Pricey school rings in class of their own

By Teresa Mask
Knight Ridder Newspapers

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most read articles Most e-mailed articles

The prices of class rings, a symbol of school affiliation and pride, have skyrocketed, making some parents and students wonder whether the keepsake is worth the cost.

"I can't imagine what an $1,100 ring would look like. Does it have diamonds on it?" asked Sandi Matz, mother of 17-year-old Rachel, who attends Andover High School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

As a matter of fact, it does.

The rings in the girls Achiever Collection, for instance, range from $270 for white lustrium — Jostens jeweler's own metal blend — with cubic zirconias, to $690 for the high-end white or yellow 14K gold with diamonds.

The boys prices range from $275 for white lustrium with cubic zirconias to $1,155 for white or yellow 14K gold with diamonds.

Today's costs are too much for Bree Corcoran, 2004 Walled Lake Western High School graduate.

"It's really expensive for something I probably wouldn't wear after I graduated," she said. "All the ones I heard about were about $500, and it was just crazy. One of my friends did get one, and he lost it in about a month, so it really wasn't worth it."

Jostens, one of the leading makers of high-school class rings, has seen a decline in the purchases of class rings, said Rich Stoebe, director of communications for the Minneapolis-based company. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, about half of high-school students purchased class rings. Today, only about a third do, he said.

Some opt to buy an alternate piece of jewelry.

"My parents bought me a different ring that I would love the rest of my life," said 1980 Ferndale High School graduate Darcey McLaughlin, who still wears the ring. "Later in life, I grew to understand their wisdom."

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

E-mail this article

Print this article

Search archive

More nation & world headlines...