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For generations, the tradition of getting a class ring has been a significant part of the high school and college experience. This symbolic piece of jewelry is a physical representation of the hard work, dedication, and achievements you put in during your education.
A class ring can be traditional, just showing the details of your graduation year and school, or it can also become a tangible representation of your experience with engravings for your extracurricular activities, major, or other memories you made along the way. And you may be surprised to find out that buying class rings online has become an increasingly popular choice.
Tuesday, February 18th
Dunham Manufacturing has over 100 years of experience crafting personalized class rings. With a narrow focus on categories of rings including collegiate rings, high-school rings, and middle-school rings, you can expect an impressive selection from Dunham Manufacturing. An essential aspect of Dunham Manufacturing's identity is its commitment to offering a lifetime warranty for every single ring, and all rings from Dunham Manufacturing are made in the USA.
Pick from 53 ring styles
Dunham Manufacturing also offers rings for academics, championships, military, family crests, mother's rings, school pride, law enforcement, federal agencies, and fine jewelry for both men and women. Dunham Manufacturing features five main types of class ring styles. These include Oval, Antique, Stadium, Classic, and Fashion. You can find ring styles for all of these shapes either in a university-focused search or in a design-your-own. If you click on the styles, it opens up further options. For example, Dunham Manufacturing offers 27 fashion rings, 8 oval styles, 7 antique, 7, stadium, and 4 classic for a total of 53 ring styles.
Unique design options for different levels
The customization process at Dunham Manufacturing adds a personal touch to each class ring. For kindergarten rings, charming designs feature images like pencils, "Head Start" with an outline of little kids, or the words "ABC 123" accompanied by star images. For higher education levels, customization involves selecting the metal, adding school details (country, state, city, school), choosing the stone, specifying size, and deciding on engravings. You can choose from silver, questra, and palisil metals, though some rings have more options than others.
Prices from $85 to $2,024
At each retailer in our review, we usually looked at ring styles for men, for women, and the most and least expensive rings. This way, we could get a price comparison that showed similar products. However, due to the lack of filters on Dunham Manufacturing, we were only able to find the least and most expensive rings. While most rings have both genders, it's impossible to find out the details until you've gotten into the design process. Here's what we found:
Ready for you in 6 weeks
Upon placing an order online, you can expect your ring to be delivered within approximately 6 weeks via ground shipping throughout the US. The shipping cost is $20 for one or two rings and $40 for three or more rings. If you want to ship a ring outside the US, the shipping goes up to $60 for international purchases.
Lifetime warranty for every ring
Each Dunham Manufacturing ring comes with a lifetime warranty and a money-back guarantee. You have 10 days to return the ring for a full refund if you're unsatisfied when it arrives. Beyond this period, the lifetime warranty covers repairing defects, replacing stones, resizing, and restoring the original finish of the ring at no extra charge.
Website clunkiness
There's zero searching necessary to find class rings on Dunham Manufacturing. All you need to do is decide on the type of ring you want: college, high school, middle school, elementary school, or kindergarten. Or, if you prefer to see only options for your school specifically, you can start your search that way. However, there are a few technical drawbacks at Dunham Manufacturing. For example, you can't limit rings on the site by any kind of filtering system and the design portion of the site is extremely outdated. The photos don't update as you make customizations to the ring. So beyond seeing the metal color, you won't be able to preview the other changes you make - like engravings or changing the stone color - until the ring arrives. Finally, there are some school limitations. If you pick a high-school ring (due to style or price) you can only add high schools from the dropdown list. And for universities, the list is pretty narrow. If you want to add your university, you'll have to select a custom ring and start from scratch.
Popular with customers
Dunham Manufacturing stands out as a reliable choice for custom rings, offering an extensive selection for students of all ages. The Better Business Bureau awards them an "A+" rating, reflecting their commitment to quality and reliability. While there aren't a lot of reviews from third-party review sites, the ones that we found were extremely positive. For example, on Facebook, Dunham Manufacturing has an average rating of 4.8 stars.
Highly recommended for a lifetime ring
With positive customer feedback and a lifetime warranty, Dunham Manufacturing earns our highest recommendation for class rings. The lifetime warranty is especially exciting as you can be confident your ring will last as long as you do. For this reason, this class ring retailer gets a top-notch 5-star rating and the first-place spot in our review.
Almost everyone has likely visited Walmart at some point, given its staggering number of stores. If you're aiming to save some cash, Walmart has always been the go-to spot for just about everything... even class rings. Walmart's line of class rings is called "Freestyle” and boy, are there options. Even though Walmart isn't a specialized jeweler, if you're looking for some serious savings on class rings, you may want to give Walmart a chance.
