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Like the seal
and Alma Mater, the distinctive
Duquesne ring was born during the early 1920s, as Duquesne
adopted the traditions common to institutions of higher
learning.
The class of 1925 formed a committee
that standardized the ring as an octagonal deep blue
stone held in place by four corner prongs. The class
of 1927 ended two years of debate among students by
replacing the blue stone with the now-familiar synthetic
ruby. (A real ruby of similar size would now cost more
than $500,000.)
The size of the stone increased in
succeeding years, until in 1936, the corner prongs were
replaced with a continuous metal bezel sealing it in
place. The words “Duquesne,” “University,”
and “Pittsburgh,” along with the graduation
year, were engraved on the four sides.
Carved into the shank on both sides
are the heraldic lion, book and dove from the University’s
coat of arms.
The embossed gold Old-English “D”
was originally an option, becoming a standard feature
of all Duquesne rings in 1938. The golden initial, oversized
stone and octagonal shape make the Duquesne ring stand
out from those of other colleges and universities.
For more on the history and tradition
associated with the Duquesne ring, visit MyDuquesne or see the Winter 2005
edition of Duquesne
University Magazine. To order your own ring, click
here. |
