You can now buy UoM signet rings and I’ve never seen anything more Fallow in my life
Because nothing says Fallowfield like a £750 gold signet ring
Phoebe BurnsThe students of Manchester can be described in a number of ways: edgy, ket-loving and sesh-heads are all terms that spring to mind. However, it is important to remember that before the majority of students currently residing in Fallowfield became the vintage clothing wearing, Warehouse Project loving creatures that they are today, huge swathes of them came from pristine West London homes and Hogwarts-esque boarding schools in the middle of nowhere.
As a result of their not-so-modest roots, which in *almost* every respect they try to hide, a multitude of UoM students would not be caught dead without their signet ring in place.
The problem with signet rings for a great number of people is that they don’t have a family crest to show off, nor are they distantly related by some eighth cousin, five times removed, to The Royal Family. However, luckily for us, An x Manchester have provided us with a different way to show off via the little finger of our left hand. You can literally now purchase solid gold proof of the fact that you made it into one of the best universities in the country.
Arguably, An x Manchester is making Fallow fashion more accessible; we shall not be tormented by our lack of posh family crest any longer.
We hate it too. But then… We also kinda love it… (Image: Annotated Studios)
The signet ring alone is available in over 10 different combinations: there are four different metals to choose from, the option of adding side panels which feature your degree initials and year of graduation, the option to engrave the inside with complementary inside engraving, and also a range of bespoke options including black rhodium plating or having a literal diamond set in your siggy.
The most expensive ring in the collection, the ‘oversized signet in gold‘ (which measures a whopping 18.5mm), is £750, and that’s before you add personalisation. Whilst this may seem like a lot, when one considers that that’s the price of approximately 42 University of Manchester t-shirts from the UoM gift shop, it becomes clear that this ring is worth it. Unlike a t-shirt, it will not shrink or fade, nor will the letters slowly disintegrate the more it’s washed. This ring would be yours, for life.
If signet rings aren’t your thing, you could always get one of these bad boys. (Image: Annotated Studios)
If you don’t feel totally convinced yet, then it’s also worth knowing that due to the fact that UoM actually collaborated with Annotated Studios on this, 10% of every purchase goes towards student scholarships and research at The University of Manchester. So not only do you get to show off and look #Fallow and yet not forget your Sussex middle class roots, but you’re also supporting a good cause if you purchase one of these rings.
Cards on the table, I wouldn’t buy one of these myself, but I do hope to see a few of them cutting about in Fallowfield in the new academic year.
You can view the full collection on Annotated Studios’ website.