Beyonce sung about "putting a ring on it" but what
happens to the engagement ring when the wedding is called off? The
issue of who keeps the ring can be a contentious one with
perceptions about who is the rightful owner guided by convention,
tradition, morality or that the former bride-to-be automatically
keeps it! However, perceptions between the parties don't always
marry (pun intended) and in these instances, the Court steps
in.
Disputes about the ring usually arise when one person in a
'cathartic release' (as it has been described to me)
disposes of the engagement ring – symbolically throwing it
into the ocean (or another body of water), melting it down to
create a new piece of jewellery or selling it. The other person
then seeks its return or monetary compensation equal to its
value.
