Class rings, onetime popular mementos, losing popularity

[La Strada]

I had heard from my father who took a trip to Paris last year that his class ring was a topic of great interest to many people. For myself my class ring just never found a comfortable home outside a wooden box in my closet.

 

[John in Covina]

My High Schoo Ring I gave to a dear friend in 1979, it was stolen when their house was burgalarized. Copiague High School Class of 1975 with Initials JCE in side, white gold, blue stone.

 

[cptjeff]

I considered getting one, but decided not to. The biggest reasons for that were that all of the rings were way too guady and big, they were pro sports champion size. For a small guy who tends to be more understated, bad idea. Still, I could have ordered one of the more unisex female rings.

Strike one.

Price. They cost a lot of money.

Strike two.

And they're all so flatly generic. Our school had an amazing logo that would have looked amazing on a class ring, on a foil print underneath the gem, or engraved on the side. However, there was no way anything like that could be done, even for the price they already charge. And or course, there was no option for a signet ring with the school's logo, which would have been ideal.

Strike Three.


Pity too, since I went to a really prestigious high school which has been at the top of the national rankings almost from day one, and I was a member of the 6th graduating class. But Jostens really had nothing near what I was looking for. I'll probably get a college ring if they have something I like though.

 

[Geesie]

Yeah we were lucky. Our HS class ring had the school seal on top of the gem.

 

[cptjeff]

It really is sad to look at the catalog they have. Everything is generic- there is very little to indicate the school, it's just the text around the stone. Otherwise it's just generic mascots and club icons. The Stone isn't even based on the school, and they even recommend you use your birthstone instead of a school color. I would think that that school color would have been a given.

Come to think of it, that would be my guess as the biggest reason for the decline in sales. It's hard to get one that has anything do do with the school itself, and if it doesn't relate to the school, what's the point?

 

[filfoster]

Jostens: the Madoff of youth

Yeah we were lucky. Our HS class ring had the school seal on top of the gem.

Mine too, although most of us don't equate 'gem' with plastic. Not that I ever wear it now. Maybe I'll wrap pastel angora yarn around it and Google my high school crush to give it to her. No, wait. Mrs. Foster may object to that. On the other hand, she doesn't fancy that ring. Excuse me, gotta Google.

 

[RetroPat]

I bought my high school class ring my senior year of high school and wore it until my junior year of college when I bought my college ring. It's been almost a year since I made that purchase and I haven't really worn my high school ring since. I'm still glad I bought it and the college one as they're nice keepsakes...and I really like rings. Not too many of my peers purchase rings. If they do, I haven't seen many wearing them.

 

[Widebrim]

I bought mine many years ago for, I believe, $60 (10k gold). It has chain rut marks from when my girlfriend wore it around her neck. After we parted, I began to wear it again, and do so to this day. I have a college ring, but wear it only on "special" ocassions. I've thought of buying a military ring, but haven't seen the design yet that I desire.

Regarding the decline in class rings, I believe it has at least something to do with the fact the graduating high school isn't the big deal that it was years ago. Although the drop-out rate in some areas is substantial, the majority of American students do graduate from high school, with many going on to college. For the latter group, getting a high school diploma is expected, and just a stepping stone to higher education.

 

[DC3]

I graduated from a small private school that did not offer a ring then went to college, but did not carry the credits to avoid being "called" for service. Instead I went into the Air Force, and bought a nice ring which, some forty years later, I still wear.

 

[Cobden]

This is an American tradition that has never fully transitioned over here. I don't think we have the same concept of School Identity, school sports and all that, so I supppose that's part of it. Some UK universities now facilitate graduation rings; I did look into having one of those made up for my degrees from Queen's in Belfast, but ven for a fairly simple design it was going to be pushing the sort of money that would go a long way towards a nice suit or leather jacket.... I'm still going to investigate the possiblity of a gold signet ring with the University crest on it, though, when I'm over there in a couple of weeks' time. University was a big time for me; without that I literally would not be where I am today.

Yes, I'd agree with it being an American Tradition. When I graduated, I decided against getting for both this reason (not that there is anything inherently wrong with American tradition) and the fact that my connection to my university wasn't that important to me. On the flip side, I often wear my old school tie (perhaps the nearest UK equivalent, though only relevent for certain schools), as I feel the same way towards my school as you do towards university. Horses for courses [huh]

 

[Widebrim]

Yes, I'd agree with it being an American Tradition. When I graduated, I decided against getting for both this reason (not that there is anything inherently wrong with American tradition) and the fact that my connection to my university wasn't that important to me. On the flip side, I often wear my old school tie (perhaps the nearest UK equivalent, though only relevent for certain schools), as I feel the same way towards my school as you do towards university. Horses for courses [huh]

I think that has been the nearest British equivalent, the school tie.

