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Original poster

Are 1940s diamond rings worth anything?

84 replies

Stupidstupidcow · 03/05/2022 21:29

I urgently need to scrape some money together after seriously damaging my car today. DH is furious. The only thing I have that’s of any possible value is my Nan’s engagement ring. It’s a diamond ring from the 1940s and is of incomparable sentimental value to me but I think I’m going to have to accept that I need to let it go. Are standard diamond engagement rings from that era worth anything much? The replacement value when I had it adjusted (I wear it myself) was £1000 but I realise that’s likely to be a lot more than what I’d get if I sold it.

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 03/05/2022 21:55

So how much will it cost to repair the car?

Original poster
Stupidstupidcow · 03/05/2022 21:57

@thenightsky something like that. Won’t know exactly until it’s in a garage. DH has mentioned various possibilities. He said it was smoking like hell when he drove it and a red cog warning light came up on the dashboard 😨

OP posts:
Happyhappyday · 03/05/2022 21:57

I don’t see why this wouldn’t be covered by insurance? I calmly backed into a pole in a parking garage (not on purpose!) and it was totally covered.

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Original poster
Stupidstupidcow · 03/05/2022 22:00

DH is going to check with insurers tomorrow. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

OP posts:
LubaLuca · 03/05/2022 22:00

I guess op doesn't have fully comp insurance. But lots of people have asked and no answer so it's hard to get a clear picture of what the best option would be.

LagerthasOwl · 03/05/2022 22:00

Your DH can do one. I have a very expensive and highly modified show/track car. It's my pride and joy, I've sunk thousands into it on top of the purchase price. DH smacked a deer at 60mph last year in it a month after I spent ££££ on it. I was upset yes, but not at him.

Your DH needs to understand that accidents happen, you didn't do it on purpose. Speak to your insurers and see what they say. That's what insurance is for. I went through the insurance for mine and I had it back all shiny and fixed in just a couple of months, with a courtesy car whilst I waited.

It's just a car, metal and plastic, entirely replaceable (like your DH 🤣) your grandmas ring however, is absolutely not.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 03/05/2022 22:01

Just claim on the insurance. That’s what it’s for. A lorry once dropped some integral part of its chassis right in front of me on a roundabout and I drove over it as there was no time to avoid it. DH was ‘cross’. Tough.

HardRockOwl · 03/05/2022 22:02

Tell your horrible husband to piss off

LubaLuca · 03/05/2022 22:02

Stupidstupidcow · 03/05/2022 22:00

DH is going to check with insurers tomorrow. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Oh, well there's your solution then. If you're contacting the insurance then you must have fully comp insurance. They'll probably need to speak to you, at it's you that can explain the circumstances of the accident.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 03/05/2022 22:02

Are you insured third party, not fully comp? That's the only way it wouldn't be covered by your insurance.

This is exactly what insurance is for - yes, you'll usually have an excess to pay, but that's better than having to fork out the whole lot yourself.

Or is the problem that you think they'll write it off?

LubaLuca · 03/05/2022 22:05

Is your husband trying to make you think you'll need to sell something precious as a punishment? That's a dickish thing to do when you have adequate insurance. Get a handle on your own insurance arrangements so you don't end up having to get him to deal with anything like this in future.

Carrotten · 03/05/2022 22:08

It's an accident. These things happen. Your DH needs to get over himself, your not a naughty child

Your insurance will cover it unless your third party? But either way its not worth selling something so sentimental

GlamGiraffe · 03/05/2022 22:10

Do you have a picture with something next to it for size comparison to judge

Deadringer · 03/05/2022 22:11

Accidents happen, upsetting as it is this is a temporary setback. Don't sell the ring, once it's gone it's gone forever.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 03/05/2022 22:18

Stupidstupidcow · 03/05/2022 22:00

DH is going to check with insurers tomorrow. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

No, don't leave this, check whether you have fully comp cover yourself. Ideally be there when he speaks to them.

I get the impression he is trying to frighten you or punish you with this and may not be 100% honest about this.

There is no way he doesn't know whether you have fully comp cover.