Harder to find rings right away
Because there are so many products at Walmart, getting to the rings from the home page can be a bit of a chore. You can start by checking out the "fashion” tab on the top navigation bar. After that, you'll want to pick the jewelry and accessories sub-category. From there, you'll need to find rings from the left navigation bar or from the middle of the page where a link for rings is listed with a photo. The fastest way to find rings is to simply search "class ring” in the search bar at the top of the website. From here, you can use all of the general Walmart filters to narrow your options, like brand, price, special offers, fulfillment speed, and more. However, since the filters work for everything on Walmart's website, you'll have to scroll for a bit to find filters that relate to rings, like ring size, metal, ring style, and gemstone.
Thousands of rings for sale
If you thought that some of the inventories at other sites were impressive, just wait until you see the number of class rings offered by Walmart. There are 65,978 different styles available on the site with 34,401 of those styles made for women and 12,780 for men. The rest are listed as unisex designs for all genders. However, there is one snag. Many of the rings were out of stock at the time of our review, making it a little challenging to find options we could actually purchase.
Full design capabilities for most rings
You can personalize all of the rings sold at Walmart, though some rings have limitations. For example, the lowest-cost ring we found (the Personalized Sterling Silver Crystal Heart ring) only allows you to use the sterling silver listed in the name of the product. Other rings have much greater flexibility. For the rings with more options, Walmart offers a school-finder tool; however, it appears to serve mainly high-school students rather than colleges. And to complete your ring you have to use the school-finder tool, so many college students may be unable to complete the process. In terms of metals, you can select between valadium, golden valadium, midnight valadium, silver, 10K-14K yellow gold, and 10K-14K white gold. You can pick from the 12 birthstones and get engravings on both sides and on the interior for an extra cost.
Prices between $58 to $953
We looked at the prices for men's and women's rings at Walmart to gauge how its pricing stacks up against competitors. We also customized the most and least expensive rings on the site to give you an idea of what add-ons might cost. Unlike many other companies in our review, the listed prices for Walmart rings include the highest-tier personalizations. The only thing added on top of the listed price is a $10 engraving fee offered on some rings. So you won't need to worry about prices changing much after you add your custom design elements. Check it out:
Most rings arrive in 6-8 weeks
Walmart doesn't have any timeframes listed for when you can expect your ring to arrive. Some rings are listed under the 2-day fulfillment filter, but many of these rings were out of stock. To get an idea of your shipping expectations, you'll need to finish your ring and add it to your cart. There, you can see a projected date for your ring's arrival. For most of the rings we looked at, the estimated delivery date was between 6-8 weeks away. On the bright side, shipping was also free on every ring we tested.
Returns within 90 days
For those seeking a little extra peace of mind, Walmart offers two protection plans for jewelry. You can pick a $10 plan that lasts 2 years and covers wear and tear on jewelry priced from $70 to $99.99. Or you can pick the upgraded option which is $20 for the same coverage but for rings priced $200 to $499.99 (but you may notice that doesn't cover the most expensive class rings in their inventory). Walmart also offers an impressive return policy on the class rings with a generous 90-day window for returns or exchanges, either in-store or by mail. You'll see the policy listed in your cart when you purchase your class ring, so you know it will apply to your customized item.
Impressive reviews from customers
Considering Walmart's huge presence, we're happy to say it sports an "A+” rating on the Better Business Bureau. However, this rating reflects the company overall. To gauge Walmart's class rings compared to other services, we looked into reviews on the rings themselves. On average, customers left an average of 4.5 stars out of 5 on Walmart class rings. There aren't any third-party reviews off Walmart that talk about the class rings, so it's hard to gauge if this is correct, but there are over 100 different 5-star reviews on the Walmart page for class rings.
Best pick for low-cost high school rings
While there are some troubles regarding college rings, especially during the customization process, if you're looking for a high school class ring that won't break the bank, Walmart is going to be one of the best places to go. If you're worried about things like stones falling out or other concerns, you can easily buy a cheap warranty on most rings they offer. Plus, the prices you see are what you get, even after adding your personalizations. With impressive reviews and a solid selection, Walmart comes in as our top option for high schoolers and earns a solid rating in our review.
Most of us have heard of Kay Jewelers, one of the most popular retailers of engagement and wedding rings on the market. Established in 1916, Kay initially offered products including music boxes, silverware, appliances, razors, and eyeglasses. Today, Kay Jewelers has grown into a prominent jewelry store with over 1,000 physical locations and a substantial online presence. And on top of their well-known wedding rings, Kay Jewelers also offers a selection of class rings.
Class rings are under the men's section
Finding class rings on Kay's site isn't the most intuitive. First, you have to check under the "rings” tab on the top navigation bar. Then, to locate class rings specifically, you'll need to dive into the "Men's” section. This is strange because Kay does offer women's rings. However, the category is listed under men's, which may be misleading for customers who don't check there anyway.
Choose from 54 ring styles
Despite some confusion with finding class rings, there are 54 different styles to choose from with both men's and women's options. You'll find 32 women's rings and 22 for men. All of the rings can be personalized, though you can't search for specific universities or schools, so you can use them for any school you like by doing your own personalization. You can limit the rings by common filters like metal types, price, stone type, and which ones are engravable.
