Wear my third ring daily. Twice I chose not to wear during the day and both times house broken into and ring stolen. It pretty much goes everywhere with now.
LonghornM You are correct on "The". I guess what bothers me is the addition of "at Austin". Hate to show age here, but when I grew up we were referred to simply as "The University". When I got my ring in the early 70's, It simply has "The University of Texas" which should suffice now as it did then. When the youngest graduated last fall, I could not believe the "official " ring did not have the Longhorn / UTseal on the sides and had the designation "at Austn". It seems the Texas exes decided to put put their symbol on the ring instead of the Longhorn? I agree with an earlier poster that the graduating kids should have a better selection.
If if wasn't obvious from my other reply, I too am very annoyed that the Ex-Students Association has taken over the market place for class rings. I have a "classic" style ring that I bought in the early 90's that looks just like many others that were made in the 40's and 50's. I am a traditionalist, what can I say. My question on the current ring is why does it have the "Ex-Students Association" logo on it? I am a member of the Texas-Exes and encourage graduates to join, but it is their choice whether to join or not. Why should their class ring "advertise" for the Texas Exes and make money for the Texas Exes? The other thing that annoys me is that the cheapest men's ring now offered is $850. That is a hell of a lot of money for someone working their way through school and puts it out of reach of many students. Back in the day, you could buy a relatively inexpensive "sterling silver" ring and than upgrade later when you have a real job and a little disposable income.
I bought one a couple of years ago despite being class of 97 (I also graduated in 99 and 2003 with graduate degrees from UT). I wear mine to all social events I go to. Weddings, happy hours, work functions,... I do not wear it every day though.
Me, I'm not a jewelry-wearing guy - no ring, no bracelet, no watch, no necklace. Miz Longtex, she wears her Pop's 1926 BSME pinky ring. He said he got him a pinky ring after seeing one of his classmates lose a ring finger to a lathe in a lab accident - figgered he could stand to lose that last finger more than wunna the ones in the middle. Didn't have no Hook'em in '26, ya know.
The addition of "at Austin" to The University of Texas bothers me too. I read a few years ago there was a movement to change it back to the original The University of Texas. The article I read said the regents were considering the change but it must have died since it has not happened. I'm a '73 grad and we used to buy a burnt orange decal, "The University of Texas" at the CO-OP and use it on 2 cars by cutting it, one with "The University" and the other with "Texas".
Class of '91 and I wear mine daily. We are the University of Texas. If you graduated from the other System schools, then you shoud get the "at Tyler","at El Paso", "at Arlington" etc. -Mike
I lost mine years ago, then found it later. In the meantime my wife bought me the silver model below. I love silver. Got it from Kirk Root Designs in Austin.
Have worn mine everyday since I got it in 1977. Now both of my sons wear there rings. My aggie wife wears hers also.
I got mine in '86 as a graduation present from my parents and wear it to games and other UT events. On a daily basis, I wear a Texas Longhorn watch my wife gave me for my birthday soon after we married. When I was in high school, I knew a guy who had just graduated from UT and he showed me his ring. From that day on I wanted one just like it, antiqued with a lone star and a diamond in the center of the face. I didn't want to burden my parents with the cost of the diamond, but had one put in a decade later when I could afford it. It was stolen a few years after that, but the police recovered it from a pawn shop in Virginia and gave it back to me. It has the tower on one side and a bunch of gears and oil rigs on the other (Pet. Eng. degree). If I had it to do over again, I'd get the longhorn on that side instead.
I lost mine... no telling where it is. I am thinking Its time to replace it but all I wear is my wedding band.... so adding another would feel strange. Got mine before the Student association "Official Ring" but honestly... it was kind of like having a high school ring. Because there was no "Official Ring" for so long... I always felt it was kind of well "weak" and it was just a ring I designed. The one on Kirk Root is nice but again... just a design and not official. Just licensed designs.... doesn't do much for me.
What I like about the Kirk Root ring is that it is clearly not an official graduation ring, or even really traditional in any way — just the best looking university symbol in the world.
I bought one when I graduated in '81 undergrad. I lost it in Jamaica in the surf with a gal I met there in about '90. I bought another for my law degree from '88. I wear it everyday and would feel naked without it. It's not a "jewelry" thing. It's my pride in having graduated from one of the best universities in this country twice.
Special occasions and UT sporting events for me. Got the LHB "Bevo the Tuba player" logo on one side FYI, if your class ring doesn't fit anymore, you probably have lifetime re- sizing available from the manufacturer. I sent my '84 ring in and they did a great job - looks like new. Check the Balfour/ Artcarved/ etc websites for information.
