Expensive badges - worth it? - Page 3

adpiucf · #1 10-31-2012, 02:10 PM

Keep in mind that even if you purchase a vintage badge, your sorority may require you to purchase a badge from headquarters as part of your one-time new member fees and requirements. My college roommate wore her mother's pin throughout her membership in ADPi, but she was still required to purchase her own.

Agreed on asking family if they can help pay to "upgrade" your badge as an early Christmas present

MysticCat · #2 10-31-2012, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AzTheta

and, with the holidays coming, perhaps there will be a little $ that you can put towards a badge/pin?

Or a jeweled badge might something for the Santa list.

Sciencewoman · #3 10-31-2012, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Or a jeweled badge might something for the Santa list.

It bothers me when I hear sisters say they just want "the cheapest option" - especially when they proceed to drop a few hundred dollars on lettered shirts they probably won't wear after college. Your badge is for life. Try to order what you like while sticking to your budget. My fancy badge/guard was my Christmas gift my freshman year.

KD4Me · #4 10-31-2012, 02:12 PM

If you think that you want a jeweled badge someday, and you can swing the cost now, it makes sense to purchase it while you're in college. You will most likely wear your badge more frequently as a collegiate member than as an alumna. I love my badge, but just don't have that many opportunities to wear it. If I hadn't bought a jeweled badge in college, it would be tough to justify the expense now, not just because I wear it less frequently, but because I have so many more pressing things to spend my money on.

I suggest you buy whatever you can afford and that is beautiful to you.

MaryPoppins · #5 10-31-2012, 02:21 PM

As for blingy badges, my first badge was a blingy one because I have a diamond birthday,l but I went with the small version to be at least a little modest. Since I wasn't bearing the cost, someone else set the budget. Now as an Alumna, I'm wanting a larger but simpler badge and now of course gold has gone through the roof! Take AzTheta's advice and see if a badge rescuer might not be wanting to re-home a beauty she got for a song.

pktcougar · #6 10-31-2012, 02:52 PM

I wish I could have variations on my badge, but my fraternity only has one option, after going into badge collecting I get a little envious. But I know my badge was included in my initiation costs.

etadrisophila · #7 10-31-2012, 04:21 PM

Trident or no trident?
If yes to trident: plain (no pearl), one pearl or three pearls?

thetalady · #8 10-31-2012, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etadrisophila

Trident or no trident?
If yes to trident: plain (no pearl), one pearl or three pearls?

Just my 2 cents worth, but if I had an option for something like a trident, you bet I would get one!! Maybe not terribly pearly, though... just 1 pearl.

thetygerlily · #9 11-01-2012, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AzTheta

Side note: I happened to obtain (for next to nothing) a white gold Theta badge that is 100% white gold, meaning that the black enamel top part is also white gold which is just not done; that part of our badge (the upper kite, as it were) is always black and gold. I think the seller thought it was a sterling silver badge, which would be a total anomaly. And NO I didn't get it on an auction site. Regardless, now I wonder if I should have turquoise set in where the pearls are. That might look fine, or really ugly!

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetalady

I think we need a picture of this!! I can't picture it and it sounds really interesting.

Seriously!!! Where is this picture, AzTheta???

Quote:

Originally Posted by etadrisophila

Trident or no trident?
If yes to trident: plain (no pearl), one pearl or three pearls?

Do they still make the short tridents? I always thought those were cute. Plus I've seen quite a few long tridents that are bent. Of course if you are super careful with it you'll likely be fine- but any long thin piece of metal is susceptible to getting bent. If it were me, I'd go for a short trident with pearls to set off the badge.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tea&krumpets

I would like a little bling, but the thing is the plain ones are under $40, and the next price point is $150. I just wish there was something in between, or silver options.

I lamented for the first few years that we didn't have white gold or silver keys. Not for price, but because I never wear anything gold! However, it's hard now to imagine an iconic golden key as anything but gold. I just suck it up and have a few gold necklaces I can wear with my badge. As for the big price gap- the vermeil badge is actually fairly new. We just started offering that either last fall or the fall before to provide a less expensive way of having your own badge.

And personally, if you can afford it (or prioritize to afford it), I would go for the badge that you would both treasure and wear. That's different for each sister- some love the uber bling, and others love the classic simplicity of our golden key. Many fall somewhere in the middle. For the past 20 years or so, sapphire & pearl has been a very popular choice (that's what my initiation badge was as well). Of course, I'm partial to the blue & blue key now- not only because I requested it

, but because it has our colors within our symbol. That's also been a popular one since it was released in... 2010 I think? Vintage badges are also a great option and have a history all their own. You really can't go wrong... as long as you get one!

DeltaEmi88 · #10 11-02-2012, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetygerlily

Do they still make the short tridents? I always thought those were cute. Plus I've seen quite a few long tridents that are bent. Of course if you are super careful with it you'll likely be fine- but any long thin piece of metal is susceptible to getting bent. If it were me, I'd go for a short trident with pearls to set off the badge.

Unfortunately, the short trident is no longer made, and I believe it's becoming fairly rare to find. Most of them are attached to vintage badges, and we're not really supposed to rescue and wear older badges. In fact, EO has said that our badges are to be returned to them upon our death.

JayhawkAOII · #11 10-31-2012, 04:33 PM

When I was a collegian, the original plan was for me to buy a plain badge, and my sister would give me her jeweled badge to wear. Thankfully, my mom thought that was a stupid idea and insisted that I get the same badge that my sister had. I am very happy that I have the pearl encrusted badge that I really wanted, instead of the plain one because now as an alumna, I would never shell the money out for it.

FSUZeta · #12 10-31-2012, 08:15 PM

Agreed! Those tridents are awesome!

DeltaEmi88 · #13 10-31-2012, 09:50 PM

As an alumna, I'm now wishing I had gotten a trident for my badge around when I was first initiated, but I simply never got around to it. Now, I'm planning on buying the three pearl trident, even though I don't wear my badge nearly as much as I used to. I love the way the pearls on the trident look next to the pearls on our badge!

tea&krumpets · #14 10-31-2012, 10:33 PM

I guess my sorority doesn't have the trident option, because I don't even know what that is haha. Can you lovely ladies enlighten me?

etadrisophila · #15 10-31-2012, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tea&krumpets

I guess my sorority doesn't have the trident option, because I don't even know what that is haha. Can you lovely ladies enlighten me?

The trident is an optional guard pin for Tri Delta members. The trident is to be placed at a 45 degree angle left to right behind the badge, passing between the center and left-hand stars.

It looks sort of like a stick-pin!