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Original poster

Should I sell my engagement ring because we are skint?

42 replies

MrsFawlty · 07/09/2009 09:45

I'm happily married to Mr Fawlty, we've been together for 6 years and have a fantastic relationship.

I was engaged nearly 13 years ago when I was at uni. We never got married but he was my first love and we are still friends and loosely in touch (I've seen him may be once in 8 years and we have very occasional Facebook contact).

Anyway, I still have my engagement ring from my ex. I've kept it as I didn't really know what else to do with it, and it is a really nice antique art deco style ring, but it's not worth very much I don't think, I can't imagine it going for more than about £50.

But we are absolutely skint, and I know DH doesn't like the fact that I still have it, but there is something holding me back from getting rid of it. It's not that I'm still harbouring feelings, because I'm not, but it's from a part of my life and it's part of who I am and it feels sad to get rid of it.

But as I say, we are skint, DH doesn't like it, and I'm just having a chat with myself about what I should do and why I feel unwilling to let it go. (I am a massive hoarder, but also a historian, and I have romantic notions of grandchildren finding all my old things in a box in an attic and learning a bit about their old grandmother's life. I know I would have loved to find a box like that that was my grandmother's. )

Anyway, am rambling now, just wondering, WWYD?

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsFawlty · 21/09/2009 14:37

Right, am about to post a pic to my profile...

OP posts:

ChopsTheDuck · 21/09/2009 14:43

profile isn't visible.

I don't think I would sell it. I don't have my engagement ring from my ex, I lent it to a 'friend' and never got it back. But ISWYM about it being part of your memories. I have an old cheap, crap ring which I bought with my paperound money which I still hoard jsut because of memories!

Original poster

MrsFawlty · 21/09/2009 14:48

Right, is done - not the best pic unfortunately but it's the best I could get! I actually really like it just as a ring, I think it's really pretty. But I can't exactly wear it, can I?

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Original poster

MrsFawlty · 21/09/2009 14:59

Have also just found a necklace from an ex which I'm thinking I should probably get rid of as well.

There seem to be loads of websites offering cash for gold at the moment, any idea which ones are decent?

OP posts:

captainmillenniumflint · 21/09/2009 15:12

as someone else said, if you're such a hoarder surely you have loads of other things you could sell first? i would keep it meself, is £50 going to make that much difference to your finances?

Original poster

MrsFawlty · 21/09/2009 15:16

Sad as it is, £50 would! It would be a new pair of shoes, or a hair cut, or something useful.

I can't decide. I would hate to regret it, but I rarely see it, certainly can't wear it and DH gets all prickly when it turns up.

OP posts:

sherby · 21/09/2009 15:19

sell it

it is £50 sitting in a box

overmydeadbody · 21/09/2009 15:20

I agree with expat, why hang on to it?

Selling it doesn't erase your memories of the past, so it's not like seeling it erases is.

captainmillenniumflint · 21/09/2009 15:20

not sad at all, just sounds as though you are genuinely in need. also sounds to me as though you're not massively attached to it, so maybe make enquiries - you may find you'd only get £20 in which case you may feel not worth it. or £200 in which case wahey

Ceolas · 21/09/2009 15:24

I'd sell it.

IrishDraught · 21/09/2009 15:25

Sell it, mainly for the fact it's from an ex. Take a pic if you want , but if I was your DH I would be hurt (silly I know). Sell, move on.

IrishDraught · 21/09/2009 15:25

Sell it, mainly for the fact it's from an ex. Take a pic if you want , but if I was your DH I would be hurt (silly I know). Sell, move on.

IrishDraught · 21/09/2009 15:30

I wouldn't sell a ring for the gold money, you would get more on ebay as I don't think they take the gem into account. I pawned a ring recently that was £4000 (rare emerald) and they gave me £50 against the value of the gold Selling would have been more (heavyweight ring) but Ebay is your best bet. There is so much fake tat on their from China that secondhand stuff sells quite well.

ange8 · 21/09/2009 15:33

I can't really see the ring in your photo, as it is too small. I would consider selling in your position - but not to Cash4gold or similar. All those companies pay you a proportion of the value of the gold when it is melted down - so they are good if you have broken jewellery, or 'blingy' chunky jewellery. But for anything that might have some artistic merit, it would probably be worth more if you could sell it as a wearable piece of jewellery.

Original poster

MrsFawlty · 21/09/2009 16:47

Thank you. I wondered about those websites, as I can't imagine they give you a great deal; and I wouldn't want the ring melted down! I might try ebay.

Do you know if there's any sort of online valuation site or a way of comparing it to something similar?

Will also have to try to get a better close up picture than that...

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ange8 · 21/09/2009 19:27

I hope someone will come along with advice on how to get a valuation - in the meantime, you could search ebay for the price that similar rings have been sold for. If you haven't searched for completed auctions before, you just narrow down your search in the usual way (eg you can search the period 'art deco' in the vintage jewellery category) and tick the 'completed listings' box in the preferences panel on the left. There is some great jewellery on there at the moment, at some eye-watering prices!

Original poster

MrsFawlty · 22/09/2009 12:43

Thanks Ange - I took it into a jeweller today and he reckons its circa 1910 but probably isn't worth much. I might ebay it, but put a decent reserve on, and if it doesn't sell, so be it, I'll just give it to my mother to look after so it's not in our house.

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