Herff Jones Review for September 2022 | Best Class Ring Companies

Item: Herff Jones Review
Rating: 3
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Wednesday, September 28th

2022 Class Ring Company Reviews

Herff Jones

"A+" Better Business Bureau rating
Lifetime warranty
Full customization options
Find your style quiz

Herff Jones' goal is to help build stronger communities and celebrate the achievements in schools. The company was created in 1920 out of an old firehouse in Indianapolis when they began manufacturing class rings, medals, pins, and other emblematic jewelry. Herff Jones now also sells graduation announcements, yearbooks, caps and gowns, diplomas, and more. They operate in both the United States and Canada and offer products for grade schools, middle schools, sports teams, churches, movie studios, and courtrooms.

Find your style

Whether you know what your style is or not, Herff Jones can point you in the right direction for picking out your class ring. You can browse through all the designs or take their "What's Your Style?" quiz. You'll be asked questions about your dream career path, what you love about school, your dream vacation, what influences your decision making, your wardrobe preferences, and more. Then you'll be matched with a ring category that might best suit you.

Step-by-step personalization

To get an accurate selection of what's available to you, Herff Jones asks that you provide the name of your school and grad year. Between high school and college rings, there are well over 100 ring styles to choose from. To customize your ring, you'll select the metal and finish you want, your stone color, the cut, personalizations if you want them, and the font for engravings.

Minimum deposits required

All class rings at Herff Jones have a base price, but end up being hundreds more dollars if you select higher-quality materials during the customization process. Most rings have a minimum deposit of $100 or so in order to complete your purchase (details about payment plans are unclear on Herff Jones' website). You should expect most rings to come out to at least $200, but you could spend a couple thousand if you want all the fanciest details.

Unclear delivery timelines

Herff Jones doesn't give as detailed of product information on their class rings as some other companies do. For example, to find out the cost of shipping or an estimated delivery date, you have to provide all your billing information. We wish that individual rings gave estimated manufacturing times so you knew how far in advance you need to have your customizations completed.

Lifetime warranty

Once you've received your class ring from Herff Jones, you can't return it if you change your mind about it. However, if there is a workmanship issue with the ring, Herff Jones will repair it (usually a 2-3 week process). If it cannot be repaired or replaced under their lifetime warranty policy, Herff Jones will provide a refund for the ring.

Poor customer satisfaction

Herff Jones holds an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, but customer reviews don't speak highly of the company. People say delivery is extremely slow and you often are left in the dark about when to expect the arrival of your graduation purchases, customer service is difficult to work with, and orders are often mixed up or include manufacturing errors. Not one person on the BBB's website gave Herff Jones anything higher than a 1 out of 5 star rating. This is the case in other places online too, which leads us to believe this isn't the best option for class rings. We don't love Herff Jones' website and we wish their policies and product details were clearer, so we've given Herff Jones an average rating.

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Class Ring Company FAQ

What is a class ring?

A class ring is also sometimes referred to as a graduation, senior, or grad ring, and is worn by students and alumni to commemorate their graduation. They are usually large and carry the inscription of the school you're graduating from along with a central gemstone. The tradition of class rings originated in 1835 at West Point, the United States Military Academy.

What is the purpose of a Class Ring?

A Class Ring has many purposes, but is mainly used as a symbol of your time in school. You can have the ring as a memento of your time when you are older. They are also fun to have during your time in school as a symbol of school pride. They are most often used for high school, but you can get yours for college or university as well!

Do Class Rings make good gifts?

Class Rings make great gifts! Since this is a personal gift, it might be best to work with the gift recipient to choose and design their ring. This is a really nice gift - you want to make sure they'll enjoy it!

Is a Class Ring important?

A Class Ring is not necessary, but can be a very nice keepsake to have. Different schools have varying levels of importance over the accessory, but they are always a great addition to the school experience. A Class Ring can be a lifelong piece of memorabilia for people, and therefore be important to them.

Do I have to spend a lot of money to buy a class ring?

This depends on you. Different stores will offer their own prices - some cater to the budget-minded, while others encourage more custom designed rings. The rings themselves can be less than $100, or get as high as in the thousands of dollars. The price will ultimately depend on what you select.

Can I design the ring?