Design preview includes new elements
The customization process mirrors that of other jewelry retailers. You can enter your school name during this process, but many schools aren't included. We couldn't find major universities like the University of Central Florida or the University of Michigan. Unsurprisingly, we didn't find private colleges either. On the other hand, you can find most high schools on Kay. Metal options include sterling silver, 10K gold-plated, 10K-14K white gold, and 10K-14K yellow gold. There are 16 gemstones to choose from, and you can add an 18-character engraving for no extra cost. Our favorite part? The online design tool will change your ring to show you what it will look like (including custom engraving).
Prices range from $119.99 to $4,649.99
At each ring manufacturer in our review, we looked at the base-price costs for men's and women's rings. And to give you an idea of the high and low end, we also built the least and most expensive rings to compare upgrades. Here's what we found at Kay:
Around 8 weeks before rings arrive
One notable aspect of Kay Jewelers' service is the inclusion of specific delivery dates in each product description. This transparency keeps you informed about the estimated delivery time before you get into the ordering process. In general, it seems to be about an 8-week turnaround.
No return for custom rings
While Kay has a general 30-day return policy, this only applies to items in new, unused condition. Kay states that it does not allow returns for items that are customized (which includes class rings). Kay does offer a lifetime diamond and gemstone guarantee which allows you to change out or replace stones if they are damaged or fall out of the setting. This appears to be included in your purchase. The other warranty options (which change depending on which item you're buying) will incur an extra cost.
Some mixed reviews
Customers have the opportunity to leave reviews on individual items, providing valuable insights into various aspects such as the readability of engravings, the expected quality, the accuracy of delivery times, and more. Many of the reviews on the Kay website show 5 out of 5 stars on class rings. While the selection may not be as extensive as some competitors, Kay Jewelers maintains an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, though it does show more mixed reviews on third-party sites. Many of the customer reviews that were negative related to specific Kay stores and locations rather than the quality of class rings.
Highly rated for shopping experience
Although class rings may not be the primary focus for Kay Jewelers, the company offers a reliable option with a long-standing reputation for quality. However, with no real return policy on class rings and extra charges for warranties, you may be paying a little extra if something goes wrong with yours. Considering that and the higher-than-average prices, Kay doesn't quite make it to the top of our list, though its impressively easy design tool and user-friendly browsing earn it a high rating in our review overall.
Founded by Bill Zimmer, who acquired diamond-selling skills at a young age, Reeds Jewelers started as a small downtown Wilmington, North Carolina jewelry store in 1946. Expanding significantly over the years, Reeds now operates as a prominent jewelry retailer, offering engagement and wedding rings, a variety of men's and women's jewelry, class rings, Rolex watches, and an extensive list of products from top-tier brands.
Site has some UI difficulties
Finding the class ring section of the store takes a few steps. First, you've got to go under jewelry, then hop over to rings, and find class rings down there. It's not too hard, but it isn't as quick and easy as some of our top competitors. However, the main problem with Reeds Jewelers is that when you get to the listings, the images overlap the text, and the filters, which are arranged on the sidebar of the site, don't work. When you click on options like "product type” or "price,” nothing happens, meaning you have to scroll through all of Reeds Jewelers' class rings without filters.
24 rings to choose from
Reeds Jewelers' selection of class rings comes up as pretty slim compared to other companies in our review. There are only 24 class rings offered at Reeds. 16 of these are for women while 24 styles are for men. There isn't any separation between college or high school rings at this retailer.
Missing a lot of schools for custom designs
The customization process at Reeds Jewelers involves selecting a preferred ring style and jumping right into your customizations. You can select your school on certain rings, whether you want genuine or simulated stones, what quality of metal you'd like, and your stone color and monogram designs. Metal options include sterling silver, siladium, argentium, and yellow or white gold from 10K-18K. Notably, many colleges were missing from the university finder tool, including all major Florida colleges, as well as some major sports universities like the University of Michigan. Even some common high schools found on other retailers were missing from the search tool here.
Prices from $95.99 to $1,302.99
To compare prices, we looked at the range for women's and men's rings (to see the baseline prices before customization) and the least expensive ring and most expensive ring (with customizations). Here's what we found at Reeds Jewelers.
Delivery in 4-6 weeks
Order processing time for most class rings is within the standard 4-6 weeks, with free shipping and return services, which is a bonus. Currently, it appears that purchasing one of their 3-year care plans is necessary if you want a warranty that protects against damage or covers things like resizing, gemstone replacements, and more. However, the pricing details for these plans are not readily available and require contacting customer service or visiting one of their stores.
May not accept returns for class rings
While the company extends a 30-day return and exchange policy for items in new and unused condition, personalized and engraved items are not eligible for returns or exchanges. The details are a little slim online, though, so you may want to contact Reeds Jewelers' customer service team to get any questions about the return policy answered for class rings.
