Don't return engagement ring?

[Anonymous]

When is it appropriate to refuse to return an engagement ring if the man called it off? What circumstances warrant this?

[Anonymous]

I think the classy move is to give it back, always. Or maybe better put, it's NOT classy to not give it back.

I guess... if we are playing... if the engagement meant a serious loss of income or finances for the jilted fiance given his "promise," and the woman (let's assume) was as a result in a precarious financial situtaion and thus needed to sell the ring? But in that case it should be a conversation. and frankly it seems like a stretch

or the ring itself is from the woman's family or something

But apparently this is a classic case taught in law schools regarding contracts (didn't go and not a lawyer, but I have a lot of friends who are)

[Anonymous]

I mean, why do you want to keep it? Will you sell it? You won’t get much.

[Anonymous]

If you two aren’t getting married, you give the ring back. That is how a judge will always rule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you two aren’t getting married, you give the ring back. That is how a judge will always rule.

Not true. State law varies on this.

[Anonymous]

I would give it back. Why would you want to emotionally hold on to it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would give it back. Why would you want to emotionally hold on to it?

NP. I can see why a woman would rather sell it than give it back if fiancé cheated on her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you two aren’t getting married, you give the ring back. That is how a judge will always rule.

Not true. State law varies on this.

+1 Plus, the water gets muddied if the engagement ring was also given as a gift for another occasion (birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you two aren’t getting married, you give the ring back. That is how a judge will always rule.

For real? IANAL, but as a lay person, an engagement ring so very clearly reads as a gift. I can see how it has roots that are more contract-like but I would not have imagined modern courts would interpret marriage in such a transactional way.

[Anonymous]

Man called it off because of something outrages woman did? Give it back.
Had no business buying something so expensive that it's even worth second thought. Bigger problems than a ring.
Offer to give it back, then give it away.

[Anonymous]

The only time it would not be okay to give it back would be if he called off the engagement and you lost a significant amount of money on down payments for the wedding.

[Anonymous]

1. Jewelry has a HUGE mark-up which you lose upon reselling. You will get a fraction of what he paid for it.

2. I can't imagine ever wanting to keep such an item!

So... not returning it seems strange to me. Are you so mad that you just want him to suffer?

[Anonymous]

Unless you were cheated on or wronged in a similar way, it’s incredibly tacky to keep the ring. Have some dignity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When is it appropriate to refuse to return an engagement ring if the man called it off? What circumstances warrant this?

Why would you WANT it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you two aren’t getting married, you give the ring back. That is how a judge will always rule.

Not true. State law varies on this.

+1 Plus, the water gets muddied if the engagement ring was also given as a gift for another occasion (birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas).

The general rule is that it is a gift in anticipation of marriage. So the “gift” is conditioned on marriage and can be revoked.

If you can prove it was just a regular gift or your state follows a different rule than you can keep it.