As a junior in high school, I had the opportunity to purchase a class ring from Jostens. Myself and one other boy decided against it. My reason was to use the money for a down payment on my first car. A car, that I would use to go back and forth to college with in two years.
Being a former high school teacher, I observed many students sitting with their parents and going through catalog after catalog with jewelry companies. We even had a special night so that they could come in and sit down one on one with a salesman. Class rings are big business. We often had another company try to compete with Jostens. Eventually, Jostens won out because they gave our school a big break on our school yearbook.
You can now design your own class ring. It use to be that you had several to choose from. All you had to do was pick out the size and the stone.
With the downturn in the recent economy, many parents and their children are taking a second look at class rings. They are asking many questions. Is a class ring that important for now? Can we really afford to purchase a ring? Should we use the money for college tuition? Why buy a ring that our child will only wear for a few years? What will happen if it gets lost? All of these are important questions, as they were when I was in school.
Companies turn out very good looking class rings. I consider Jostens one of the best. It isn’t a matter of the quality that they turn out. It is more of a consumer decision, that has to be made by parents and their children. Sometimes tough decisions have to be made.
Ring companies will bring in the big knuckle buster of past World Champs like the Pittsburgh Steelers. This catches the eye of the buyer right away. Practical sense goes out the door.
Recently, the price of gold has rose quite a bit. During bad economic times, gold always goes up. So does the cot of jewelry. I once had a friend that worked in a jewelry store, that told me some items are marked up between 300 and 600 percent.
Jewelry businesses have that right. It comes back down to the consumer and the question, “Should I buy or not?” Children put pressure on their parents and other children put pressure on their friends. A parent doesn’t want to look too cheap in front of other parents. So the pressure mounts.
I can not tell you what to do. All I can say is, “Take your time and examine your personal finances closely.” Ask your child some important questions and get them involved in the seriousness of this type of purchase.
Ask questions like,” Is your girlfriend going to wear this ring or you?” I knew a guy who’s girlfriend lost his ring down the drain, while doing dishes.
These are important questions to ponder, before purchasing a ring.
Finally, try to avoid the pressure tactics of your children, friends, and other parents. It will be hard to do. Check with other companies like Herff Jones or Balfour. Competition is stiff between these companies. Anyway you can save a dollar is worth the effort.