Top scores from reviewers
According to customer reviews, you may not need to worry about returns, though. Currently, Reeds Jewelers has an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau and receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers. Tens of thousands of reviews commend the company for helpful and responsive customer service, prompt delivery, superior packaging, and overall satisfaction. Shoppers particularly praise customer service reps as well as the high quality of jewelry.
A high-ranking pick according to customers
While there are some issues with a clunky site, Reeds Jewelers does stand out with high praise from the BBB and reviewers across the board. Given this high level of satisfaction, Reeds Jewelers earns a high rating in our review. Definitely hop over and check them out, but remember, if you have questions about refunds on class rings, you'll have to call customer service to get the full details, and be aware of the user interface problems that might arise as you browse.
Jostens was founded in 1897 by Otto Josten, a jewelry repairman with a vision to help high school students commemorate significant moments. Since then, Jostens has evolved into a graduation and commencement retailer. Used as the go-to for many universities, you can find products for preschoolers all the way through college students. Jostens collaborates with schools to provide yearbooks, sports championship merchandise, apparel, photography, and, of course, class rings.
Enter your school to start
Finding rings on Jostens requires that you start by putting in your college or high school to see the selection of rings. You can find rings in styles like heritage designs, class "band” designs, fashion designs, and varsity. Jostens will also save your input, so if you leave the site you can come back and pick up right where you left off.
Between 45 and 80 styles depending on the school
In terms of selection, there are tons of options at Jostens, though the final number will change depending on your school. On average, Jostens had about 50 styles for college rings and around 80 high school styles to choose from. For the college we put in (University of Michigan), we found 30 styles for women and 19 styles for men. In the high-school section, there wasn't a filter for gender, so we had to just browse through all 80 styles to explore the high school rings.
Easy design with tons of options
Customization options at Jostens include selecting the stone color, choosing from a variety of unique side designs representing activities such as sports, band, debate, drama, cheerleading, or zodiac signs, and adding graduation years and expressions. All class rings can be engraved and personalized for a unique touch. In terms of metal quality, you can expect sterling silver (at no additional cost), 10K-18K white gold, and 10K-18K yellow gold. There are 20 different stones to choose from, and you can add a keepsake box to keep your ring safe.
Prices starting from $418 to $3,308.98
At each store, we checked on the starting prices for college rings in the men's and women's sections. We also searched for the most and least expensive rings with both the baseline customizations and all the fancy add-ons. Here's what we found at Jostens:
Up to 8 weeks for processing
Jewelry production at Jostens typically takes 4-6 weeks, though some specific rings can take up to 8 weeks. Your exact shipping time will show up in your shopping cart after you've finished customizing the ring. The average service and delivery fee (which includes shipping) is around $19.95.
5-day order cancellation window, but rings come with lifetime warranty
Unfortunately, Jostens lacks a significant return policy. You can modify your order within the first 5 business days from when you placed it, and changes during this period are free. After this initial period, any modifications to your order will be accompanied by a $25 change fee. Similarly, if you decide to cancel your order, you can do so at no cost within the first 5 business days. However, cancellations made after this timeframe will be subject to a $100 change fee. On the bright side, every class ring from Jostens is accompanied by a lifetime warranty, covering services such as cleaning, polishing, re-applying antique finishes, and replacing birthstones.
Customers feel Jostens is too expensive
While holding an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, Jostens receives mixed customer reviews. Customers on third-party review sites left complaints about the extra "service” costs added to orders and about higher-than-average costs for a variety of graduation items. Customers who wanted to cancel orders were unable to reach customer service, and the general consensus is that Jostens is far too expensive for what it offers.
Not competitive enough in customer service
While there are positive experiences at Jostens, the overall online reviews contribute to Jostens receiving an average rating among class ring retailers. The prices are somewhat higher with extra fees compared to other ring retailers. Further, without any listed return policy, there are fewer ways for customers to feel confident about their purchase here than with other companies. While the company remains a mainstay and is partnered with many universities and high schools, it may be worth it to shop around before you choose Jostens for your class ring.
ArtCarved is a prominent American online retailer dedicated to crafting personalized jewelry. Established in 1850, the company initially focused on diamond engagement rings and wedding bands. Over time, they expanded to include class rings, military rings, personalized pieces for men and women, and faith-based and religious jewelry. ArtCarved is owned by Commemorative Brands, Inc. ("CBI") and has five in-person locations in Austin, Dallas, Louisville, Waco, and Manhattan.
72 rings to choose from
Finding the class rings section on ArtCarved is simple: the navigation menu has it right there at the top of your screen. You'll find 72 different class ring styles, with an emphasis on high school rings. 64 of the rings are for high schools while only 8 of the styles are for college. But, many of the college rings are easy to adapt to represent one's college experience. You can sort the rings with filters like the number of stones, price, style, and gender. For example, you can find 50 rings for women and 22 styles for men.
