to ask what you have done with jewellery from an ex?

[MegsDancer]

My ex partner gave me a lot of jewellery - beautiful pieces that I wore all the time when we were together. After the break up earlier this year I put them away as I couldn't imagine wearing them ever again without thinking of him.

Now I'm wondering if I could wear some of them again. What have you done with jewellery from an ex? Do you feel you can still wear it or are they too tied to your past relationship?

Sold them.

Donated it to a local dogs’ charity that holds regular auctions of donated items to raise funds.

The wedding ring went into the English channel. Other stuff was sold.

Sold it all and bought a lovely ring for myself and some treats for my kids. I couldn’t have worn any of it again.

If I liked it I’d wear it. Pieces I wasn’t that keen on I sold.

It never occurred to me to not keep and wear jewelry I like. I’m not sentimental, however.

Depends on the ex and the relationship. ExDH had an affair not long after we were married: I sold my wedding and engagement ring, and gave away the little bits. Long-term relationship with a man who turned up to be just awful: gave away or sold things. Long-term relationship with a very decent man: kept. Don’t tend to wear it (bracelet) very often, but it’s still holds nice memories. I also have a piece of costume jewellery his grandmother gave me, which I do tend to wear every now and again, and love it and the memories it holds.

Sold them for legal fees to divorce him! Kept some that I like from others and remodelled some.

I for sure don't think I couldn't keep the ring.

But other pieces I'm not sure.

@Itbeginswith That's a nice idea - wonder if I have anything local similar.

Engagement ring I lost (when I was packing my car, my cats and my clothes to leave the lying, cheating bastard), my wedding ring I sold. My 40th birthday present I still have because it wasn't from a lying, cheating bastard and it matches a ring I bought for myself (they fit together). I don't wear it currently but it's been more than five years since we broke up now, so maybe next year I need to start giving them birthday an airing because they are gorgeous - rose gold with a salt and pepper diamond.

In my case it was mostly a happy relationship but then he suddenly left. I'm far enough along the grieving process to remember the happy memories but also how will I actually feel wearing these pieces from someone who let me down so badly.

I still wear a particular ring (not a wedding ring) that I was given by exh for Christmas because I like it and chose it (well I asked for the white gold equivalent one but he never could get things quite right).

My wedding and engagement rings I gave to ex MIL to put in her safe and keep for dd when she’s 18. DS now miffed about this! 😂

Edit - I don’t know if it’s the fact I chose to end the relationship that makes me feel unsentimental about it all, and the rings as just objects, not intrinsically connected to him.

I couldn’t really sell the engagement ring because it had come for ex’s godmother and was lovely - white gold with an emerald.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing yeah it's interested that most PPs are saying they sold or gave away, but then another PP is quite happy to keep wearing!

Not sure why it's different for some, maybe the nature of the relationships.

I would say that if there is anything you really love, and can afford not to sell, then put it away. You may feel sad looking at them right now, and how you have been so let down, but in the future you may look at it and no longer feel those emotions. Time really is a great healer.

In my case, I doubt I would feel any emotion today if I still had my ex-husband‘s jewellery gifts (divorced over 20 years ago). My ex partner however: I got rid of every single thing he gave me. Most of it I wasn’t particularly bothered about, but there was a watch that I really liked. Unfortunately, every time I looked at it I thought of him and it gave me the rage! So it had to go - definitely the right decision!

I wasn’t married, but engaged.

I kept the jewellery in a box for years and then decided to sell it all including the engagement ring. Now several years on from that, I slightly regret selling some of it (but not the ring).

I've never been given jewellery by an ex! But, if I had, I wear whatever I wanted to and get rid of the rest.

Some sold and some thrown at him and ended up under the floorboards 😁.

@Jungfraujoch the man or the jewellery 😁

Sold it. Bought food for me and the kids.

I kept my engagement and wedding ring for my DD. She wears them now.

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule. I got my dad to sell some bits for me - a few I still have. Have been engaged four times and the rings were the most expensive items I have had. Of these:

Dad sold the first one to our neighbour, who still wears it.

The second I gave back to the guy as it was his great grandmother's or somethinng.

My daughter has the third, from my marriage to her dad - we are still good friends so it still feels like a positive symbol, though I wouldn't wear it myself.

Still have the fourth. We never married and are now split, so I will probably sell it eventually.

Just do what feels comfortable. I guess if you get a new partner they may have feelings about it too.....

I have a diamond necklace that my friend's ex bought for her - she gifted it to me because she didn't want to wear it OR part with it completely.

Wedding and engagement rings I have kept for the kids. They can decide what they want to do with them when they are old enough. Other jewellery (very limited) I still wear

I wear them. They had good taste and the stuff suits me.

Mine has been sitting in a drawer for decades. I only have my engagement ring and wedding band. I always thought it would bother my now husband if I did anything with them and the resale value is trivial. It came up the other day and it turns out he doesn’t care at all. I’m planning to harvest the gems and remake them into different pieces.