Aramith Duramith Tournament Balls. Year of manufacture?

Rubik's Cube

Rubik's Cube

Pool Ball Collector
Silver Member
Hello, everyone.

I also posted this on the ball collecting thread, but just opening it up to the wider forum to benefit from the wisdom of crowds.

A little help from the forum historians would be much appreciated, please.

In what year did Aramith release their 4th generation Duramith Tournament ball set?

And in what year did they release the TV colours Pro Cup version of the same set, please?

Many thanks indeed.

RC.
 
Rubik's Cube said:
Hello, everyone.

I also posted this on the ball collecting thread, but just opening it up to the wider forum to benefit from the wisdom of crowds.

A little help from the forum historians would be much appreciated, please.

In what year did Aramith release their 4th generation Duramith Tournament ball set?

And in what year did they release the TV colours Pro Cup version of the same set, please?

Many thanks indeed.

RC.
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contact them.
 
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Thank you very much, sir.

I used the Wayback machine to scroll through Aramith’s archived pages. The first mention I could find for the Duramith Tournament set was 2010, which puzzled me as I thought it was released somewhat earlier.

The first mention of the TV colour version of the Duramith Tournament I could find was 2017 but, again, I thought it was before this date.
 
This has proven a much tougher task than I ever imagined. Who would have thought that accurately dating such recent sets might be so difficult!

I’ve resorted to Chuck’s suggestion about the Wayback machine once more… but this time focusing on Amazon instead of Aramith.

The earliest mention I could find on the Duramith Tournament standard colours was 2010, which matched my previous result on the Saluc website.

The earliest date I found for the Duramith Tournament TV colours, however, was 2015, which is at least an improvement on my previous research.

Any more definitive information gratefully received.
 
I wish I had something to offer, sir. These sets and the measle ball were introduced during my hiatus form the game which lasted from about 1998-2010 or so. I know the Aramith Super Pros were out (don't recall a TV set) but my ball of choice in the 90's were Brunswick Centennials which I recall did offer a TV set at the time. I only recall the Blue Circle and Red Circle cue balls being prevalent.
 
Thanks, Mr R.

At this point all I know for an absolute certainty is that the IPT Tournaments were released in 2005.

I’m now leaning towards the Duramith Tournament standard colour set being 2010, as that chimes with the Wayback machine on both Aramith’s own website and Amazon’s historical sales.

The Duramith Tournament TV coloured set is proving the most difficult to date. Thus far, an Amazon sale of 2015 is the earliest I can find.
 
Rubik's Cube said:
Thanks, Mr R.

At this point all I know for an absolute certainty is that the IPT Tournaments were released in 2005.

I’m now leaning towards the Duramith Tournament standard colour set being 2010, as that chimes with the Wayback machine on both Aramith’s own website and Amazon’s historical sales.

The Duramith Tournament TV coloured set is proving the most difficult to date. Thus far, an Amazon sale of 2015 is the earliest I can find.
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Speaking of the IPT sets - were these made with the Duramith technology or the Super Pro's with a new design?
 
Another way to find an answer is looking up past high profile matches like the US Open 9 Ball Championship and see what they were using. Most likely were the latest products.

2012 they were using TV Pro Cups


2013 used TV Duramith

 
Excellent, gentlemen!

Thank you so much, your help is sincerely appreciated.
 
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Thank you, sir!

I believe that was the Super Aramith Pro set rather than the later Duramith Tournaments.
 
The pic of TV set of Tournament balls you recently posted made me thinking as it brought some memories. The way Aramith balls evolved for me was Super Aramith TV being replaced by Aramith 'Duramith' Tournament as the top set for the brand. And when Tournaments were introduced they had a special cue ball, designed to fit the new numbering (in circles).

cue-ball-aramith-duramith.jpg


I recall these cue balls have become sought after, and still there is a google search string for them, indicating that search is one that arises often.

Since then I suppose Aramith reverted to measle cue balls supplied with every set, as they are most popular nowadays and kind of standard. Also it is, of course, considered more suitable for TV/streaming, so might be another reason for Aramith not to include the "black logo ball" instead.

Still, don't you think you'd better replace the measle cue ball in that set you acquired in 2018 with a "genuine" one, for the sake of it? :)

Ah, and I found new Duramith Tournament balls first mentioned at AZB on November 2009 I think (https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/aramith-pro-cup-vs-aramith-tournament.163958/). There are several threads "Pro Cup vs Tournament), as of Jan 2010 and later.
 
Thank you, Mr V.

I stand to be corrected, sir, but thought that the measles cueball was always original to the TV Tournament Pro Cup set, and the Aramith logo cueball was supplied just with the standard-colour Tournament set?

Best wishes,
RC.
 
Rubik's Cube said:
thought that the measles cueball was always original to the TV Tournament Pro Cup set, and the Aramith logo cueball was supplied just with the standard-colour Tournament set?
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You are most probably and definitely right, I assume 😁 Bet a TV set is supposed to carry a measle cue ball, as the latter was introduced for TV purposes. So guess that's totally natural. Yes, the Aramith black circle logo cue ball must have been supplied with standard colours only.
 
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