Missing universities
Customization is simple and fun at ArtCarved. Upon finding a preferred ring style, you just click the "Start Designing” button, and the SchoolFinder tool assists in identifying the high school or college, automatically adding mascot details and colors to your ring. However, there's one snag: ArtCarved has a more selective list than many class ring sites. None of the Florida universities we tried (Rollins College, University of Central Florida, and University of Florida) were listed. While most high schools were included, even some major sports schools like DePaul University weren't included. You can just skip adding your school, but it means more custom work later on.
Customization options
For upgrades, you can choose siladium, argentium silver, 10K-18K white gold, and 10K-18K yellow gold. You can choose between antique and natural finishes, choose among 16 precious stones, and put on things like degree letters, images for your major or high school clubs, and the year you graduated. There is even an option to add an engraving on the band, though some hobbies like writing were notably missing. While there are plenty of designs for football and even some more obscure hobbies like "tuba,” there weren't any designs for English majors/students at all.
Prices from $94.99 to $1,729.99
At each retailer in our review, we looked at men's and women's rings to gauge the starting costs between ArtCarved and its competitors. We also looked at the most expensive ring with all the top-notch add-ons, and the least expensive ring with the lowest-tier customizations. Here's what we found:
Delivery in 5-7 weeks
The estimated delivery time for ArtCarved class rings typically falls between 5-7 weeks. You can find the estimated delivery times in the product descriptions for each item. The standard shipping offered by ArtCarved is free, which helps keep costs down for getting your ring.
Refund or replace within 30 days
ArtCarved has a generous return policy, providing a 30-day window for you to seek a refund if you're dissatisfied with your class ring. You can also take advantage of free exchanges for stone color or size (within 2 sizes) within 30 days of delivery. In cases of material defects or workmanship issues, ArtCarved pledges to rectify the matter at zero cost within the same 30-day timeframe. Basically, no matter what you don't like, you can either get a full refund or get it fixed within an ample window of 30 days.
Positive reputation for parent company
While ArtCarved lacks a rating from the Better Business Bureau, its parent company Commemorative Brands, Inc. has a solid "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB. Overall, ArtCarved has a 3.8-star average from third-party review sites, though it does have a notably smaller review presence than many competitors, and many of the positive reviews are for engagement rings. There are a handful of complaints about ArtCarved "losing” shipments or rings that never arrived, but these make up a small portion of total reviews.
Best used for high-school class rings
This company's commitment to a generous return policy improves the overall shopping experience. However, the limited selection of college rings is a considerable drawback, with many major universities not included in ArtCarved's list. Further, the limitations in extracurriculars are a further drawback for those hoping to commemorate a particular major field that may not be represented. So, despite ArtCarved's fairly good reputation, those specific downsides knock it in our ratings. However, if you want a high-school ring, you'll definitely want to check ArtCarved out.
Zales got its start in 1924 when Morris Zale, William Zale, and Ben Lipshy launched the first Zales Jewelers in Wichita Falls, Texas. They aimed to make top-notch products more affordable, introducing an innovative credit plan of "a penny down and a dollar a week.”
Over a century of growth
This strategy proved successful, leading to the expansion of 12 stores across Texas and Oklahoma by 1941. Fast forward nearly a century, and Zales has become one of the largest fine jewelers in the US. The company has over 422 physical locations and is well-known in the wedding ring industry. But its offerings don't stop at wedding styles, necklaces, or expensive watches. Zales also has a competitive variety of class rings to choose from.
Comparison tool is a standout feature
Finding the class ring section on Zales is a breeze. You just have to select "rings” from the top navigation menu and find class rings in the dropdown. From there, you can conveniently sort the selection with filters like gender, price, personalization options, stone type, color, shape, metal type, metal color, and customer ratings. Our favorite part is Zales' compare tool, so you can select multiple rings you like and compare them side by side if you have several favorites.
110 styles available
Zales offers a competitive range of 110 different class rings. There are a variety of styles, some of which are exclusive to Zales. Others are created by companies like ArtCarved. 80 of the ring styles are made for women while the remaining 30 styles are designed for men. Further, there are options for both high school rings and collegiate styles.
Complete design features
In the designer, you can find a school selection tool with options to add your high school, technical college, and some 4-year universities (but not all). You can also expect metals like siladium, argentium, and 10K-18K white or yellow gold. There are antique or natural finishes, 16 stone colors to choose from, and an impressive number of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees for side engravings. Plus, you can see an active preview of your ring while you update items. Only a few things like the inside rail text don't change when you add them.
Prices from $103 to $2,040
We checked out the price ranges for women's rings and men's rings, so you can get an idea of where the starting costs are. We also designed the least and most expensive ring from Zales to get an idea of what the total will be after customizations. Here's what we found:
Free in-store pickup
For your delivery time, you can see the estimated delivery date on the item listing page. The timeframe is typically around 2 months or 8 weeks, though some options will come sooner if there are fewer customizations. For orders of $199 or more (like almost all class rings), you can benefit from free expedited shipping directly to your doorstep. Zales also offers the convenience of free in-store pickup if your ring doesn't meet the standard free shipping threshold.
