Show me your Class Ring!

[nala]

I was just playing around in my jewelry box and came upon my first big jewelry purchase--well second (my first class ring was a high school ring and it was stolen ). This is a picture of my college ring--yes, I bought one. At the time, I wore no jewelry whatsoever, but found myself coveting my friend's college ring--so I got my own! It is an ArtCarved 14k yellow gold Mother of Pearl with 2 diamonds.I'm happy to say that I can still appreciate it, even though I knew nothing about jewelry back then. I graduated college 19 years ago, and I remember paying close to $600 dollars for it.I confess I haven't worn it since, but I'm contemplating actually wearing it.I'm still debating if I want to restore the black enamel finish.

Please show me yours! And share your story. Do you still like it? Do you still wear it? Why or why not?

 

[sbfairy]

How fantastic. I lost my class ring in a move many years ago. I wish I still had it.

 

[vintageinjune]

My mother wanted me to have a class ring I would wear all my life, so my senior year of high school she brought me to a local jewelers and I got to sift through a few dozen different Montana sapphires and picked out a white gold setting to put it in, and had it engraved. I'll have to get pictures tomorrow, but almost a decade later, and I still wear it on a regular basis.

 

[kellydean]

how fun is this idea!! I had to really think about where mine was! ok-- don't laugh.. it was from 1971 yes..1971!! I tried to get the year to show in the pictures. it doesn't look too bad, but of course I didn't wear it much past high school graduation..didn't want to appear too young after that!!LOL!!

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Here's my college ring; it was a Big Deal to get one. You're supposed to wear it a certain way depending on whether you've graduated or not but I don't remember which way is what. I stopped wearing it a few years after I graduated.

 

[indigoblue]

Here is my class ring and my husband's too. Way back then the only choices we had were boy/girl, initials engraved inside, and size. As you can see, we went to the same high school, but we didn't date each other then. We were both divorced when we went to our 40 year reunion in 2008, and we got married in 2013. In Vegas. At the Graceland Wedding Chapel. It was a hoot.

 

[tyty333]

Cool thread...

I think its really pretty Nala and that you should wear it!

Here is my college ring. I dont think its the prettiest ring but we didnt have much choice at the time (1984). The black in the
lettering needs to be redone. I still wear it on occasion.

 

[momhappy]

Never had one - never wanted one to be honest.

 

[Coralfish]

Hi guys

I'm from the UK and we don't have these here. What is the significance of them and what do they show? They look intriguing.

Thanks

 

[indigoblue]

Hi guys

I'm from the UK and we don't have these here. What is the significance of them and what do they show? They look intriguing.

Thanks

It's just something worn by students and alumni to show others where they went to school. Some schools have one style, but others let you choose from many styles. Or you can go to any company that makes them and custom design your own. I still see some older men wearing their college rings. Most men don't wear much jewelry, but class rings are considered more masculine and acceptable.

When I was in high school, the custom was for each high school to have its own design. You knew where someone attended high school by their ring. We got ours either at the end of our junior year or at the beginning of our senior year (I can't remember which), but I do remember eagerly anticipating getting it and LOVING my high school class ring. I never was interested in getting a college ring.

Also, couples who were dating steadily would exchange rings. The guys would wear the girl's ring on his little finger, and the girl would wrap tape or something around the shank so she could wear the guy's ring on her ring finger. It signified that you were in a relationship and unavailable. It was silly but fun.

I don't really know the origin, but here's a Wiki article about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_ring

 

[Coralfish]

Thank you Indigo. That is very nice to know. I like the part about sweethearts exchanging rings!

Are the college rings designed so that you can spot which college from a distance, or would one have to get close-up? Have people ever been known to don a ring to pass themselves off as a graduate from somewhere they did not graduate from?!

When it comes to picking your central stone, is that purely personal preference, or perhaps a birthstone etc?

I really like the ornate details on these rings. On the shoulders there is that the school crest, or perhaps something to do with its sports (? Football) teams? Does the school motto circle the gem, and is the owners name on it anywhere?

 

[nala]

Thank you Indigo. That is very nice to know. I like the part about sweethearts exchanging rings!

