Badge comparisons
 

At initiation the other day, I had a chance to compare my badge to the badges of some of the older alums who were there. My badge is slightly different - instead of a Phi that is noticeably larger than the Alpha and has more of a matte finish, the Phi on my badge is almost the same size, and the entire badge is shiny. Also, on the older badges, the Phi wasn't as chunky (for lack of a better word) as it is on my badge.

Was the standard badge design changed when Masters of Design took over as Alpha Phi's official jeweler?

I don't know about the official design being changed but the shinyness definitely changed. There have always been different levels of shinyness based on the material of the badge (i.e., goldgloss badges are very shiny while 10k are less). Part of the reason that A Phi switched to Masters of Design is that the gold gloss badges from our old jewler were not holding up well. Mine lost its shine and started to peel. I don't have that badge any longer (it was borrrowed and not returned), so I can't compare it to my newer badge that I bought to replace it. Sorry!

LD

Did Alpha Phi used to be with Burr Patterson and Auld for their badges?

LD, you and I were collegiates roughly the same time--my badge is the same way in that the gold gloss on the edges of the Alpha are totally chipped up mostly just from the passing of time. Those alpha's showed scratches so easily too. The other thing to note is that as we changed jewlers over the years, the shape of the Phi changed subtly. You really have to look at them side-by-side to tell. I have a rescued badge from the late 60's and the Phi looks slightly different than my collegiate badge, and same for today's collegiate badge. Plus the older badges have textured gloss on the Phi...isn't the current all flat gloss both alpha and phi???
<<<thinking hard as I can for a Friday afternoon>>>

I thought I smelled smoke! ;)

Yes, the current badges have an all flat gloss on both the Alpha and the Phi.

The gold on my original badge peeled off all over the place. It was really unattractive. I was an advisor when it got really bad so I ordered a pearl badge since I was wearing my badge all the time to panhellenic rush meeings and chapter meetings. About a month after that I was appointed to the regional team and got to order my lazy phi. I was so annoyed because I wound up with two expensive badges in a short period of time. Now I really want to order the white gold lazy phi with pearls (it wasn't an option when I joined the reagional team). I could spend way too much money on badges if I let myself.

Laura,
What does "lazy phi" mean, or what does it look like? I've heard this term used by Alpha Phis, but wasn't sure what it meant. Thanks! :)

"Lazy Phi" is the term we use for Alpha Phi badges whose "Phi" letter is turned on its side -- or laying down -- thus "lazy" Phi.

Examples of the "lazy Phi" badge...

http://techaphi.com/images/lazyphi.gif

http://www.techaphi.com/images/lazyphi2.gif

My pin is older as well but I don't have any problems with it!

(Except that I keep misplacing it on whatever I wore last to Alpha Phi events!)

But really, it looks fine and in comparing it to Sistermadly's, I really prefer my older looking one. (sorry C.)