What to Do With the Ring After a Broken Engagement

Once the engagement finally breaks, the logistics that both parties are required to follow are downright maddening. All you want to do is wallow in melancholy and anger, yet the barrage of 'matters that need to be handled' hits you with a relentless force, as if fate is in a particularly sadistic mood. One of such matters is the sensitive issue of ring ownership. If it remains in your possession, you may be asking yourself what to do with the ring after a broken engagement, and there are several ways to go about it.

To whom does it go?

You may just be experiencing engagement anxiety, or it is just your instinct, screaming at you that something is off in the relationship with your companion. Before you know it, the engagement is called off and your life seems to be spinning out of control into the uncharted territories. The last thing you need right now is to divvy up the stuff, but the question of the engagement ring springs up - to whom does it go?

If the ring is a part of your ex-companion's family heirloom, it might be appropriate to return it after the breakup. However, the fact still stands that presents such as these are treated as 'absolute gifts' once they are bestowed upon the loved one. Ethically speaking, the giver relieves any claim of ownership once the gift changes hands, so you have every right to keep it.

Keep your options open

In the case you have definitely decided to sell it, you should do everything but rush if you want to get the best bang for your buck. There is a whole network of jewelry shops out there and different establishments may offer you different prices based on the assessment of separate elements. Therefore, it would be perfect if you had a choice when it comes to selling a diamond or the whole ring simply because of financial convenience. It may appear counterintuitive at first, but looking to sell separate elements can be the best way to 'squeeze' the best price tag out of the ring as a whole.

Things to consider

No matter where you decide to sell the ring, you should steer clear of pawn shops. While this can be the quickest way to get some liquid cash into your pocket, the rash decision will almost certainly leave you short-handed for the money you deserve. It is an absolute guarantee that the ring has an objectively higher value than what you will settle for in the pawn shop, no matter how adept you are at haggling.

A more reasonable and profitable route is to sign your ring up for a sale in the online auction house. Believe it or not, sites like eBay and Craig's List can be opportune venues for a sale, but if you are not pressed for time, reputable jewelry shops that have a credible percentage of fresh reviews is the best option. Once this is done and all the other items you associate with the ex-companion are out of your sight, you can finally commence with the recovery process.

The question of engagement ring's fate depends heavily on what sort of feelings if any, do you connect with the item. Some people ascribe a level of sentimentality to their possessions and it is certainly perfectly reasonable that they do it as well with their engagement ring. This is why most opt to sell it as quickly as possible. Of course, there are some individuals that simply do not find it personally problematic to keep an item which they like for its aesthetic appeal, and that is perfectly legitimate as well.