Limited returns and protection is extra
At Zales, you'll find a customer-friendly return and exchange policy allowing you to return items within 30 days from the date of shipment and exchange them within 60 days. However, this policy doesn't apply to class rings or other customized jewelry. Unfortunately, these items are not eligible for refunds or exchanges. You can purchase a protection plan, but the details on how to do so are limited on the website. The warranty page suggests talking to their customer service team to add the protection plan to your purchase.
Mixed reviews raise questions about the quality
Zales holds an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. But from third-party review sites, there are an increasing number of complaints. According to reviews on Sitejabber, Zales holds a mid-level 3.1-star average out of 5. Many reviews in recent years include complaints about customer service issues and reviews noting stones falling out of settings or poor craftsmanship. Given these concerns, Zales falls down the ratings a bit. You want to get a class ring that will last (especially if Zales doesn't offer a warranty option during purchase).
Room to improve on customer service
Considering that class rings are not their primary focus, Zales offers a competitive selection, incorporating styles from ArtCarved, a highly-rated class ring retailer. However, while the site is user-friendly, there is a rising number of complaints from customers about quality issues and complications in dealing with customer service. Considering that Zales doesn't include a warranty with your class ring purchase, it may be safer to check some other companies first. Zales still comes recommended for its impressive selection and custom options, but it doesn't beat out sites with better customer service and quality assurance.
Initially crafting class rings, medals, pins, and emblematic jewelry, the company known as Herff Jones (established in 1920) has evolved over the years to encompass a wide range of graduation-related items. From yearbooks and graduation announcements to diplomas, caps and gowns, and diploma frames, Herff Jones provides a one-stop shop for graduation necessities. With manufacturing facilities spread across the United States, the company takes pride in contributing to commencement ceremonies for colleges and high schools in the U.S. and Canada. Beyond graduations, Herff Jones extends its product offerings to include grade schools, middle schools, churches, sports teams, movie studios, and even courtrooms.
Choose your school to start
To get started, Herff Jones requires that you put in your university. You can't continue shopping unless this step is completed. This is a little disappointing as many universities aren't included in the lineup, like several major universities in Florida (both private and public). If your school isn't included, Herff Jones says that you can contact a sales rep. However, it's much more hassle than at some of its competitors. Unfortunately, Herff Jones also lacks detailed product information on class rings, such as shipping costs and estimated delivery dates, without providing billing information, and clear timelines for manufacturing are also missing.
Between 10-41 ring styles
Since we couldn't look at any rings unless a school was inputted, we used one of the largest schools in the Midwest to see how many rings were available at Herff Jones. The rings available for the University of Michigan included traditional styles, men's and women's styles, and some unique fashion rings too. There were a total of 41 rings at Herff Jones with 25 of those being for women and 16 of them for men. We also checked out rings for the University of Florida and found only 10 ring styles available, so the number of rings can vary greatly depending on your school. There are a lot more rings if you check the high-school section with 74 different rings in that section.
All designs require more money
Customization options include selecting the metal and finish, stone color, cut, personalizations, and engraving font. One of the most frustrating parts of Herff Jones is that the prices feel a little like false advertising. When you go into the designer, the base price basically goes out the window as every metal choice requires an upcharge. You can get aurista and silver for the lowest cost (but not included in the price), while the rest of the metals are white gold, yellow gold, and crimson gold.
Prices starting from $549 to $2,570
At each retailer, we looked at men's and women's college rings. This way you can see the starting prices for rings that fit your finger or style (although the prices will go up if you add customizations). We also searched for the most and least expensive rings to give you a ballpark for your price expectations. Here's what we found at Herff Jones:
This was one of the only stores that didn't include the metal cost in the base price (reflected in the men's and women's price ranges), so the least expensive ring was more than the listed base price once silver was selected during design.
No estimated delivery
During our research, we couldn't find a single mention of shipping times. We even completed the entire checkout sequence to see if a shipping estimate would be provided there, and we found nothing. Once a class ring is received from Herff Jones, returns are not accepted for changes of mind. However, the company does offer you a lifetime warranty. This means you can get repairs for workmanship issues, typically getting your ring back within a 2-3 week period.
Disappointing one-stop shop
Despite holding an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, customer reviews show a different story for Herff Jones. On third-party review sites like Sitejabber, the site has an average rating of 1 star out of 5. Yikes! Complaints include slow delivery, lack of communication regarding order arrival, challenging customer service experiences, and orders with mix-ups or manufacturing errors. The complaints cover every aspect of Herff Jones, not just class rings, so this one-stop shop might be a place to put near the bottom of your list.
