Engagement Goes Sour, But Both Love the Ring

A man who proposed to his girlfriend last December now wants the 3.2-carat diamond engagement ring back after the engagement turned sour last month, according to a lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court this week.

At the time of the engagement, the couple agreed that Dean Kuehnen Jr. would receive the ring back should the marriage not take place, but to date Andria Castellano is still holding on to the $38,800 ring, the suit says.

The situation and its proper resolution is sticky, an etiquette consultant, Samantha von Sperling, said. "If you are the woman and you broke it off, it is the noble thing to give the ring back," Ms. Von Sperling, president of Polished Social Image Consultants, said. But, she added, "if the guy breaks up with you, the noble thing is to let her keep the ring."

Over the years, judges have set forth similar judgments: whoever breaks the engagement loses the ring.

An attorney for Mr. Kuehnen, Lara Ott, would not comment on how the engagement ended, saying it was "not relevant to the cause of action."

Attempts to contact Ms. Castellano for comment were unsuccessful.

According to the suit, Ms. Castellano has told Mr. Kuehnen that she still has the ring but has "threatened to third parties" to sell or dispose of it.