The first recorded instance of class rings for a graduating class occurred at West Point in 1835. The tradition has spread, and now in the United States class rings are a common purchase by studetns, often times seen as almost an intregal part of tradition as the caps and gowns on graduation day. Class rings are a great way of not only having a living momento to your high school or college years, but also as a way to tie you to your fellow classmates, to increase that sense of comradery and belonging to something greater.
At one time class rings were genreally a single design made by the high school or college, and the only design chancge would be the graduation year, but today class rings are usually at least somewhat customized by each student. Because of this, there no longer really is a typical class ring, though popular generalities still exist. Men’s rings are generally larger than women’s. The most popular color is gold, though that differs depending on the school and company providing the rings. Students have the option of ordering rings made of white gold, silver, or different alloys of other metals. The center stone is traditionally one of...