looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garnet?)

[loveballet]

I'm graduating from Harvard in spring, and would like to celebrate with some sort of class ring. The problem is that they're ugly and I have big hands and would just prefer something more feminine. I'm thinking of getting a ring that's a little more to my taste, but don't really know where to start.

budget: under $300 for the whole ring, but would prefer as cheap as possible to get something of reasonable quality
stone: garnet or red spinel (though I think that will automatically go above budget) or anything else close to our crimson color
metal: any metal, but I'd prefer yellow gold or rose gold

I love antiques, though I can't have anything too delicate-looking. I'll be wearing this on my right middle finger, which is almost a size 8 (!!!! - though I maintain that it's because I lave long fingers).

any suggestions for specific rings or stones or vendors to work with? Thank you so much!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

I would check out Barry Bridgestock's garnets at acstones.com.
I think the hardest part may be the setting with gold prices being so high now, but maybe a simple solitaire from Stuller, or you can try to win an ebay auction from LOGR or the other more popular semi mount makers that pricescope people have used in the past.


Also, I feel your pain. I passed on a ring from my undgrad because it was bulky and because I was going to grad school elsewhere, and now that I'm about to graduate grad school, I'm realizing that UPenn doesn't exactly have gorgeous grad rings either, lol. So I'm just going to make a piece of jewelry I like and will wear often.

 

[NKOTB]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

Perhaps something from this vendor, like this:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71957369/aaaa-10mm-round-365-carat-pyrope-garnet?ga_search_query=garnet&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5308472

 

[pregcurious]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

My university offered a "dinner ring" version of the class ring (metal, no stone), which was basically a more delicate looking class ring (not a minature, but a more feminime shape with the university name and class year. (Our class ring committee had several women on it who wanted to offer an alternative to the masculine looking class ring.) If you know the vendor of the class ring (e.g. Balfour), you can try to contact them and see if they can make you a dinner ring. These rings are usually designed on CAD, then made with lost wax casting, so the more students you have who would like the ring, the more you can distribute the cost of the CAD design.

Edit: Per the poster below, our dinner ring was similar to a signet ring.

 

[deorwine]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

I can't believe I'm saying this, because I love colored stones, but... have you looked into the smaller (more delicate) signet rings? My parents offered to get me one when I graduated from Harvard and I turned them down, and I always have kind of wished that I had taken them up on it. I don't think I'd wear it now very often, but at least I'd have it... I still have my high school class ring, which is completely hideous, much uglier than the Harvard signet rings.

 

[pregcurious]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

This store offers rings that can be customized to be used as a class ring. If you get enough Radcliffe graduates in on this, you might be able to make an unofficial class ring. Here are there women's class rings:

http://search.limogesjewelry.com/?i=1&q=class+ring&r=For+Her&srchbx=yes&u1=q&u2=r&x=0&y=0

And an example with a red stone in silver with rhodium plating. The rhodium will wear off, and you may have to send it back to them to be plated so the finish is the same. I don't know how practical this is, but I just wanted to give you another option:
http://www.limogesjewelry.com/classDesigner.asp?productid=13969

 

[Treenbean]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

I've never used this vendor before but they seem to have some nice looking vintage inspired settings that would work with calibrated stones. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Round-8mm-A...ltDomain_0&hash=item4ce8b39982#ht_1008wt_1060

Barry Bridgestock is an excellent choice for a beautiful garnet.

 

[loveballet]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

Thank you so much for all of your responses! I was eyeing that Barry garnet, as it looks quite lovely. Forgive my (possibly rude) question, but is the price final? Or is there some room for adjustment? I've also heard people mention artcutgems.com. How does this one look? Too dark? And how much would (roughly) would I have to pay a jeweler to set a stone in such a setting?

And I will be receiving a standard class ring as a gift, without any choice in that matter. I'd just prefer to actually get one that I like, too. So no worries about that regret! And deorwine, I know that Balfour still sells them for alumna, too, with graduation years back until 1950. You could belatedly take them up on it!

There's a complete ring from rubylane that looks really pretty to me. Very deco, anyways. What do you think of this?

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[pregcurious]

Re: looking for a prettier alternative to a class ring (garn

Nice ring! If you post things you love on PS, they can be bought out from under you. It's safer to post just the picture, not the link.