Victoria Comstock-Kershaw, a twice-divorced art critic, has sparked conversation around personal symbolism and empowerment through jewelry. At just 27 years old, she continues to wear her stacked engagement rings on her ring finger, a choice that some may find unconventional. “I’ve kept wearing them after the divorce, which I’m told is absolutely insane, but my logic was: I liked them enough at the time, and I continue to trust my taste in jewellery more than I trust my taste in men,” she explains.
Comstock-Kershaw’s wedding rings carry a rich personal history. For her first marriage, she wore a green tourmaline and silver ring gifted by her grandmother. For her second wedding, she chose a diamond and lilac sapphire band that originally belonged to her mother, given to her for her 21st birthday. She finds both rings aesthetically pleasing and enjoys matching her nail polish to the green tourmaline ring. Beyond their beauty, the rings serve as a shield against unwanted advances and become conversation starters regarding her unique marital journey. Instead of dwelling on her divorces, Comstock-Kershaw focuses on the legacy her rings carry, embracing their history.
Other individuals have also found creative ways to repurpose their engagement jewelry as a means of personal expression following divorce. Barbara Sturm transformed the diamonds from her engagement ring into earrings, while designers Annoushka and Rachel Boston report increasing interest in creating pendant necklaces from old rings.
Phillips, another voice in this movement, shares her perspective on dealing with personal upheaval: “Divorce has a way of unsettling your sense of self. Change was going to be uncomfortable regardless, so I chose to mark it on my own terms, with a reminder of the version of me who chose decisiveness over doubt, at a point when that really mattered.” She describes her ring now as a symbol of confidence rather than recovery, a reminder that self-trust can triumph in challenging times.
This trend of repurposing or creatively retaining engagement jewelry following divorce reflects a broader cultural shift toward embracing one’s journey and experiences, turning symbols of lost relationships into tokens of personal strength and self-affirmation.