The tradition of wearing of a class ring was started in 1835 by the West Point cadets to celebrate their graduation. This idea was taken up by many, and the tradition took root and spread to many institutions such as high schools and graduate schools. Now, you can find people wearing class rings, graduation rings, school rings, university rings, military rings, and some even wear champion rings in order to make a personal statement about those eventful days. Each of these rings is a memory of the important events and the things achieved by its owner. What are they? College class rings bear the name, logo, image, or mascot of the institution the student has attended. It also bears the student's name and identifies the bearer as belonging to a particular college or institution. They are also called graduate rings. Traditionally, they used to be made of gold, but the changes in the prices of gold made students to look for cheaper alternatives and this brought a change in the material used. However, the students from a few of the institutions such as West Point, a military school, still make it a point to wear gold graduation rings. Cheap Rings You Can Get Durability of the ring is an important aspect to be considered before buying one. Since you are going to wear this piece of jewelry for the rest of your life, the metal used to make it matters a lot. The rings are available in white gold, yellow gold, silver, and metal alloys. For students who cannot afford the expensive mementos, these cheap graduation rings are a boon. You can visit a jewelry shop or a mall and inspect various designs before selecting the one that suits you. Alternatively, if you are pressed for time, you can browse the Internet and go through the online sellers' catalogs. Customizing the Rings It is essential to supply the ring size, school's name, year, and student's name along with the rest of the information that you want to have on it. The main thing you should keep in mind while buying a ring is the design; it must allow for easy use and cleaning. Even though its a cheap ring, there are a lot of varieties you can choose from. As a graduation ring does not come with a real diamond, you may choose to go for one with an artificial stone, birthstone, or gemstone of your choice to add character and uniqueness that a graduation ring deserves. As you will keep it for the rest of life, it becomes doubly important to take proper care of the ring. Cleaning a graduation ring is a necessity to maintain its condition and appearance; ensure that you clean it from time to time, depending on the use of the ring and on how long you are wearing it outdoors. There is some etiquette that needs to be followed while wearing a college ring, and the owner of the ring must follow it all to honor the ring.