AngelinaFibres · 03/05/2022 22:19

Happyhappyday · 03/05/2022 21:57

I don’t see why this wouldn’t be covered by insurance? I calmly backed into a pole in a parking garage (not on purpose!) and it was totally covered.

I did a very similar thing to you. It was a low slung,sporty BMW. There was a terrible scraping sound as the metal sheet that was fitted underneath, tore off. I told the insurers exactly and truthfully what I had done. They covered the cost.Accidents can be caused by other people ,they can be caused by you and involve no one else. That us what fully comprehensive insurance is for.

AngelinaFibres · 03/05/2022 22:26

My engagement ring from my first marriage cost several hundred pounds when my exhusband bought it in 1988. It was Victorian, 24 carrat gold with 8 small diamonds in a flower shape. Pretty but not hugely blingy.After we divorced I took it back to the jeweller we had bought it from.They weren't interested in buying it. Another jeweller offered me £12.00 in the year 2000 which was the weight of the gold. Secondhand jewellery is worth very, very little. Keep it and use the insurance.....hopefully your husband actually has some on that car.

roosnunlilei · 03/05/2022 22:27

I'm guessing the excess is huge?

LoudingVoice · 03/05/2022 22:32

Stupidstupidcow · 03/05/2022 22:00

DH is going to check with insurers tomorrow. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Why can’t you contact the insurance, it was your accident?

If he’s already being a dick about this then you take control and sort it out, do you have fully comprehensive insurance? If you don’t know this is a perfect time to get yourself up to speed.

Don’t sell the ring, just don’t even consider it.

LubaLuca · 03/05/2022 22:32

hopefully your husband actually has some on that car.

To be fair to the husband here, this is not his responsibility - the op should have insurance on that car because they're driving it. Every driver should know what their insurance arrangement is ie who they're insured with, what level of cover they have and how to make a claim.

DropYourSword · 03/05/2022 22:32

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 03/05/2022 22:18

No, don't leave this, check whether you have fully comp cover yourself. Ideally be there when he speaks to them.

I get the impression he is trying to frighten you or punish you with this and may not be 100% honest about this.

There is no way he doesn't know whether you have fully comp cover.

Show quote history

Why is there "no way" he doesn't know, when it's clear that the OP doesn't know.

TheSillyMastiff · 03/05/2022 22:37

He needs to calm down, it's a bloody car.

An ex once wrote off my 4 day old brand new car (luckily I had gap insurance on it) it was a bad accident, he was but wasn't at fault the idiot swerved to avoid a fucking badger of all things, hit the embankment and turned the car over on its side at 60mph 🤦🏻‍♀️

Both ex and badger walked away from it, but my 4 day old car did not.

To be honest when I had the call from the police to say there had been a accident my heart sank and I panicked hoping he was ok, when I got to the hospital however and he told me what happened I did shout " a fucking badger, you wrote my brand new car off because of a badger!" The room went silent and then we both burst out laughing at the absolute absurdity of the situation. 🤣

Cars can be replaced people and badgers can not. 🤷🏻‍♀️

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 03/05/2022 22:37

DropYourSword · 03/05/2022 22:32

Why is there "no way" he doesn't know, when it's clear that the OP doesn't know.

Show quote history

It sounds like his car and his policy so he should know. Anyway third party only policies are really unusual for standard cars with no unusual circumstances so you'd know if you were third party only.

ImAvingOops · 03/05/2022 22:37

I think that if you sell this ring you will never forgive your husband for it. And not should you. A man who would let you sell something so precious, to fix a car, is not a loving husband.
I can understand him being cross but when he calms down, he should understand that mistakes happen and not expect you to give up something so meaningful to 'make up' for it. That would be pure nastiness.

AngelinaFibres · 03/05/2022 22:45

LubaLuca · 03/05/2022 22:32

hopefully your husband actually has some on that car.

To be fair to the husband here, this is not his responsibility - the op should have insurance on that car because they're driving it. Every driver should know what their insurance arrangement is ie who they're insured with, what level of cover they have and how to make a claim.

So why is her husband the one who is checking with the insurance company tomorrow. If the policy is in her name only they won't deal with him. I would suspect he sorted the insurance and either went for 3rd party or a huge excess. He is now fully aware that the damage isn't covered.