You’re going to be graduating from school soon. It’s time for you to decide if you’re going to go with the age-old tradition of buying a class ring.

It’s a symbol of your accomplishment as a graduate. There are countless customization options, as well. You can get a music note put on it to show that you were in the marching band.

The stone you choose will be a representation of your personality. You’ve got so much creative freedom. Did you know that the students of the past didn’t?

All rings used to be the same thing. That’s not the only neat fact included in the history of the class ring. Check out this guide to learn more.

They’ve Been Around a Long Time

We can trace the appearance of the class ring all the way back to ancient Egypt. People used to wear rings to symbolize their class or religion.

The tradition kept going on into Rome. Soldiers wore them to represent their ties to the military. They first appeared in school settings in 1835. The Military Academy gave them out to fill the cadets with a sense of pride and unity.

Soon after that, major college universities began to hand them out to graduates as well. Today, you can get them while you’re in high school too.

You can go here to learn more about high school class rings. For now, we’re going to move on to materials.

The Materials Have Changed Throughout the Years

When the first college class ring came about, everyone had one material to choose from. You could have a simple golden band. That’s it.

Today’s students get to enjoy a little more variety. They can choose between silver, gold, and platinum. Of course, depending on what material they pick, it can drive the price up.

They Used to All Be the Same

As you can most likely gather from our description above, all of the original class rings were the exact same. The only thing you could change about them was the size.

There was no fancy customization allowed. It’s the exact opposite of the way the rings are now. There are plenty of personalization options.

Students can put their graduation year on the ring and the name of their school. If someone is part of the band, for example, they can have a music note etched into their ring.

Wearing Your Class Ring

Originally, it was tradition to wear a class ring on the left hand. This changed to the right hand for obvious reasons. You can’t wear your class ring and wedding ring on the same finger.

If a person receives their ring before graduation day, they should wear it so the stone is facing their palm. They can turn it around to face the right way after receiving their diploma.

Keep the Tradition Alive

Still, trying to decide if you want to buy a class ring? As you can see, if you get one, you’ll be part of a rich tradition that can be traced back centuries.

It’s also a show of how far you’ve come. For many, wearing it fills them with a sense of pride. For more fun facts about class rings and beyond, feel free to explore the rest of our blog.