What did your first set of letters look like?

[bejazd]

I never had a set of letters while I was in college. My parents had two kids in college and one in high school at the time, so I worked to pay all of my own dues and social expenses. I never wanted to ask for money to buy things because I knew how hard they were working to keep us all in school and activities. A pledge sister wisely urged me to buy the best Gamma Phi badge and chapter guard I could...knowing I'd never buy another one. I'm so glad I did! The pearl and sapphire badge is no longer available! I wore it all the time because I went to school in the morning dressed for my afternoon office job every day.

Sometime after I graduated, my mom bought me a pink sweatshirt with double white letters and she hand sewed rhinestone hearts over the letters. So pink and blingy. Love it!! I still have it!

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by bejazd

I never had a set of letters while I was in college. My parents had two kids in college and one in high school at the time, so I worked to pay all of my own dues and social expenses. I never wanted to ask for money to buy things because I knew how hard they were working to keep us all in school and activities. A pledge sister wisely urged me to buy the best Gamma Phi badge and chapter guard I could...knowing I'd never buy another one. I'm so glad I did! The pearl and sapphire badge is no longer available! I wore it all the time because I went to school in the morning dressed for my afternoon office job every day.

Sometime after I graduated, my mom bought me a pink sweatshirt with double white letters and she hand sewed rhinestone hearts over the letters. So pink and blingy. Love it!! I still have it!

Was your badge the one with a pearl phi and jeweled gamma and beta?

[bejazd]

It has a pearl Phi with four sapphires...no jewels on the Gamma and Beta but that would be spectacular! Last time I checked Herff Jones only had the rubies and emeralds...no sapphires. Mine was made by Pollack. I have a jeweler who has made several pieces for me...I showed him my badge once and he was salivating.

I love the all diamond badge too. one of these days...it's mine!

If you've ever seen an International Council badge...they are stunning!

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by bejazd

It has a pearl Phi with four sapphires...no jewels on the Gamma and Beta but that would be spectacular! Last time I checked Herff Jones only had the rubies and emeralds...no sapphires. Mine was made by Pollack. I have a jeweler who has made several pieces for me...I showed him my badge once and he was salivating.

I love the all diamond badge too. one of these days...it's mine!

If you've ever seen an International Council badge...they are stunning!

Yes, I've seen a few of them. And no offense to them but I've seen much nicer ones. Nothing beats the badges from the late 1800's/early 1900's. The museum has a very nice collection thanks to our Crescent Catchers.

I only asked about your badge because mine has the jewels on the Gamma and Beta and pearls on the Phi and it's also no longer made. The only ones I've ever seen of it were mine and two of my pledge sisters.

[bejazd]

No offense taken! Agreed...the historic badges top all. I have been to HQ once, but do not remember seeing one of the historic badges that has a white or other color crescent that is not a Grand Council badge. Do we have any in the museum in Denver? Maybe...if I should be lucky to live so long...for our 150th anniversary members will have the opportunity to buy replica versions of the historic badges. Wouldn't that be a cool fundraiser for the Foundation?

I would love to see the Crescent do a big pictoral article on HQ and all the artifacts there. So many of our members will never get a chance to visit there...and it really blows you away. I can't even really describe it.