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This is a pretty practical question. Does anyone have suggestions for the best way to get rid of jewelry that my ex gave me? I hate the thought of getting pennies on the dollar for it but I just can't see myself ever wearing it again. I'll always wonder if he gave me the gifts because he was feeling guilty after being with his mistresses.

My ex-wives just sold everything at a pawn shop. So, sadly, pennies on the dollar?

I’m facing this issue too. Some girlfriends are trying to convince me to take it all to a bespoke jeweller and have them recrafted. Apparently they take all the jewels out, melt the gold down then remake something new out of it all. If you don’t want a particular stone they may offer to replace it with something of equal value.

One of the girls has a beautiful cuff bracelet that was made out of all the gold she scrapped and she swapped her engagement diamond for two smaller emeralds that are in the cuff.

I’m considering it as an option.

I do like the symbolism of turning something new from something no longer loved, like my new chapter of life.

[This message edited by LostInHisFog at 2:10 PM, Tuesday, October 19th]

As a rule we tend to overvalue possessions.
My mom left some jewelry when she passed. There was one item we were 100% certain was worth A LOT. When we got it valued the experienced and trusted jeweler gave us an estimate less than 30% of what we expected – basically just over scrap value. Got that evaluation confirmed. I wouldn’t be surprised if your fear of pennies on the dollar might not be more getting true value rather than expected value. Maybe your first step should be to a jeweler and get the stuff valued.

Other than that… here are a couple of ideas:
Go sell it. Even if it’s pennies to the dollar. Pennies in your purse do a lot better than trinkets stored somewhere never to be used.
Donate it. Go find a good local charity and just give them the jewelry to do with as fit. They could sell at an auction or event where they can get a higher price. Chances are you can get a receipt from them and a tax-deduction. Might turn out to be more money that the "real" penny-per-dollar value.
Give it. Have anyone close that might value it? To you it might be reminders of your ex, to someone else it might become a reminder of you.

Do you have anyone you can give the jewelry to? Someone who can appreciate it.

A child, niece or nephew, or a sibling that loves jewelry? My sister looooves jewelry. I could give her some pieces and she would drool over them, and it wouldnt bother her that they were from my WH.

Or, if you really dont care about losing the money, how about a Domestic Violence shelter? Ask them to give some pieces to women going back to work and going on job interviews.

My sister is divorced. First husband’s family owned a jewelry shop and made her freaking rings. Theg were assholes and gave her total crap (and her husband’s ring was soooo much heavier than hers). When she went to pawn it (they were married 11 months, he cheated with 12 women in that span of time). She was offered TEN DOLLARS. The pawn broker said the ring was crap and worth about $100.

I wouldnt want to take that for jewerly. Id give it away first.

1. Sold some on ebay. Fine jewelry resale value is shit unless you have vintage art deco Cartier, which I did not. I got what I got and did not care. The jewelry was literally worthless and meaningless to me on every level.

2. Had 2 sets of diamond stud earrings, gave both to my son and his wife and those will be handed down to my grandsons wives when(if) they marry. These were not super personal in nature so I'm fine with them staying in the family even though my ex did not lol. I will be happy to know that my grandsons wives will wear earrings that are fine quality "family heirloom status" from me. I will not ever look at them and think of him so I was good with this decision.

In the end, only you can decide what to do with it. Everyone has different comfort levels and there is no "wrong" way to handle this--only what is "right" for you and what is "wrong" for you.

You should be aware though...if your exact metal matters to you...When people say "the jeweler melts down the gold and reuses it..." well no not usually. Most jewelers do not have an in-house facility in which they melt down your exact piece, refine the dross and so on, and then reuse that same exact metal to fabricate a new piece. Usually they weigh it and give you a credit towards the metal used to re-set the old stones from your piece of jewelry. So if you hand over 1 troy oz of gold, you will get credit for 1 troy oz of gold used to reset your stones.

I like the recrafting idea.

Makes me think someone should develop a website where people who have been cheated on can swap their guilty conscious jewelry presents with others in the same situation. I have a memory of standing in Tiffany's getting a piece of reasonably inexpensive silver jewelry my son gave me cleaned and my guilty conscious wh asking me if there was anything in there I wanted.

Why yes. A husband who didn't cheat. Were there any of those available?

I had a few pocket knives, razors and fountain pens from my ex. No jewelry other than the wedding bands and those were placed at a couple of places as I let go. I sold all of the pocket knives, razors and fountain pens on ebay and felt like I made some decent money.

No jewelry (except for that gold wedding band I left at a trailhead and hope someone found it and wondered), but some of those items were pretty pricy.

Ex was big into jewelry as gifts and he gave me some beautiful pieces. I have kept everything in case the kids want them someday but one piece I am thinking of doing something with is a family ring with all of our birthstones. Thinking of removing his birthstone and making it a mother's ring. I always loved it but just cant see myself wearing a family ring with his birthstone after he chose to dump our family.

CountryDirt- you left your wedding ring on a trail? Thats pretty badass of you. Much respect.

You can sell any gold and silver and get a good price. Then go shopping!!

Thanks all

that gold wedding band I left at a trailhead

I keep having a fantasy of putting it on a train track and letting it get smushed, like kids do with pennies. It seems so fitting, sort of like the way my marriage/life was smushed when I learned about the multiple betrayals.

I did donate my wedding dress to a place that makes burial shrouds. It was a beautiful dress. But somehow it being cut up and buried seems fitting.