Selling jewellery to pay solicitors fees?

[Toastandstrawberryjam]

I have found a solicitor I think I'm happy with but she wants full fees upfront (obv this is based on average costs but could be higher).

I have very little in savings and am trying to hold onto those in case DH starts getting angry and not paying bills. I have no income other than child benefit.

So I thought there would be a certain poetic justice in selling my engagement/wedding/eternity rings which I think are worth a fair bit. Anybody done this?

No, I haven't. I think you should look for a less greedy solicitor.

Having phoned a few this seems to be the general way of practice. So I presumed that was typical?

unfortunately your jewellery is unlikely to be worth anything near what you think it is. second hand jewllery really has no resale value and becomes almost worthless as soon as you walk out of the shop with it.

Unless you are talking about seriously high end pieces you'll probably be lucky to get about a 3rd of what you paid for it. I recently tried to sell about £4000 worth of jewellery and was offered just over £600. and most of it wasn't just average high street branded stuff....

I thought gold and diamonds got quite a lot at the moment? Tbh it's worthless to me as I will never wear it again so even if it pays some of the costs I guess that's something.

I expect you're right, Toast. Just seems so depressing.

It's incredibly depressing. Quite why I have to pay such a lot when he's made me miserable for so many years seems unfair to me. Plus the added bonus of knowing he could make the costs soar just so I end up with nothing.

gold will fetch a decent price but diamonds are practically worthless because they are kept artificially high in price. Put it like this, I had a diamond tennis bracelet which was worth £1000 for insurance purposes. Because it is more diamonds than gold I was told it was only worth scrap value of .... £65. And this was by a reputable jeweller.

I did sell other gold only items for not far off what I had paid for them. But anything with stones in which has been increased in price because of those stones really won't fetch you much...

Hmmmm back to the drawing board then. Maybe I could sell one of the DC

Have you thought about using a mackenzie friend? I used a lady who was brilliant and charged a quarter of the price of a solicitor, she was recommended to me because she used to be a lawyer, knows her stuff and v supportive. PM me if you like

I sold all mine, engagement ring, wedding ring, Amy jewelly gifted to me throughout the marriage. I went on holiday.

I see no problem with selling the items, it's just you might not get what you expected for them I know I didn't.