What to Do with Your Rings if You Get Divorced

While we hope that all marriages last, the unfortunate truth is that sometimes, marriages end in divorce. With your engagement ring and wedding band being one of the biggest symbols of your marriage, you might be wondering: What do I do with my rings if I get divorced?

Your decision to keep, sell, or otherwise repurpose your rings is entirely up to you. Here are a few ideas for how to deal with your rings, whether your marriage lasted two days or 20 years.

Repurpose them

Your wedding rings hold a lot of meaning, so it makes sense that after the marriage ends, you may not want to hold on to them — at least in the same way you did throughout the marriage. But you may still love your diamonds, or (if the breakup was amicable), they may still have a lot of fond memories associated with them. One solution in this case is to transform your rings into something else. For example, you can have a jeweler remove the center stone and place it in a pendant instead. Or, you can create a new right-hand ring to symbolize your greatest bond with yourself.

Trade them in

Did you know that Shane Co. has one of the best upgrade and trade-in policies in the jewelry business? If you don’t wish to hold on to your wedding rings, you can take advantage of our trade-in policy to find another piece you’ll love. After all, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy a little extra sparkle!

Give them away

If you’re still totally in love with your engagement ring or wedding band, but no longer want to wear it yourself, you can always transfer ownership to a child, niece, nephew, or another family member that may one day get married or is planning to propose. This holds especially true if you have a lot of happy memories associated with your jewelry — why not pass it on to the next generation?

Give them back

While etiquette generally says that the wearer of the rings gets to keep them after a divorce, if you’re the one who called things off, it can be a generous act to instead return them to your ex. This makes the most sense if the ring was a family heirloom of some kind. After all, if it were your grandmother’s ring they were holding on to, you’d want it returned too, right?

Keep them

If you’re simply not ready to let go of your rings, you always have the option to keep them. Whether you plan on wearing them again or not, you may just wish to have them in your jewelry box for safekeeping. That’s okay! Remember: Whatever you decide to do, it’s entirely your decision.

Sell them/donate

The last real option you have is to sell your rings and use the money for yourself or even donate it to a charity. Donating the money can be a great way to do something good for your community without feeling like you’re holding on to anything from your marriage that’s no longer serving you.

Ready to trade in your wedding rings? Visit us in-store or online at ShaneCo.com to learn more about our trade-in policy, or speak with an expert jewelry consultant if you wish to repurpose your jewelry into something new! You can even book a virtual or in-store appointment if you wish to speak with someone and learn more about what your options are.