Are the college rings designed so that you can spot which college from a distance, or would one have to get close-up? Have people ever been known to don a ring to pass themselves off as a graduate from somewhere they did not graduate from?!

When it comes to picking your central stone, is that purely personal preference, or perhaps a birthstone etc?

I really like the ornate details on these rings. On the shoulders there is that the school crest, or perhaps something to do with its sports (? Football) teams? Does the school motto circle the gem, and is the owners name on it anywhere?

I will answer the questions that I can. I don't think that most college rings are made to be spotted from a distance, as most of them are designed by the individuals. Most people, when they have the option to design their own ring, and both of my schools did, opt for their birthstone. I opted for mother of pearl because I really liked it with the design. The name is inscribed on the inside. The outside shank typically showcases the year of graduation, the school's mascot, or a sport. And the name of the school circles the gemstone. Hope I got most of your questions.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

In my college's case (Notre Dame), they were almost all the same ring style and almost all the same color stone (blue, which is one of the school colors). When I went to school, everyone I knew had yellow gold; only one person got it in white gold. Don't know if that's changed now with the popularity of white metals.

It's actually a very recognizable ring to alums because most ring have the interlocking ND on the stone. Mine does not because I got the small ladies' ring and there wasn't enough room on a stone that small.

Nala, I didn't know most other colleges' were customizable!

 

[LouMom]

LoganSapphire, I recognized your ring right away, without the interlocking ND. Shout out from a fellow Domer

 

[Coralfish]

Thank you Indigo. That is very nice to know. I like the part about sweethearts exchanging rings!

Are the college rings designed so that you can spot which college from a distance, or would one have to get close-up? Have people ever been known to don a ring to pass themselves off as a graduate from somewhere they did not graduate from?!

When it comes to picking your central stone, is that purely personal preference, or perhaps a birthstone etc?

I really like the ornate details on these rings. On the shoulders there is that the school crest, or perhaps something to do with its sports (? Football) teams? Does the school motto circle the gem, and is the owners name on it anywhere?

I will answer the questions that I can. I don't think that most college rings are made to be spotted from a distance, as most of them are designed by the individuals. Most people, when they have the option to design their own ring, and both of my schools did, opt for their birthstone. I opted for mother of pearl because I really liked it with the design. The name is inscribed on the inside. The outside shank typically showcases the year of graduation, the school's mascot, or a sport. And the name of the school circles the gemstone. Hope I got most of your questions.

In my college's case (Notre Dame), they were almost all the same ring style and almost all the same color stone (blue, which is one of the school colors). When I went to school, everyone I knew had yellow gold; only one person got it in white gold. Don't know if that's changed now with the popularity of white metals.

It's actually a very recognizable ring to alums because most ring have the interlocking ND on the stone. Mine does not because I got the small ladies' ring and there wasn't enough room on a stone that small.

Nala, I didn't know most other colleges' were customizable!

Thank you guys!
What lovely things to have, a reminder of where you went to school or college that you can pass on. What I really like is how much symbolism they have managed to pack into each ring. I love jewellery with meaning. The most we had were just various logo'd garments

I am loving all these rings, I hope people keep posting!

 

[Coralfish]

Oh, to add. Do people wear heirloom Class Rings that have been passed down?

 

[Logan Sapphire]

LoganSapphire, I recognized your ring right away, without the interlocking ND. Shout out from a fellow Domer

Yay! Another Domer! What year? I was 97 (seems so long ago!).

 

[LouMom]

'97?! Small world, me too. You know the next question is where you lived. I am a Siegfrieder.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

'97?! Small world, me too. You know the next question is where you lived. I am a Siegfrieder.

Walsh here!

 

[KaeKae]

editing for double post.

 

[KaeKae]

I was getting some things our of my safe deposit box, and spotted my high school ring. I brought it home to show my daughter who will soon be ordering her own. They have so many choices. The only choices we had were the metal and stone. I guess I was sentimental, and went with a citrine, to reflect our school colors, gold and white.

eta: the pictures don't appear to be showing, sorry.

 

[KaeKae]

Trying again, because I can be stubborn.

 

[Catmom]

Here's my high school ring. Boy did I have tiny fingers back then, lol.