Which option for class ring that will last & is budget friendly?

It's funny to see this thread brought back! The child in the post is now about to turn 23, graduated college in May, and only wears her engagement ring.

After seeing this, I texted her to see if she regrets not getting a HS or college ring. She does not regret it and her younger sis in HS doesn't want one either.
 
Don't worry about getting one to last, you will be lucky if they wear it for a year or two- speaking from three kids' experiences!
 
I got a high school class ring and wore it for years until I got my college ring. I actually wanted a high school class ring, and didn't want a college class ring. But, my Dad never completed his BS and he was insistant I got one (he did pay for it.)

Since I put on weight, neither of them fit anymore!

If I had it all to do over again, i'd just go to Wal Mart and get one. FWIW, my wedding band came from Wal Mart and almost 17 years later, the band and my marriage are both doing fine!
 
I got mine through the school also as a gift from my parents. When my DD was in HS Her and a bunch of her friends got together and decided to wear their moms rings until they got there's it was nice to see her wear it. A very sad story about my friend. They didn't have much and her mom scrimped and saved until she could buy each daughter there rings. They were so happy and surprised there mom did this. Now fast forward 40 years. Her drug addict son found it and pawned it. She only found out it was missing a few years ago but no one knows how long it was missing. I felt so bad for her. That ring meant a lot to her. Whenever I think of class rings I always think of that story
 


Is she going to college? If she is then this is no different than a letter jacket, it will go in a drawer never to be worn again.

DS (our older one) HAD to have and we split cost with him. I don't even know where it is. As soon as he started college in went in a drawer.

DD said "what a waste and I'll never wear after" so we got her a nice James Avery ring for her graduation that she still wears. In college she spent the money for a very nice tasteful small graduation ring that she still wears, and in grad school we bought her a simple diamond wrap for her ring. She is representing all in a way she can wear forever if she chooses.
 
Class rings, what a racket! If you must buy one, no need to buy one which will last, because it will never be worn again after graduation. I do agree that if your child wants one, she should get a job and pay for it herself.

I did see this thread is 8 years old, but it's nice the OP updated it!
 
My DS got a HS ring, but my DD did not. DS went to a very old private military HS in our city that has a tradition of fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers attending it. Family class rings are passed down from generation to generation and worn by great grandsons, grandsons, and nephews. Each wearer gets his initials and grad date engraved inside the ring band. Although we've lived in this city our whole adult lives, DH and I did not grow up here, so DS didn't have a family ring. We bought one new, and he can pass it down to his family members if they attend his alma mater.

DD went to a public HS specialty center. No one passes down rings at her school. In fact, not many of the kids even order rings. She didn't want one.
 


I didn't want a class ring, but my dad really wanted me to get one and bought a gold one (10 carat) for me (I agreed just because he thought the rings were so cool, loved his, and wanted me to have one too.). I wore it all through high school. I lost it sometime when I was in college. I wasn't planning to get one for DS, but DS really wanted a class ring and probably because of my dad buying mine for me and my dad thinking they are so cool (I have a lot of respect for my dad), I bought DS one that was almost $900 (same kind I had -- 10 carat gold has really gone up in price). He loves it -- wore it all through high school and has worn it for three years in college (wears it every day). Friends who bought less expensive rings never wore theirs or lost theirs. My dad still has his FYI. He collect coins, antiques, and some other neat things too.

I'm not saying at all to do what I did, but I'm just mentioning what I did and that some say that the 10 carat ones wear best. Do note that we have pretty big cushions in our budget, so the $900 was not a big deal for us. Some people find them very meaningful and really cool like my dad and my son, so if it's in the budget why not. Others like me could care less.
 
I work in the college industry and can say that people generally value the ring from their highest level of education. If they go to college, high school rings are rarely worn but a college ring is generally worn far more frequently and for life. I bought all 3 kids college rings, my oldest daughter went back and bought a second one in a different simple style to wear every day to work. She pulls out the traditional ring to wear to alumni events, football games or just when seeing friends.
 
I would go for the cheapest option possible. This is not something that will likely be worn past high school. Most kids who pursue college/university will stop wearing their high school ring and then it just becomes another knick-knack in their jewelry box. Think about your friends/family and ask how many do you see wearing a class ring as an adult? I only know of one or two and those rings are college rings from a very prestigious university.
 
Both of mine ordered from Zales around mother’s day when they were running a sale. Ended up several hundred dollars cheaper, came in a few weeks vs 6 months through the school and they were much happier with the design. I am not a fan of the school prices but the schools do get bonuses back from the companies they use.
 
My DH got one in HS, I did not. Funnily enough, he gave me his pretty soon after he got it (we are HS sweethearts). I wore it for a while but then it got put in our 'memory box' as it was a big thick ring even for a scrawny 17 year old boy. My inlaws could have saved their money. I cannot remember if I wanted my own, but it was not an option. I did want a school jacket, but we ended up moving right about when we were going to order, and I never wanted one for my new HS.

If my kids want a class ring, they'll have to pay for it themselves. I will however buy them the coat, because it serves an actual useful purpose, they both will be in activities in school to put on the coats, and it will last a couple years if not longer of use.
 

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