by Ashley
Let me preface this post by saying that I am NOT ready to sell my ring(s) just yet. But I’d like to crowd-source some info and get opinions from those who have been there/done that on what worked or what to avoid.
Let’s talk rings. Engagement rings, specifically.
When hubs and I split up, we each kept our own rings. I typically wore just my wedding band – a thin solid gold band. While I LOVED my engagement ring, I found it to be a little too big and gaudy. It’d often snag fabrics and just get in the way in general. Plus, it was white gold and while I like the color white gold, the rhodium plating wears off with use (unlike a platinum band or yellow gold band, for comparison) so I never wanted to wear it when I was jogging or working out, etc. In total, I usually wore my actual engagement ring only once or twice a month. All the rest of the time, I just wore the solid gold wedding band.
When talking to a girlfriend recently, she brought up the idea of selling my engagement ring. Maybe it sounds naive, but the thought honestly had not even occurred to me. And although I don’t feel like I’m in a place to run out and sell my ring today…..I do think it’s prudent to start gathering information on the best ways to go about selling one’s old ring. I still have the original paperwork. The ring’s retail price was originally $6,000. Even if I could only sell it for half that amount….I could really use the $3,000-ish it might fetch.
But in talking to a couple other divorced ladies, many of them commented that they were only able to get a couple hundred bucks for their wedding rings. It doesn’t seem worth if if that’s the going rate. I definitely don’t expect to get retail value….but I’m not going to sell a $6,000 ring for $500 either.
What are your thoughts? Have you had good luck (or bad luck) with any specific sites or services? I’ve read that online resale is the way to go (in contrast to going to a local pawn shop or jewelry store where they just melt it down and give you the price of scrap gold). But it feels scary to sell a ring online – I’d want to make sure it’s a super reputable site, etc. I’d love to hear any tips or suggestions/recommendations the BAD readership may have!
Hi, I’m Ashley! Arizonan on paper, Texan at heart. Lover of running, blogging, and all things cheeeeese. Freshly 40, married mother of two, working in academia. Trying to finally (finally!) pay off that ridiculous 6-digit student loan debt!