Onyx Ring

The Meredith College Class Ring serves as a physical reminder of the bond that exists between alumnae. The onyx ring recognizes the accomplishments of Meredith College alumnae and is widely recognizable around the world. The Office of Alumnae Relations facilitates the ring program and sales for the College.

In March 2024, Meredith College began a new partnership with Balfour & Co. in the production of College class rings, graduation products, and regalia. Founded in 1913, Balfour is well known for its long and successful history in delivering exceptional quality products that last a lifetime and capture the special memories of your student experience.

To purchase a Meredith College ring from Balfour & Co., click here.

Rings purchased from Jostens, up until April 2024, will continue to be serviced by Jostens. For Jostens warranty and repairs, click here
To reach the Jostens Customer Care Service Center, call 1-800-854-7464.

Should you have questions about the Meredith College Class Ring Program, contact Hilary Allen, ʼ01, at allenh@meredith.edu or (919) 760-8751.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Meredith College undergraduate onyx ring is typically ordered during the spring semester of your sophomore year, over the summer before your junior year, or at the start of your junior year.  Doing so ensures that the ring is paid in full and delivered prior to the Ring Dinner Ceremony, which is held each October.

However, a current, undergraduate degree-seeking student can order their Meredith College ring at any point during their student experience after accruing 60 credit hours.

If you do not have 60 credit hours and will not before the start of the fall semester during which you plan to participate in the Ring Dinner Ceremony, you have the option to submit an appeal to the Office of Alumnae Relations.  For additional information about this process, please contact Hilary Allen, ʼ01, at allenh@meredith.edu or (919) 760-8751.

Undergraduate alumnae and current undergraduate, degree-seeking students have one ring option.  Created in 1953, Meredith alumnae and students have all worn the same black onyx ring.

Graduate alumni and current students within graduate school programs can choose between four different ring options – oval and signet style.  Each version is modeled after the undergraduate version and features the College seal and oak leaf embedded on each side.

Balfour offers an installment payment plan at no additional cost.  When ordering your ring, select the PayPal Credit option to split the cost of your ring into 3 monthly payments.

Balfour offers several metal options at varying prices.

White or Yellow Gold

Gold is the most favored precious metal for fine jewelry in the world. While 24K is pure and too soft for everyday use, 18K is 75% pure and is the European standard. In the US, 14K (58% pure) is the most popular choice. However, 10K (42% pure) is an affordable and beautiful alternative. 10K gold is the lowest concentration of gold that can be trademarked in the US. White gold is the same quality as 10K, 14K, or 18K yellow gold, however, the material color is white.

Celestrium

Celestrium is comparable to a fine jeweler’s non-precious material. It polishes to a brilliant silver luster and is known for its strength, resistance to chemical reaction and ease of maintenance. The Balfour Celestrium ring option is made with over 95% recycled material. 

Argentium Silver

Argentium Silver is tarnish-resistant, hypoallergenic, and brighter than platinum.  The Balfour Argentium Silver is 96% pure and on a level all its own.

Sterling Silver

The world’s best-selling precious metal is known for its strength, beauty, lightweight, and durability that lasts a lifetime.  The Balfour Sterling Silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal(s).

Ring production takes an estimated 6 – 8 weeks.

If you are a current student and plan to participate in the Fall Ring Dinner Ceremony, your ring will be delivered to campus and available for pick up during Ring Week, the week of Ring Dinner.

Alumnae as well as other orders from current students are shipped directly to your home address.

Ring Week and Ring Dinner are coordinated by student leaders within each junior class.  Those student leaders work with staff members from Student Leadership and Service to coordinate all of the logistics and details associated with Ring Week and Ring Dinner.  Details about Ring Week and RinG Dinner are typically shared via class emails, and it’s important that current students are affiliated with the appropriate class email list.  For additional information about class email lists, Ring Dinner, or Ring Week, contact the Office of Student Leadership and Service at leadershipandservice@meredith.edu or (919) 760-8338.

All warranty and repair claims need to be submitted directly to the vendor.

Jostens – all rings purchased through April 2024

To submit a warranty or repair claim to Jostens, click here.  

To reach the Jostens Customer Care Service Center, call 1-800-854-7464.

Balfour – all rings purchased after April 2024

To submit a warranty or repair claim to Balfour, click here.

Share Your Ring Story

The Meredith College ring is easily recognized by fellow alumnae as well as fellow members of the Meredith community.  Since 1954, alumnae and current juniors and seniors have all worn the same version of the undergraduate ring.  As current students, the seal is worn facing inward.  Along with turning their tassels at Commencement, new alumnae turn their rings so that the seal faces out towards the world before them.  The emphasis is then on the word LUX, Latin for light, within the center of the College seal – new graduates and alumnae are then empowered to turn their light out unto the world before them.

Whether you have lost and found your ring, wear the ring of your mother or grandmother, or have connected with a fellow alumna after seeing the ring on one another’s finger, every alumna has a Ring Story.  

We invite you to Share your Ring Story with us!  Your ring story could be used in future marketing campaigns, including social media, print, and web.