A thread on the GB got me wondering: How and when did the rumor get started that the Former Students Association pays for half of your Aggie Ring?

I remember hearing it when I was in school in the late '90's early 00's.

Probably because the price of gold keeps going up so when you buy a second ring it seems like the price magically doubled.

I don't really know, just a guess.

The GF mentioned this earlier. Said they paid half of hers?

Your GF is mistakenly repeating a rumor she heard. It has no basis in fact.

Don't shoot the messenger. Something about the receipt showing it? This was '99

I admire that she's sticking to her guns, but she's still wrong.

Don't tell her that, though...for your own benefit.

I thought it wasn't that they paid half, it was that Balfour subsidized half of it because A&M bought so many rings. When I got my ring appraised, it appraised for almost triple of what I actually paid and double the current cost. When I asked the jeweler if it was because of the increase in gold, he said that it was always meant to be worth that much and that Aggie Ring appraisals always came in way more then what students actually paid.

No, it's because Balfour makes so many of the same ring for A&M. All they have to do is change the year. So, they get a good deal.

I read this in the Batallion when it came out. http://www.thebatt.com/2.8482/aggie-ring-misconceptions-clarified-1.1201643 They do an article every few years but no one has ever mentioned where the rumor came from.

Having worked at Cushing and trying to track it down myself, I still came up with nothing.

The AFS has an account and posts on Aggies Only. Per the AFS, they have never paid for and of the ring.

The rumor was around when I was in school and I'm sure many years before then.

It is most likely a rumor that will never die.

Urban legend

I would imagine that since balfour makes so many of them, and the association owns the trademark and has non profit status, there is little markup on them.