General Question

essieness's avatar

What should I do with my old wedding ring?

Asked by essieness (7698points) April 24th, 2009

I got divorced in August of 2008 and I still have my wedding ring. My ex didn’t want it back, and I just don’t know what to do with it. It’s beautiful and I’ve worn the small anniversary bands as rings by themselves without the engagement ring (with the big stone). I don’t know if I should sell it, have it turned into another piece of jewelry, or save it and use the stone in my next ring.

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40 Answers

jbfletcherfan's avatar

Personally, I’d not have it made into another ring. Your next ring should be special all on its own. Have it made into a necklace.

Judi's avatar

any children?

essieness's avatar

@Judi No children. Just married 2 1/2 years.

RedPowerLady's avatar

I agree, have it made into a separate piece of jewelry other than a ring. Your divorced and having it made into a ring might be a bit harmful to your next relationship. Just a thought.

chyna's avatar

I gave my engagement ring back to my ex husband and he gave it to his mother to keep for him. I kept my wedding band for sentimental reasons. I’ve been divorced 10 years and I’m glad I kept it.

_bob's avatar

Send it to me. I’ll dispose of it properly.

ubersiren's avatar

Getcho-self a grille front, ya hurrrd? WHAT!!! Yyyyeayah, byetch!

_bob's avatar

@ubersiren We’d appreciate it if you used proper spelling. It’s “beeyotch”.

SuperMouse's avatar

I pawned mine.

cookieman's avatar

Sell it.

Take the money and buy a bunch of coloring books, stickers, arts and crafts stuff.

Head down to the local childrens hospital and make some kids happy.

Dog's avatar

I kept mine and do not regret it. It is part of my history and while there were bad times there were also good times. I like to remember how wonderful the world was on the first day I wore it.

eponymoushipster's avatar

pawn shop. then buy something for yourself.

Facade's avatar

I’d sell it to the highest bidder..but it sounds like you want to keep it. If you’re one to wear necklaces, then turn it into one of those.

BookReader's avatar

…i would sell it on ebay, and i would split the money with my ex if safety was not an issue…

casheroo's avatar

hmm, I am crazy sentimental..I know selling it would be the best thing, but it sounds like you want to keep it. I’d turn it into a necklace.

ubersiren's avatar

@bob: I wasn’t spelling beeyotch, I was spelling byetch. Think Li’l Jon, or Rick James. Maybe I should’ve spelled it “b’yetch!”

FGS's avatar

I wouldn’t keep it or hand it on to your offspring. A memento from a failed marriage isn’t a good omen. My mom gave my ex her engagement ring that my father had given her (also a failed marriage)...Just superstitious I guess.

jessicar's avatar

I would sell it thats what i did. People told me to make it into another piece of jewelery but I couldnt because everytime I would wear it I would like of him. Plus who cant use a few extra dollars

basp's avatar

sounds as if the divorce is fairly recent. Put it away in a safe place and in years to come, you will know what to do with it. Everyone has offered great suggestions.

Garebo's avatar

From a purely unsentimental view point- if possible. Is there much Au and carats, if money is of significant consideration, then I would try and sell it, melt it, but I would wait until gold gets close to 2K, and by that time diamond should be equally high.
My guess less than 2 years
If, you are still attracted to the good energy of the relationship, than wear it for occasional use and enjoyment as a re-created piece as others have suggested.

hug_of_war's avatar

I also reccomend keeping it locked away until you’re more distanced from the relationship and won’t regret whatever you decide to do

qashqai's avatar

Don’t sell it.

After all he was your husband.

Maybe is just me, but I think every relationship leaves us something good, however bad things may get. Your ring is there to testify it.

(And you could use it as well as a ‘be careful when marry someone’ warning reminder for yourself)

augustlan's avatar

Since I have 3 daughters, I will pass on my wedding/anniversary jewelry to them. If I didn’t have them, I’d sell it all for sure.

Jack79's avatar

It’s weird, because such items have immense value for the people involved when they symbolise love and the bond between them, but absolutely none at all (or even negative value) when things go wrong.

Even if you did give it to your ex husband, what would he do with it? Give it to the next wife? How ridiculous is that?

A friend of mine went to the harbour and threw it to the bottom of the sea. I don’t know what my ex wife has done with hers. I have kept mine though. I have it on me at all times, and even wear it sometimes. For me it is not a symbol of love (since there is none left between us). But it proves that I stayed in the marriage, I tried my best to make things work, and I’m still part of that family that she abandoned. I don’t expect anyone to understand, but it’s something like a trophy I have earned.

I’d say just give it to bob.

sandystrachan's avatar

Make the metal into a BULLET there are websites that do it and its pretty cheap, all they use is your ring no added metals

flameboi's avatar

Keep it, at that moment of your life, you were happy and represented something super important in your life, keep it in a safe place (for further reference)

hungryhungryhortence's avatar

Save the stone for putting into another piece of jewelry, you won’t get much for it if you try to pawn it or sell it on your own. If you want, have it removed from the setting and pawn the metals for cash or something else, the metal prices aren’t to shabby in the pawns right now, they’ll test for karat content and give you price on weight.

RedPowerLady's avatar

@quashquai Maybe is just me, but I think every relationship leaves us something good, however bad things may get. Your ring is there to testify it.

Nice sentiment. But if you think about severely abusive relationships then not always true.

qashqai's avatar

@RedPowerLady
You are right. I have always been very lucky with my girlfriends.

jo_with_no_space's avatar

@RedPowerLady Even an abusive relationship can give us the potential gift of looking back and saying, “I am so much better than that now. I will never settle for that again.”

RedPowerLady's avatar

@jo_with_no_space I can definitely see that potential. For some people though it takes years to get to this and many never will. I would also argue that this little bit of wisdom is not worth the abuse and so you aren’t really being left with anything “good”. You are creating a “good” out of a “nasty”.

jo_with_no_space's avatar

@RedPowerLady Of course, but that’s all you can ever do. This is no “little bit of wisdom”.... it is truly revolutionary if people can come to that conclusion. Point being, if they ever do, then it is wonderful, and that is one good thing that can come out of abusive relationships.

RedPowerLady's avatar

@jo_with_no_space I suppose I would defer that judgment to someone who has been in and gotten out of an abusive relationship.

jo_with_no_space's avatar

@RedPowerLady I am one of those people. Don’t make assumptions about people you don’t know.

filmfann's avatar

It depends on how you feel about your marriage. I have friends who wanted to throw theirs back into the fires of Mount Doom.

RedPowerLady's avatar

@jo_with_no_space I never suggested you weren’t. That is why I simply said I defer judgment to those who have been there. If you are one of them I defer judgment to you. I precisely did not want to make an assumption because it is a sensitive topic.

TheGreenBrideGuide's avatar

Many companies, including Green Karat will buy back gold or use your precious metals to craft a new piece o jewelry. This is also a nice option for couples planning a green wedding – as any old piece can be given new life.

ashler's avatar

If you do not wish to be associated with those memories anymore, you can sell your ring off to any local jewelry retailer. Or else you can reuse the stone in some other jewelry like a pendant or buy a similar diamond and get them made as diamond studs.

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