This depends on where you get the ring from. Many stores will let you design your own custom ring, ensuring you get exactly what you want - but this can cost much more. Other stores might offer less customization, but have plenty of inventory of stock class rings - and therefore cost less.

What if I lose the ring?

Most of these rings will come with a warranty from the provider. Each store will have their own policies, but generally if something happens to your ring within a certain timeframe, they will replace it for a fraction of the cost. A warranty might be something to look at when choosing your ring if this is a big concern.

How fast will I receive my ring?

This will depend on your ring and the store. The process to get your ring involves two steps, making the ring and shipping it. Making the ring will take longer with the more personalization you have, while a ring that is not customized will be ready to ship almost immediately. Shipping times and costs will depend on the store, but generally the longest it will take to arrive once sent out is two weeks.

What if I don't like the ring once I receive it?

Each store has their own return policies. Some stores will let you return a ring after 10 days, while some others allow up to 30 days. Some sellers won't let you return your ring, but they will work with you to make alterations until you're satisfied. Make sure to look at the policy of the store you end up choosing if you are concerned about this.

Why should I get a class ring?

Having a class ring is a tradition that has passed down through the generations. It's a symbol of your educational achievements and accomplishments that you worked so hard for. They represent resilience, dedication, and engagement. Class rings also show school spirit and often highlight the interests you had while in school.

How often do you buy a class ring?

Most people purchase a class ring after a major graduation event. This includes high school graduation, college graduation, or the completion of grad school. It's not entirely necessary to buy a class ring for all of these occasions, but it is a symbol of honor and a good way to celebrate your big occasion.

What are the different styles of class rings?

Class rings have evolved for the better over time. There used to be only two options: a male and female class ring. Now they have choices for thin or thick bands, different types of metals, different gemstone colors, and ring shapes. There are designs to fit everyone's style, so you don't have to get a big, flashy ring like you've seen in the past (unless you want to!).

How much can I customize a class ring?

Besides choosing the style of ring you want, you will have the option of selecting the inscription of the ring on the inside and outside, the gemstone color, the graduation year, whether or not you want diamonds around the band, and more. You can make your class ring completely your own and dream up just about any design you want! You want to love your class ring, so put plenty of time and effort into customizing it to perfection!

Are class rings expensive?

It's hard to say exactly how much a class ring will cost since there are so many design options. If you get a simple metal ring with an inscription and small gemstone, you can spend under $150. However, if you want to bling it out with diamonds, higher grade metal, and lots of color, you can spend as much as $1,000. The cost of your class ring will vary based on your taste and budget.

Can I return a class ring if I change my mind about it?

Some highly-ranked class ring retailers offer refunds on their products (custom or not) if you change your mind about it within a certain amount of time. Others will offer repairs and alterations at no charge if the ring comes damaged or it appears differently than what was agreed upon at the time of purchase. However, since class rings are custom, you should make sure you like what you see before buying and don't plan on trying to send it back unless it is defective.

Is a class ring a good gift?

Absolutely! Class rings are a great gift from siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or friends. Giving someone a class ring will not only be deeply meaningful, but they'll never forget your support. Since you can do so many customizations or personal inscriptions on a class ring, it makes it extra special when given as a gift.

Continued from above...

Once you see how many appealing class ring choices there are online, you'll want to start designing your own right away. Whether you're rewarding yourself with a class ring or giving it as a gift to a loved one, it will be a cherished possession for years to come.

There are quite a few companies that offer class rings, so we have provided important information for you to consider when deciding who to buy from:

Selection: Are there a lot of stone options to choose from? Do they have a big selection of band widths that would feel comfortable on your finger? Make sure you find a retailer with a lot of unique styles so you have a one-of-a-kind ring.
Cost: How does the cost of one class ring store compare to another? Do they charge a reasonable price for shipping?
Production time: Once you've designed your class ring online, how long does it take for the company to make it? How long does shipping take? You want to make sure you design it with plenty of time before graduation if you're giving it as a gift.
Reputation: What do shoppers have to say about the class ring store you're considering? Do they provide high-quality products that will last the rest of your life?

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best class ring stores available today. We hope this information helps you find a company that provides a seamless and enjoyable experience - letting you design a ring you're excited about that will forever represent your years in school!