How Has Your Badge Changed?

[Jen]

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[sherbertlemons]

Ours has gotten pretty substantially smaller. And our stone options have changed- there's much less variation now.

[AlphaPhiBubbles]

Alpha Phi's haven't changed in a long long time. We adopted the basic style that we have now like back in the 1900's I think. Of course before then, each member chose her own individual style for her badge. Of course, I guess you can customize contemporary badges as well, with adding pearls or diamonds or getting a badge made out of white gold (instead of 14k yellow gold)

[chideltjen]

ours did when we went from chi delphia to chi delta... circa 1990.

[aephi alum]

As far as I am aware, our badge has never changed, except possibly for a slight change in size.

[ISUKappa]

Originally posted by sherbertlemons
Ours has gotten pretty substantially smaller. And our stone options have changed- there's much less variation now.

True. There were no badge regulations until the 1940s (I think) so while the basic design (key shape, KKG on stem, AWO on the ward) was essentially the same, girls could have them customized any way they wanted. Our History 2000 book has some pictures of really gorgeous older badges with filigree and various gemstones. Now they are a standard length and there are only 3 stone options.

[AOIIsilver]

The AOII badge has remained the same since its inception. The "closed" versus "crown-set" pearls were actually just an option. Prior to 1965, badges were individually made, and a wide range of options was available. At that time, it was decided to limit the number of options to the most popular. Closed-set pearls were not in this group. As far as I know, adding goldclad (plated versus 10K) badges was the last major change.
There is an excellent article in our magazine, To Dragma , that speaks to these very issues and it is available free on-line on our International HQ web page.

PS-ariesrising, your Greek pages rock!
Silver

[nyrdrms]

I noticed at our recent initiation that alumnae sisters who had been initiated in the early-mid 90s had badges that were flat. I was initiated in 1999 and since then, all the badges have been rounded. I also know that we switched jewelry companies a few years back and that might have had an effect.

[KillarneyRose]

From "Delta Zeta and You":

From our founding to the present, the Badge has changed very little from the original one designed by the Founders. The original Badge (found in the sorority archives) has no pearls, and the Badge of a Beta Chapter charter member (circa 1908) shows a variation in the design of the column and the size and location of the pearls.

The general ideas to be incorporated in the Badge were suggestions of our Founders, but the practical assembling of their ideas into a suitable design was the work of a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity associated with the Newman Jewelry Company.

Aside from the early addition of the pearls as jeweling, the only other changes in the present Badge are small refinements that would take place when jewelers are changed. One official jeweler suggested moving the pearls to the top of the column and this change was approved.

Our Badge remains as selected by our Founders. The official jeweling is a diamond in the flame and four pearls at the base of the lamp. The lamp bears the Greek letters DZ in black enamel. You may choose to have the diamond either in a Tiffany or flush setting.

[Lil' Hannah]

Ours used to be an H.

[greeklawgirl]

Alpha Gamma Delta has actually had two badges. Our first badge--as it was worn on the day of our Founding (May 30th 1904)--was a monogram with the Alpha chased on the bottom, the Gamma plain in the middle, and the Delta on top set in pearls. If you can envision it, it was basically backwards from what our badge is today.

Our Founders disliked it, so they commissioned jeweler J.F. Newman to come up with several new designs. The new badge was selected by Alpha on November 19, 1904. That badge was the one Alpha Gams all know and love.

The Badge also used to be somewhat larger than what it is today, and members could choose what types of jewels could be placed on the Alpha. However, within the first 4 or 5 years, the Badge size was standardized and the only jewels permitted on it were pearls and/or diamonds.

[AlphaSigOU]

The Badge of Alpha Sigma Phi is almost exactly the same design as that created by Louis Manigault in 1845. (The original Badge was, however, flat and non-dimensional.) It is the only fraternity badge that is rectangular with right-angle corners. The Badge of Alpha Sigma Phi may never be modified in size or jeweled in any way. Every member of Alpha Sigma Phi wears exactly the same badge. Inscribed on the back of each member's Badge is inscribed the Brother's name, initiation date, chapter name (in Greek letters) and chapter founding date.

The Badge is worn over the heart on shirt, sweater or vest; never on lapel or jacket. A chapter guard pin (shown attached to the Badge) may be added as well as officer insignia on the chain of the guard. No Brother ever allows any person not a member of the Fraternity to wear his Badge, except for the wife or fiancee of a brother. It is a tradition that the Badge of the Fraternity is willed at death to the Fraternity and returned to its archives.

Each chapter has a special President's pin that is a replica of the original badge and resembles the Delta Beta Xi key. A few chapters treasure an actual Badge used during the early days at Yale, gifts of the brothers who wore them as students.The President's badge is passed on within the Chapter from President to President, and remains the property of the chapter.

The current official badge:

The HSP (chapter president) badge (replica of the original Alpha Sigma Phi badge) :

[33girl]

Our early badge (pre-reorganization) was a plain shield w/ a square top & pointed bottom. There was a crown attached to the top and "ASA" in diagonal Greek letters and a star in the top left corner. I'm not sure what metal this was as all I have is a black & white picture.

I've seen badges from the 70's and they are definitely smaller than the ones from the 80's till the present.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Our badges were all over the map. We had different sizes, with jewels, without jewels, and a monogram of F and Y. We finally standardized on a single badge in 1914. It comes one way only. No jewels.

[ASTLuv21]

I noticed that our badges have gotten smaller. A member who left returned her badge to us and I was looking at it and noticed it was bigger than mine.