in the hand and what it costs.
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Plate thickness
Thickness is how thick the metal plates are, in millimetres. 2 mm is included, and you can go up to 5 mm. Thicker plates allow deeper relief in the design and weigh more.
2 mm is included. Each extra millimetre adds $50, up to 5 mm.
Plate thickness explained
Made to order
How this belt is made
Every belt goes through 7 or 8 phases in our workshop, depending on the build. For a cast belt, casting in a mould takes the place of cutting. Gold electroplating happens only when you choose it or when it is included.
Under normal conditions, most belts are finished in 5–6 working days. For a custom design, the clock starts when you approve the design.
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Phase 1: Design and artwork
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Phase 2: Cutting the plates
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Phase 3: Engraving and detailing
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Phase 4: Polishing
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Phase 5: Gold electroplating When 24K gold electroplating is chosen or included
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Phase 6: Colour filling
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Phase 7: The leather strap
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Phase 8: Assembly, final check and packing
Questions
Questions before you order
Short answers about this belt, delivery and returns.
How long does a belt take?
Under normal conditions most belts are made in 5–6 working days, then delivered by courier in up to 5 working days, anywhere in the world. For a custom design, the clock starts when you approve the design. These are estimates, not guarantees.
Is shipping free?
Yes. Every order ships free worldwide by courier (UPS, FedEx or DHL) with tracking.
We prepay import duties (DDP), so there are no customs charges to pay on delivery.
What are the plates made of?
Brass is the standard plate metal. On custom belts the SD build has brass plates cut and engraved to the design, the CNC build has brass plates CNC-machined for finer detail, and the HD build has zinc alloy plates cast in a mould made for the design and finished by hand, for the deepest 3D relief. On catalogue belts, cast zinc alloy is +$100. Plates are 2 mm thick as standard, and 3, 4 or 5 mm add $50 for each extra millimetre. The strap is cowhide leather.
Is 24K gold electroplating real gold?
Yes, it is a thin layer of real 24K gold on the surface of the plates. The belt is not solid gold, and like any plating it can wear if it is rubbed against something abrasive.
Will the belt fit?
The strap is about 50 to 51 inches (127 to 130 cm) long with a snap closure and several snap positions. That is the length of the whole strap, not a waist size. Email us the wearer's measurement and we will confirm the fit before you order.
Can I put my own names or logo on a belt?
Yes. Name plate engraving can be added on belt pages that offer it. For a logo or a fully custom design, use the belt builder or email support@msbelts.com for a quote. Nothing is made until you approve the design.
Belt guide
Read before you order
Short, plain guides for people buying their first belt: what a belt costs, the gold finish, plate thickness and how a belt fits.