Choose the company to purchase your ring from. Many colleges have contracts with specific class ring companies that will often come to campus and design special rings for your university. These companies may have the right to use the company's insignia, while others do not. However, you can also purchase graduation rings from jewelry stores, department stores, and even Wal-Mart. If having the company's insignia is important to you, choose the graduation ring provider affiliated with your campus. Otherwise, consider durability, style, and price when choosing a graduation ring company.
Choose your ring's design. Most ring companies offer different designs for men and women, as well as collegiate designs, which emphasize your university or degree, and fashion designs, which pair engravings or university insignia alongside stylish stones. Most graduation companies also allow you to customize your ring by adding symbols that represent activities, academic honors or your graduation year. You may also select a ring not traditionally marketed as a graduation ring if you prefer it's style.
Choose the metal. Most companies offer graduation rings in gold, white gold, sterling silver and platinum. Homeschool Diploma, a supplier of graduation supplies to homeschooling families, also offers rings in the non-precious metals valerium, which looks like silver, and opulux, which looks like gold. Consider how you will wear or use the ring before choosing your metal. If you plan to wear the ring only during special events, like graduation, a non-precious metal may be the wiser choice. However, if you plan to wear the ring every day or pass it down to your children as an heirloom, a quality metal can increase its durability and longevity.
Choose the stone. Ring stone choice may be limited for some pre-fabricated designs, but other rings allow you to choose the stone of your choice. You might choose from your birth stone, a stone that represents one of your university's colors, a stone that has symbolic meaning to you or a stone that you find attractive. Most graduation ring companies allow you to choose between genuine and synthetic stones. Once again, how you plan to use or wear the ring, as well as your budget, will help you make this choice.
Choose the engraving and extras. Choose a message and location for your ring's engraving. Popular choices include your name, graduation year or a message of special significance, like your sports number or nickname. Place the engraving on the band inside the ring if you wish the message to be private, or ask that the ring be engraved on the exterior band if you wish the engraving to be a part of your ring's design. Many ring companies also allow you a selection of extra features through which you can further personalize your ring. These features include different finishes and holographs within certain stones.