When I watched Grey's Anatomy this past Thursday and saw McDreamy's ex toss her rings into the ocean, I gasped, because she was throwing away something of monetary value, even if it was cathartic to do so....I'm not a rich doctor like her character is! This got me to thinking again about how my wedding band, engagement ring, and promise ring (yup, we were together as young'uns) are all still sitting in my jewelry box.

Really, I figure if my ex has remarried, I'm being silly keeping these old rings from him. They have no value any more other than monetary. And, as that one doctor that is/was George's girlfriend said, maybe the rings are bad JooJoo (bad energy) to have around. Maybe they're in part to blame for my never-ending single status.

I had thought about cashing in my rings somehow before, but wasn't sure how to go about it. I DON'T want to go to the creepy part of town and find a pawn shop. I'm sure I'd get ripped off. My brother said something about going from jewelry store to jewelry store and seeing what they'd give me. Part of me wonders if the jewelry store that my ex bought the engagement ring from would buy it back (it's the ring of real value).

Anyone have any experience or advice in this area?
What did you do with your old rings?

What did you do with your old wedding rings? single choice
	I still have them
	I threw them away
	I got money for them
	Other (explain please)
Votes accepted starting: 11/19/06 11:50 PM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I got money for mine - along with most of my other jewellery, my wedding band is in hock.

One day I hope to pay off the loan and get my items back, but I don't know what I'll do with my wedding band then.

It isn't worth very much. Maybe I could have it split up, and made into pendants for my daughters to wear, to remind them that their parents loved each other once!

Alph.

Jen,

My XWH and I were very young when we got engaged, I never had a diamond ring, our first wedding band was very inexpensive but on our 10th Anniversary we bought new wedding bands that did cost a lot. The day I left my XWH I threw my wedding band at him. I figured that he broke our wedding vows and I had no business carrying that wedding band around with me. I have never regret my decision.

I sold mine on EBay and donated all proceeds to my local animal shelter.......

I went by a pawn shop but they would only offer about 1/10 of what the rings cost. I figured I could get that much at a garage sale. Maybe I'll try ebay.

I'm going to take mine to an estate jeweler. I won't get much, but they were bought used. I don't want my girls to have them. Rings that have been through 2 divorces definitely have bad JooJoo.

Lol GG.. I hear ya. I wouldn't my girls to have my ring or wedding dress. My youngest use my wedding dress for playing dress up. I didn't spend that much on it, so I don't feel badly about it.

My diamond is big, but crappy quality....any suggestions?

My exH was gay, so he bought me the most flashy, expensive wedding set anyone could imagine. For him, I think it was a sign of how "straight" he was...anyways...when we divorced, I didn't want to give away my beautiful ring (the estate jeweller wanted to give me LESS than a tenth of what it was worth)....Soooooo....I re-set all the diamonds into a beautiful ring that I wear PURELY for the beauty of it--it represents NOTHING. My Husband has no problem with this, either. He thought that I should wear it and enjoy it!

I wonder if my wife wearing her mothers wedding dress was bad JooJoo....

I think so because her mom and dad divorced, and her and I are on the path to divorce also.....

Spooky huh?

As for rings...get rid of them...too much of a reminder IMO.

I sold my engagement ring.I got some good money for it since it was an expensive,good quality ring but surely a fraction of a what it was when purchased.I believe that is the case for most/all diamonds,estate type maybe a bit more.I didn't want to pass it down to my children since I considered it tainted with A residue.

My wedding band I still have,it's just sitting in my top drawer.I didn't know what to do with it but actually,I just thought that I should have tossed it out in the ocean at the place where we had our honeymoon and where I went back to this past summer.Darn,why didn't I think of that sooner...that would have been very apropos

I also have a stunning diamond eternity band that I still keep.I had it made and I also don't relate it to my marriage at all anymore.It's a beautiful ring that I like to wear from time to time.

I still have, and will have
Probably one day will give it to my son, as 'a souvenir', or 'inheritance'... my son might like it one day very much...


See, I can't think like that. The ring really means nothing to me now. But it's part of my past, and my past is part of my life... why would I want to throw it away...
There are much better ways to forget and forgive and learn from and move on...

PS: I still keep every gift and photos and letters from every boyfriend I dated last century <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I always think, once I'm old, retired and in a senior home with plenty of time, these things will keep my brain/memory/spirit working/lasting longer... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts on what can be done with rings from a marriage that's ended.

Really, I feel as though I was discarded by my ex, so discarding these rings feels like an appropriate thing to do. But, I'm single, and live on a single income, so I could really use a little extra cash. It's funny, one of the few things I miss about my ex now is his additional income. Life was so much easier on two incomes.

OH, but Jen, think of the hassles of two incomes. Right now, you are in complete control of your finances. You can save if you want. You can spend on what you want. There are some really nice benefits ot offset the smaller abode.

Do you have a Foodsaver type thing? I think it's indispensible for those feeding an odd number of mouths. I buy the family packs and feeze stuff in single and triple servings. That way, when I don't have the girls, I can thaw out just what I need.

I had an expensive set for my first marriage. First I took it to a jeweler and got a written appraisal. I think it was worth about 50% of what I paid for it. Then I listed it in the paper for under that appraisal. It sold within a week. I got a lot less than the original cost, but a lot more than a pawn shop or something would have given me.

I forgot to add that I thought the exact same thing when I saw the scene. She could have at least given them to a homeless person or something if she didn't want to go thru the trouble of selling them.

I took my engagement ring and some diamond earrings that my husband gave me the first christmas he was cheating ( first real jewelry I got from him in the 25 years we were married besides my engagement ring) and after we were divorced my youngest son got engaged - couldn't afford a nice diamond so we had an engagment ring made out of those for my daughter in law. It turned out really pretty and it's nice to know someone is enjoying them.