Although no one wants to consider the idea of breaking up after getting engaged, just like the unromantic prenuptial agreement, it’s one of those things couples sometimes must consider.
After all, an engagement ring is an investment. A pricey investment. Because engagement rings are purchased with the assumption that they will last forever, if the relationship terminates early then it’s only fair that the purchaser will expect to get the ring back.
But there are gray areas. For example, most would say if a man cheated on his fiancee then she should be allowed to keep the ring and vice versa. This situation took place on The Bachelor when Melissa Rycroft gave the ring back to Jason Mesnick after he broke up with her on live television. A lot of people thought she deserved to keep the ring.
But if both parties mutually agreed to end the relationship, and it wasn’t particularly on good terms, then who gets the ring? Who you think should get the ring after a break up?
I think Dear Abby once said the following about engagement ring etiquette: she keeps the ring if he breaks it off, but he gets it back for any other reasons. I’m not 100% sure on the source, but it only makes sense. This is assuming that he was the only one to contribute financially to the purchase. However, if I were to end up with the ring, you can be sure I’d pawn it! Who wants to look at something that only envokes pain?
My ex fiance walked out on me 6 months before our wedding, & I returned the diamond. It just seemed right. What would I do with it anyway, wear it with another man!? of course not.
It varies, and each state actually has their own law regarding the matter- some states subscribe to a fault principle, where if one party is at fault, the other keeps the ring. Others look at is as a conditional gift where without marriage the ring is returned to the purchaser!
C’mon girls! Why would you want to keep an engagment ring if the relationship falls through? I didn’t even keep the wedding rings after divorce! That being said, I’ve always heard that the engagment ring is given upon an unwritten contract that both parties will wed. If marriage doesn’t happen, then ultimately the ring purchaser is entitled to the ring. If it’s that important to keep it, TCG is right, look up your state law!