The Aggie Ring is beloved for its rich history, symbolism and the educational accomplishment it communicates. But one student took her ring a step beyond the traditional, adding a distinctive flare.
After receiving her ring in April 2011, Emily Huskinson, senior agricultural leadership and development major, chose to bling her ring.
I envisioned diamonds wrapped perfectly around the curvature of my Aggie Ring, Huskinson said.
Huskinson wanted to add something extra to her ring and approached Lyles-DeGrazier, a diamond supplier in Dallas, to make a set of diamond bands to fit around her Aggie Ring.
While requesting the bands, Huskinson attempted to hide her idea from the president of Lyles-DeGrazier, Scott Polk. Polk is an Aggie, Class of 1984, and Huskinson thought if he found out what she was doing, she wouldnt be the only one to have these wraps. In the end, Polk caught on to Huskinsons designs, and convinced her of its potential for Aggieland. Ring Wraps soon became Huskinsons company name.
Ring wraps are an identical pair of custom-made, 10-Karat gold diamond rings designed to encase the womens natural gold Aggie Ring.
The wraps retail for $1,950 per set. Huskinson projects sales of 500 ring wraps mostly sold to students by the end of 2012, and hopes to see an increase in business as the ring wraps are circulated.
After graduating this December, Huskinson plans to expand the company to other schools and to launch a wedding band collection later this year. Huskinsons said Ring Wraps will soon be designed to fit around any desired ring, in addition to the Aggie tradition.
Huskinson said students and women are excited when they try on the wraps.
Their faces always light up and a typical reaction is, I have to have this now, Huskinson said.
Becca Green, sophomore telecommunications major, said the wraps enhance the Aggie Ring in a tasteful way.
I think the womens Aggie Ring is very pretty and delicate, but Ring Wraps make it so classy and matchless, Green said. You would definitely stand out in a crowd.
Other students felt that the Aggie Ring should not be altered because of its tradition.
I like that the mens and womens rings look the same since it is a symbol of the Aggie Network, said Ashton Pope, senior business major.
Ring Wraps will have a trunk show on Saturday at Southern Jewlz on Harvey Road and will continue on Saturdays in April.