 

[Solid Citizen]

The RING Thing

As the decades passed no, longer wear my Jostens college ring. Even back then they were not CHEAP. At today's prices too steep! Solid Citizen [huh]

 

[High Pockets]

When we were in High School, we couldn't wait for the chance to get our class rings! It was almost a holiday when the reps came in and we got make our choice.
Everyone wore a class ring,....several girls wore mine.

Here's my wife's,....mine is probably still buried somewhere in a feed-lot in north Texas, it was identical to my wife's. We went to Junior and Senior High School together and graduated the same year.

 

[MaryDeluxe]

I'm a high school teacher and at the beginning of the school year I had to take my freshmen homeroom down to hear the Jostens presentation. It was a very high tech presentation and apparently Jostens even has a line of rings designed by Beyonce now?? The kids were I teach could have cared less.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

This is timely, as I've just been helping my daughter put together an idea for her ring. In recent years she's enjoyed wearing mine, but I finally took it back, afraid she might lose it. My ring wasn't anything high-dollar; though my folks were willing to pay for it, being budget-minded, I opted for the invented metal of the day, something called Siladium. It was cheaper than silver, and suited me fine, as I'm not really a fan of gold jewelry.
It's true there was more personalization back then. My blue stone has my initial carved beneath it, and one side of the ring has a wicked engraving of a devil, for our Blue Devils. Beneath that is a very small shield, with specks of enamel in blue and white, the school colors.

For my daughter, we've chosen an online, cheaper than Josten's company, and a metal like 'jeweler's grade stainless steel'. I found it odd that with the bizarre list of personalization images offered, hardly any were actual mascots; religious symbols, foreign flags, low riders... (?)

 

[Stearmen]

Fathers Ring

When my dad was in England during the war he was wearing his class ring in a pub, one of the local girls was chatting him up and asked if she could see his ring, then she went to the restroom, well you know the rest! He said he was only mad for a while, then he looked around bombed out London, and figured she needed it more then him. If any one over there finds a Stuart Highschool class of 1941 ring, its most likely my fathers!

 

[Bustercat]

I'm surprised at the responses! I thought they'd be more popular around here.

I'm actually considering one when I finish my master's. They tried to push them on us in HS, and no one was really interested, least of all me, even before any of us found out the price tag. As I've gotten older I'm starting to find them intriguing. They're one of our few relatively unique traditions in the states, and they seem to be doomed like so many others, until they get rediscovered for a heartbeat by a later generation. The design aesthetic is so wonderfully dated. Gaudy, sure, even a little goofy (an expensive faux jewel-encrusted ring that looks like a shakesperian prop, to celebrate being a member of a glee club at age 17?)
But interesting lines and typography and there's something really comforting to know they're still around.
I'm really surprised they haven't junked all those art deco influences and gone for something 'fresher.' I think we will see them start to look more and more 'current', like rapper bling, to make them appeal to the kids of today.

 

[HatRak]

I've long since replaced my high school ring with one from the school where I did my master's and doctoral work. For some reason, I skipped getting one from my college even though those rings are quite different and distinctive from the run-of-the-mill college ring. After a couple decades of wear, I had my ring rebuilt--replaced the stone (a small diamond which had been lost), re-sized the band, and re-enameled it--and still wear it every day. That college ring is still calling to me though. Perhaps I'll pick one up and add it in, maybe a pinky ring version (its basically a simple signet style).

 

[Smithy]

Yes, I'd agree with it being an American Tradition. When I graduated, I decided against getting for both this reason (not that there is anything inherently wrong with American tradition) and the fact that my connection to my university wasn't that important to me. On the flip side, I often wear my old school tie (perhaps the nearest UK equivalent, though only relevent for certain schools), as I feel the same way towards my school as you do towards university. Horses for courses [huh]

I'm the same Cobden, I look very fondly on my time at uni but not to the same degree as my time at school. I'm a member of my school's old boys association and often wear the tie. I personally think these traditions are a nice little thing be it the British/Commonwealth old school tie or the US school ring. It shows an appreciation and pride of your time spent there.

 

[scotrace]

My class ring was lost for years, then turned up in a piece of luggage just before said luggage went to the landfill. By then, it didn't fit anymore.

Now, it is being worn by my steady.