• One in five British adults has experienced a failed engagement
• 21 per cent of people think the person given the engagement ring, like Mariah Carey, should always keep the jewellery if the couple break up before marriage 
• Jewellers report they see a customer almost every week trying to sell an engagement ring from a failed relationship 
• A quarter (25 per cent) of Brits believe people should always get to choose the design of their own engagement ring
   

New research from Direct Line’s SELECT Premier Insurance reveals what people believe is the proper etiquette when determining who keeps an engagement ring if a couple breaks up before marriage.  Almost a quarter (23 per cent) believe the ring should be returned to the person who proposed if an engagement breaks down.  However, if the ring is a family heirloom more than a third (34 per cent) think it should be returned to the associated family that gifted the ring. 

Just over a fifth (21 per cent) of people believe the recipient should always keep an engagement ring, whatever the circumstances of the relationship failing before the couple make it up the aisle.  Mariah Carey famously kept hold of her $10 million, 5-carat engagement ring from New York-based jeweller Wilfredo Rosado after the breakdown of her relationship with the billionaire James Packer. 

It seems Brits don’t believe cheating or unreasonable behaviour should have a bearing on who keeps an engagement ring after a break-up with just one in twenty (5 per cent) thinking the injured party should keep the engagement ring if their partner was found to have cheated on them.  If a partner’s unreasonable behaviour is the source of a breakup, only four per cent think it’s a good enough reason to determine who keeps the ring.
 

Table one:  Who should keep the engagement ring if a couple break-up before marriage?

Source:  Direct Line’s SELECT Premier Insurance
 

Jewellers across Britain dealing in second hand sparklers see almost a customer a week coming in looking to sell an engagement ring having broken up pre-wedding.  One jeweller in Eastleigh, Hampshire, has customers on a daily basis seeking to sell an engagement ring.  Those looking to sell an engagement ring after a break-up may be disappointed at the money on offer, as rings are often purchased second hand for just 50 per cent of the original retail price. 

A fifth (20 per cent) of Brits have had a failed engagement, breaking up with their partner pre-marriage, with disputes over the ring even ending up in court.  In the UK an engagement ring is given as an ‘absolute gift,’ unless it can be proven it was given as a conditional gift and should be returned if the marriage does not take place.   This means there is usually no legal obligation for the recipient of the ring to return the gift even if they have broken off the engagement.  In some cases, if the ring is a family heirloom with sentimental value a court may determine it should be returned.   Hollywood actress Uma Thurman ended up in court arguing over the fate of her 8-carat million-dollar diamond ring. 

Nick Brabham, head of SELECT Premier Insurance, says: “Breaking up is hard to do and deciding who keeps the engagement ring can be even harder.  Disputes can be extremely contentious and even end up in court, though the person gifting the ring is unlikely to have it returned unless the other party voluntarily gives it back.”  

In Hollywood, the groom always drops to one knee and pulls out a surprise ring, however, a quarter (25 per cent) of people believe a person should always get to choose the design of their own engagement ring.  For others the ring doesn’t have to be new, with 30 per cent of Brits thinking proposing with a family heirloom is a romantic gesture, although four per cent think it is “cheap”. 

In some cases older family members won't offer a family heirloom for a proposal. Nearly a sixth (17 per cent) of Brits would not let their child or grandchild propose with a ring in case their partner kept it if the relationship broke down.  One in ten (11 per cent) admit they wouldn’t or didn’t propose with a family heirloom in case the other party kept the ring if they split up.      

Brabham continued: “Engagement rings are often extremely valuable and while the sentimental value cannot be replaced if a ring is lost or stolen it is important people protect their investment.  SELECT Premier Insurance cover offers unlimited contents insurance, with a £10,000 single article limit for jewellery. Successful claimants are paid the full retail price for an item and there are no discounted settlements.  To make any claims process as simple as possible it is important people have a photo of them wearing the engagement ring, keep the purchase receipt and any quality certification such as a GIA report.”  
 

For more information on this please visit: https://www.directline.com/select-premier
 

ENDS
 

Notes to editor

1 Opinium Research interviewed a UK nationally representative sample of 2,004 people, between 7th and 10th February 2017. Figures have been scaled up to a nationally representative sample and regional breakdowns should be seen as indicative only.

2 Telephone research conducted amongst a representative sample of 100 UK jewellers that trade in second hand jewellery between 7th – 17thFebruary 2017
 

For further information please contact:

Claire Foster

Direct Line

[email protected]

0165 183 1672
 

About SELECT Premier Insurance

Direct Line offers SELECT Premier Insurance to cover homes, cars and valuables of high worth, as well as breakdown cover, pet and travel insurance, all covered under just one policy. When taking out SELECT Premier Insurance, Direct Line will even pay your cancellation charges from your previous policy, making it even easier and affordable to have all your policies under one roof, with one payment plan and one renewal date.

At SELECT Premier Insurance we help you stay in control by offering you a truly personal service. To begin with, one of our accredited insurance advisors will carry out a complimentary individual telephone review with you. Then they’ll give you tailored advice, based on your unique needs, for example, specialist cover for valuables such as fine art and jewellery (without needing to list individual items worth less than £10,000) or for your property portfolio, to ensure you get exactly the right level of cover.

To find out more about what Direct Line SELECT Premier can offer, go to www.directline.com/select or go straight through to an expert, not a machine, on 0800 206 2849

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