Advice on Re-Gifting Pearls

by PHILIP GALANES

I gave a pearl and gold necklace to a woman I was dating. She wore it frequently. A month later, she ended our relationship and insisted that I take the necklace. I half-heartedly tried to sell it, but given the times, I don’t imagine seeing fair value in a resale. Would it ever be appropriate to give the necklace to a future girlfriend? Anonymous, Burlingame, Calif.

Because you’re looking for pearls of wisdom, Scottie, let’s make it a triple strand — for the three different types of guys in the world. The answer lies not at Van Cleef & Arpels, but in yourself.

The first type of guy thinks: It’s just a necklace, and gives it to his new girlfriend without a word of its history. Because he’s callous enough to overlook the recycling of a romantic gesture, everyone’s happy — for a while.

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