So you’re newly divorced. It’s over. Finished. Done. And while you may have thrown out everything possible that reminds you of him (including that heinous portrait of the pair of you drawn by Aunt Mildred), you’re still stuck with the engagement and wedding rings. Every time you glance at them, an innumerable amount of vomit feels as though it’s creeping its way up your throat. Or on the contrary, maybe they’re a sweet reminder of the good times the two of you had, which could be considered cute but also kind of makes you look like a colossal sap. Bonus points for trying to look at the bright side of things though. Either way, you’re stuck deciding what to do. Don’t lose your head just yet; there are a number of options for dealing with your retired rings.
While you may want to cling to your rings for dear life after your marriage has evaporated into thin air, you may change your mind in time, which is completely fine. Consider Charlotte York’s character from Sex and the City. She absolutely adored her 2.1 carat Tiffany & Co. diamond, but when Carrie was faced with an ultimatum- purchase her fabulous apartment or become a bag lady (a Prada bag lady, but a bag lady nonetheless)- Charlotte reconsidered what her wedding ring meant to her. She realized that she loved what the diamond represented but that its only purpose now was to help her best friend. She gave Carrie the ring, told her to sell it, and to use the money to purchase her apartment. The diamond value was useless to Charlotte personally, but it was priceless for Carrie. This brings us to your first option.
1. Sell them. You won’t get back exactly what was paid for it, but it’s better than nothing. Search around for the best price; don’t just settle for what the first place offers you. Once you’ve received the cashola, there’s an endless amount of ways you could spread it around. Down payment on that sports car you’ve been eyeing up? How about investing it? If you have kids, saving it for college is always a smart and generous (more bonus points) option. Plus, whenever they give you any lip you can always give them the good old guilt trip by reminding them of your selfless act.
2. Keep them. If you’re not the superstitious type, you may want to consider giving one or both of the rings to your daughter or son. Of course, you’ll also need to think about how you’ll feel every time you see the rings on your spawn’s or spawn’s wife’s fingers. Instant nausea? If this option isn’t for you so move right along to the next sister. If you keep the rings, another alternative would be to repurpose the stones into something else, like a necklace, bracelet, or cocktail ring. If you’re not ready to sell them just yet but think you may want to in the future, keep them hidden at the back of your closet. That way, they won’t be out in the open mocking you, and in time, the diamond worth may appreciate.
3. Give them back. If all else fails, you could always mull over giving the rings back, which would basically make you look like Superwoman. Another Sex and the City reference: Carrie gives her engagement ring back to Aidan because she felt it was “the right thing to do.” Sound like you? Then send those honeys right back to your ex. If you’d rather choke on a chicken bone than give that (insert vulgar noun or adjective here) the rings back, then maybe throwing them off a bridge somewhere would float your fancy, although it’s not recommended. You may regret it later and if you’re going to feed it to the fishes, you may as well get some money out of it, right? Weigh your options. Make a list of pros and cons. Eventually, and it may take quite some time to decide, you’ll reach a resolution best tailored to your needs.
Kristy Kravitsky recently graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in English and is now entertaining readers on many different topics.