Low customer ratings raise too many red flags
While the selection of high-school rings at Herff Jones is impressive, the online ratings are consistently low. This concerning detail leaves us with a lot of questions about whether or not you want to trust a timeless keepsake like your class ring to a company that may or may not deliver on time. At the end of the day, timing and trustworthiness are a big deal, and that along with the limited options for college rings puts Herff Jones significantly behind the competition.
Balfour stands out as one of the largest companies in the commencement services realm, offering a variety of personalized products that include apparel, jewelry, yearbooks, graduation caps and gowns, announcement products, and photography. Balfour has gained recognition throughout North America. The company's portfolio includes GradImages, University Photo, Gaspard, ArtCarved (another service in our review), KeepSake, and Taylor Publishing Company. Balfour is known for graduation-related rings, so you'll have no trouble finding them here.
Choose your school to get started
There are two ways to get started at Balfour. You can either jump right into items sold by your school or university with the "Shop My School” tab or you can head directly to the "Class Jewelry” page. However, no matter where you want to start, you'll have to put in your school name to move forward. There are some other difficulties, such as even if you've put in your school name, you may be asked to do so again if you go back to the home page, which can add an extra frustrating step to browsing. Further, if you have multiple students (and they're at different schools), moving between schools on Balfour is a hassle and makes the process very lengthy.
Around 47 to 66 rings depending on school
Since you can't see how many rings are available from Balfour without putting in your school first, we searched for two universities to compare the selections (one private university, Rollins College in Florida, and a public university, the University of Michigan). For both universities, we found "traditional” class rings and separate styles under the "university collection.” For Rollins (the private school) there were 66 styles. For Michigan (the public school) there were 42 total options, showing that the size and popularity of the school doesn't have much bearing on the number of ring styles. However, being able to buy officially licensed rings from both universities was a huge plus. Only the traditional style rings could be limited by gender, with Rollins offering 25 men's rings and 28 women's rings while Michigan had 10 men's and 23 women's.
Slightly different metals depending on ring style
Balfour offers upgrade options, allowing you to customize your rings. We checked out how customizable both the traditional rings and the "university collection” rings are. There were plenty of metals for both styles including sterling silver (university collection only), argentium, 10K-18K white gold, 10K-18K yellow gold, 10K-18K rose gold, and celestrium, and a black material called "Balfour fusion” available on the traditional rings. You can also get raw, natural, or antique finishes (with raw and natural incurring an upcharge). The side designs include your year of graduation if you want to add it. Finally, you can add an interior engraving, a ring-loss protection plan, and whether you're a current student or an alumnus (which will be added to your design).
Prices from $429.99 to $2,533.95
To compare the price at Balfour to other retailers in our review, we looked at men's and women's rings across the site (at their starting prices). Since Balfour doesn't like you to shop without adding your school first, our prices are based on the two universities we added to try out the design tool. On top of men's and women's styles, we also looked at the most expensive ring with all the add-ons, and the least expensive ring with only the basic design elements. Here's how it shook out on Balfour:
At Balfour, every metal increases the total cost, so the baseline prices will always go up when you add modifications.
Get your ring in under 8 weeks
The estimated delivery time for most rings is 4-8 weeks, though some rings have a shipping time of 6-8 weeks depending on the customizations you choose. You can find specific shipping times on each product page. High school rings are shipped to the local school representative, so you may get a different shipping time from your school. College rings are shipped directly to the customer's home, requiring a signature upon delivery. Shipping costs depend on those same delivery options (to the school or to your home) with an average cost of around $20.
No refund policy
If your Balfour ring doesn't meet your expectations, you have the option to reach out to the local Balfour representative. However, Balfour doesn't offer any kind of refund policy due to the rings being personalized, though Balfour does promise to collaborate with you to fix a custom piece if you don't like it when it arrives. For lost or replacement rings, you'll need to purchase the extra protection plan during checkout to be eligible for a new ring.
Discrepancies in delivery are a problem
Despite an "A+" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, customers have reported issues ranging from rude customer service to poor ring quality, including engraving errors, incorrect stone colors, and sizing discrepancies. Plus, compared to some of the more popular ring sites, Balfour only has a handful of customer reviews. The complaints on the BBB site show that many customers are frustrated that the ring on the site looks nothing like the real thing when it arrives. Others left complaints about the customer service and warranties that weren't honored.
Too many problems to rank higher
When you see the concerning reviews alongside the frustrations of using the Balfour website, it becomes clear that this may not be one of your top options for class rings. Overall, there seems to be a need to improve customer service and quality control, as well as more customer-focused policies regarding warranties. For these reasons, it gets a lower rating in our review.
Limoges Jewelry is a one-stop shop for jewelry. From bracelets and anklets to earrings and engagement rings, Limoges offers pretty much everything, including class rings. Established in 1895, the company has offered online shopping for the past two decades. With one of the largest selections of class rings in our review, Limoges (in theory) stands out from the pack as a full one-stop ring shop where you can find that unique grad ring that will fit your finger and create memories forever.
