September 3, 2025
Spontaneous day of selling my wedding ring.
Over five years a nomad. Nearly five years since divorce finalized. Many more years since I stopped wearing my ring after the separation. But oh how I loved its sparkly glory. It was a part of me for 23 years. For years I had a permanent indentation in my ring finger even after I stopped wearing it. It had embedded itself into my bone.
Divorce, the Aftermath
There are so many aspects of divorce that you don’t realize or expect. That jump out at you when you least expect it. Having a life and a family that you thought was forever, ripped out from under you, never ceases to have consequences.
After much traveling this summer (Guatemala, El Salvador, London, Mexico… run baby run!) I’m back in my hometown at my parents’ house, a stone’s throw from my family home of twenty years where my Ex and his latest woman live. My storage unit lays in between, the 10×10 aluminum fortress that I used to view as a prison, but now as my refuge and sign of freedom.
The Ring
This morning, I thought of my wedding ring. It was where I left it in my parents’ closet in a plastic bin, in a decorative container that I must’ve bought on one of my travels. With no second thoughts, I plopped it in my purse (my Mayan Guatemalan bag to be precise), and drove downtown to the finest jewelry store (Bryant & Sons https://bryantandsons.com/).
I was only going to ask for an appraisal. I didn’t expect them to treat me with the dignity and respect that they did. They were so lovely and treated me as if this was the ring of royalty.
The figure they gave me was literally the dream price in my head. Without any hesitation, I left it there for consignment. Peace and contentment flooded through me at the thought of a young couple popping into this jewelry store and realizing it was out of their league, then seeing my ring in the bridal display, just in their budget.
The Next Chapter
My beautiful ring deserves to be out of the closet, and on the hand of a woman embarking on a journey of love.
I walked out of there, lighter and free. I remember the embattled woman signing the divorce papers on Christmas Eve 2020, drinking champagne with my divorce attorney, bittersweet to say the least.
I decided to mark the day with reflection, by going to the Ritz Carlton Bacara https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/sbarz-the-ritz-carlton-bacara-santa-barbara/overview/, right by my parents’ house and ordering a glass of champagne. I shared my story with the staff, and they loved it. The solo man (in wealth management) sitting next to me shared his flatbread pizza and we chatted about life.
It turned into a beautiful day. Moving on. Again.
UPDATE July 27, 2026
Divorce finalized Christmas Eve 2020. Today I sold my wedding ring. Special ed travel teachers don’t get paid in the summer, and I’ll be damned if this nomad has to stay grounded! The Saga of the Ring began with a bright eyed girl in 1993. It brought a lifetime of travel, adventure, and raising a family. I said goodbye to the Ring last September when I left it on consignment in my hometown. I didn’t think I’d have to see it again. But alas, it didn’t sell. “Real” diamonds have plummeted in demand in favor of lab diamonds.
So I retrieved it.
I took it to a few jewelry stores on my Santa Maria scouting excursion to no success (but did get great advice, and stories of guns and robberies). Watched my once beloved ring get examined and critiqued under magnifying glasses with knobby knuckles under microscopes and bright lights. Each kind jeweler referred me to another where I’d traipse as if on a scavenger hunt.
Success!
Today I went south to Camarillo, where I received a fair offer which was raised when I revealed I’m a teacher. So now this chapter is finally closed, and I shall raise a glass to the woman (me!) reinventing herself every day. And oysters are a girl’s best friend, not diamonds anyway. 🥰🥂 (my first dance song). #divorce #selltheweddingring #movingon #travelteacher #nomadlife
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