Find class rings with one click
While there's plenty of jewelry on Limoges, you can easily find the class ring section of the site. Class rings are highlighted on the top navigation bar, so with just one click you can browse Limoges' extensive selection. Once you're on the class ring page, you can pick out your favorites using filters like price, gender, metal, type of personalization, color, birthstone, and age.
Largest collection of rings
The inventory of class ring designs at Limoges is massive. There are a total of 910 different styles at Limoges. If you filter by gender, you'll find 541 rings for women and 369 different styles for men. If you're looking for one of the largest selections to browse, Limoges has it.
Some elements aren't personalizable
The first downside to Limoges is that the design process is more limited here than at Limoges competitors. Rings come somewhat "as is” where things like the number of engravings or the metal used in the rings aren't changeable. You can fill out the details for engravings or change the color of the stone (among 12 options). However, the metal won't change. You'll notice that many of the listings show the type of metal and the quality in the name; that's because the listed metal will be the only color for that particular ring. If you want white gold or a specific quality of metal, you'll want to use filters to find it before you move on to design.
Prices from $99.99 to $2,199.99
At each retailer in our review, we looked at the price ranges for men's and women's rings as well as the least expensive ring (with no add-ons) and the most expensive ring (with all the bonuses). Usually, this shows us a wide difference in the listed price compared to what you might expect to pay at checkout. However, Limoges' limitations on changing your metal type mean that the price that you see on the listing is pretty much what you get when you check out. Take a look:
Some rings have quick delivery
Most rings from Limoges ship within 5-7 business days, though some of the rings with more elements (extra engravings or stone options) may take between 4-6 weeks to ship. Discount codes play a significant role in enhancing the value of purchases from Limoges. At the time of this review, a 40% discount plus free shipping was available. Shipping costs are reasonable, with fees ranging from $4.99 for orders less than $50 to $7.99 for orders of $75 or more.
30-day refunds and price match guarantee
Limoges offers a 30-day return policy. If your purchase doesn't meet your expectations, you can either exchange the item or receive a full refund, excluding shipping charges. Limoges also offers a price-match guarantee. If you happen to find the same item at a lower price elsewhere, they will match that price or provide a full refund. Each order includes a Customer Satisfaction Card, making the return process easy and user-friendly.
Lowest rating in our review.
Sadly, Limoges' reputation doesn't stand up to scrutiny. It currently holds an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau. Limited customer reviews create uncertainty surrounding the company's reliability. The few reviews we did find during our research show a 1.2-star average out of 5. Customers on Trustpilot claimed the quality of the rings was poor and that the customer service was extremely difficult to deal with. Multiple reviews say that potential customers should "beware” of shopping at Limoges.
Too many concerns to be competitive
While Limoges impresses with its huge selection of class ring designs, the limited customization options and potential quality issues raise some red flags. Considering the "F” score from the BBB along with everything else, Limoges falls to the bottom of our ratings.
There are many reasons why buying class rings online has become so trendy. One of the primary reasons behind the popularity of online class ring stores is the convenience they offer. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar jewelers, these online stores provide a shopping experience that is accessible 24/7 from the comfort of your home. This convenience is particularly appealing to busy students or parents who may not have the time to visit physical stores during regular business hours.
Online class ring stores also boast a wide array of customization options, letting you design a ring that perfectly captures your personal style and academic achievements. From selecting the metal and stone, to adding engravings and choosing the design elements, these online stores let you create a custom piece that holds sentimental value and serves as a tangible reminder of your educational journey.
Class rings used to be a fairly limited commodity. You would pick a ring from a booklet (or website) offered by your school, and you might find a handful of designs for your school or major field. Now, online shopping provides a platform for you to compare prices, and explore various band colors, stones, engraving options, and sizes from jewelry specialists around the world. You can create an individualized class ring that fits with your educational accomplishments and also with your personal style.
Whether you're treating yourself to this timeless memento or gifting it to a cherished member of your family, a class ring is a treasure that captures the memories of college or high school. Picking out the right one will make sure that those memories ring (pun intended) true to your or your loved one's school experience.
You may want a ring that offers your school's crest to memorialize your experience there. Or maybe you'd prefer something more minimal with just your school's color scheme? Maybe you (or your loved one) are a sports player and need a ring that matches the ones of your teammates. Or maybe you want to go off-book entirely and design a class ring from scratch. There are tons of options on the market these days. If you can imagine a class ring, someone can make it for you.
But if you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of choices, we've put together some key points that might help you narrow your options when selecting a class ring provider:
With these factors in mind, we hope you feel confident to begin selecting that commemorative ring for you or your top-notch student. To make the process as easy as possible, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best class ring stores available today. Now, break out your creative design hat and enjoy crafting a custom class ring that will become a lifelong symbol of your (or your student's) academic journey for years to come. Congrats, Grad!
Select any 2 Class Ring Companies to compare them head to head